Tag: featured

Metsola: Enlargement must remain a top priority

Blog, EU, Europe, Politics, Russia

Brussels 27.06.2024 In her traditional address to the European leaders at the EUCO Summit the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has drawn attention to the following:
“Competitiveness, security & defence, and social equality are clear electoral messages for the EU’s programme”, said EP President Roberta Metsola to the European Council.

Addressing the European Council today in Brussels, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola highlighted the following topics:

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Ukraine
“The European Parliament welcomes the new security cooperation pact between Ukraine and the European Union.

The presence of President Zelenskyy here to mark the occasion is of important symbolical value and bears proof to our mutual commitment to our common security and shared destiny.”

Enlargement
“The step taken to begin formal EU membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova this month is significant and important. The European Parliament has been a strong advocate for the launch of EU accession negotiations.

Getting our Union ready for enlargement must remain a top priority in our next institutional cycle.”

Delivering on messages from the elections
“We have now a much clearer view of what people expect us to deliver on over the next five years. The challenge is now to turn these electoral messages into a political programme for the European Union. One that is serious, deliverable and implementable.”

Security and defence
“People have called for the robust defence of our values and for security to remain a top priority. Our support for Ukraine must continue.

It also means doing more to increase Europe’s ability to respond to any type of crisis and strategic autonomy. This requires a pressing need to develop a real common security and defence policy.

We have already worked together to ramp-up our capabilities, decrease duplications and reduce the fragmentation of the defence industries. Establishing a strong defence industrial base is the next step.”

Competitiveness and the Single Market
“European competitiveness is critical from an economic and a political perspective – we need to reinforce Europe’s place on the global stage.“

“We need to re-double our efforts for open, balanced, fair trade that is based on international rules, and broaden our network of trade agreements with partners by concluding and ratifying the ones we have in the pipeline.”

“Strengthening competitiveness will also require deepening the Single Market. Only by increasing productivity, speeding-up investments in own industrial capabilities, can we reduce strategic dependencies while simultaneously supporting and sustaining economic growth. The Single Market is our greatest economic driver.”

Financing growth
“If we are to grow our economies and pay back our debts, we have to get serious about finding innovative ways to fuel both public and private investment.”

“The increase of the ceilings in a mid-term revision of the EU’s current long-term budget was an important step in the right direction. As we prepare for the next MFF, we need to ensure a budget that is fit-for-purpose.”

“We need to complete our Banking and Capital Markets Unions, if we are serious about mobilising private capital to invest in our priorities, and to incentivise our companies to stay in Europe. This is how we sustain economic growth and create new quality jobs and futures with dignity.”

Leaving nobody behind
“When it comes to making progress on the green and digital transitions, no one should be left behind. Implementation here is key. That must be our focus now.”

“Whilst we are extremely proud of our world leading targets, burdens, bureaucracy and red-tape risk holding back progress. Each regulation may well be justified, but when taken together we need to be careful to ensure that this does not become too much. Our proposals must work for families. For industry. For farmers.”

“That is how we can bring Europe a little bit closer to how our people want it to be. How we can reflect on the message that the electorate sent us. How we will deliver on a stronger, safer, fairer and better Europe for all Europeans.”

Election of the President of the European Commission
“The European Parliament remains firmly behind the Lead Candidate process and we confirm that the European People’s Party is once again the largest political group in the European Parliament.

We will respect the due process. After the European Council communicates to us the name, we will invite the person to meet with Group leaders on Tuesday (2 July). The aim of this is to determine the candidate able to form the necessary qualified majority in Parliament to become the next Commission President. A candidate with a political programme that is able to capture the main electoral messages and reflect the views of the majority of the House.

The European Parliament stands ready to move the smooth process forward for electing a new Commission President without delay as soon as the European Council submits its candidate and for the hearings of the Commissioners after that.”

Ukraine: accession and hurdles

Blog, Conflict, EU, Human rights, Politics

Brussels 25.06.2024 The EU today held the first Intergovernmental Conference at ministerial level to open accession negotiations with Ukraine.

This follows the decision by the European Council on 14-15 December 2023 to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, and the approval by the Council of the Negotiating Framework for the negotiations with Ukraine on 21 June, in accordance with the revised enlargement methodology.

The EU delegation was led by Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Belgium, accompanied by Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi. The delegation of Ukraine was led by Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna.

The EU reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and stated its readiness to continue to support Ukraine and its people against Russia’s ongoing war for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed.

The EU underlined that Ukraine is already a close partner of the EU.  Its Association Agreement with the EU, which also includes the far-reaching Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, entered into force in 2017 and has been provisionally applied since 2014. It is the basis for extensive cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in a broad range of areas. The EU and Ukraine are closely aligned on foreign and security policy, and the EU encourages Ukraine to continue its positive trend towards full alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The EU has now invited the Commission to continue to assess the state of preparedness of Ukraine for opening negotiations in specific areas and identify the issues that will most likely come up in the negotiations, starting with the fundamentals’ cluster which, in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, will be opened first.

As a future member state, Ukraine will be expected to continue to adhere to the values listed in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, namely the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

At present there are a number of questions regarding the human rights, namely the
The Treaty on European Union sets out the conditions (Article 49) and principles (Article 6(1)) to which any country wishing to become a member of the European Union (EU) must conform.

Certain criteria must be met for accession. These criteria known as the Copenhagen criteria were established by the Copenhagen European Council in 1993 and strengthened by the Madrid European Council in 1995.

They are:

    • stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
    • a functioning market economy and the ability to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the EU;
    • the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including the capacity to effectively implement the rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law (the ‘ acquis ’), and adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

Ukraine faces unprecedented challenges affecting gender equality and the enjoyment of equal rights and opportunites by women, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination. Structural discrimination of women persists in both the public and private spheres to varying extents in the country. The roots can be found in patriarchal attitudes and stereotypes, as well as deeply entrenched systemic gaps.

Clearly at present the human rights in Ukraine are not respected as declared by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which guarantees the EU citizens’ rights. The Charter lays down the fundamental rights that are binding upon EU institutions and bodies. It also applies to national governments when they are implementing EU law.

Ukraine faces unprecedented challenges affecting gender equality and the enjoyment of equal rights and opportunites by women, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination. Structural discrimination of women persists in both the public and private spheres to varying extents in the country. The roots can be found in patriarchal attitudes and stereotypes, as well as deeply entrenched systemic gaps.

MEP Donato husband found strangled in Palermo

Blog, EU, Europe

Brussels 26.05.2024 The Italian MEP Francesca Donato husband – architect Angelo Onorato,54, – found dead yesterday afternoon in his car with a plastic band around his neck, blood stains were found on his shirt while there were no traces of a struggle inside the car.

According to the first body inspection carried out by the medical examiner, the entrepreneur died of suffocation. The autopsy, ordered by the deputy prosecutor Ennio Petrigni who coordinates the investigation, will provide more details.

There are currently two main hypotheses: murder or suicide. However, the latter is not taken into consideration by his family and friends.
“They killed my husband Angelo” Donato told her close ones when they called her to find out what happened.
Further in the evening when she was taken to the Flying Squad offices to be interviewed, she repeated “”Angelo didn’t kill himself”, insisting that the was not a suicidal type of character.

Even the people who were with Onorato at the start of summer party organized by the tennis club on Friday May 24 evening speak of a serene and happy person. However the hypothesis of suicide is not discarded by the operatives, for whom all hypotheses remain open during this stage of investigation. There is also an unconfirmed information about his debts.

Based on initial reports, the body was found by MEP Donato and her daughter Carolina. They worried about the cell phone silence, and found the car by GPS. They would have been the first to arrive at the site of the gruesome discovery, as reported by a witness who said he saw two women screaming next to the car with the door open, and that he recognized the MEP who is well known politician in Palermo.

Friends and family profoundly shattered by this sudden death of they speak of a happy family man with a lot of friends in various clubs. Francesca Donato married the entrepreneur in 1999 and on April 24th they celebrated their silver wedding.

The MEP, originally from Ancona, Marche, had moved to Palermo after her marriage, where she gave birth to Salvatore, 25, and Carolina, 21. Both spouses were involved in politics with the Democrazia Cristiana (DC) party, Donato joined after abandoning Lega which brought her to Brussels MEPs ranks.
Two years ago her husband also attempted a political career by running on the DC list in Palermo for the regional elections, obtaining 846 votes but not enough to be elected. Despite this, the entrepreneur was very active alongside his wife and participated in party meetings. Does this activity have anything to do with his death? Assumptions that some in the party put forward, thinking about the European elections on 8 and 9 June.

Ursula: MEP Garraud complaint to OLAF

Blog, EU

Strasbourg 14.03.2024 Complaints against the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen accumulate. This time the Member of the European Parliament joint the voices of discontent, pointing to her neglect of rules the EU institution is so eager to impose on others. Ursula von der Leyen start of the competition for the second mandate was marked with a “faux pas” or a misstep, evident to many. The EU top executive started to use the resources and possibilities at hand of her powerful position to engage in self-promotion for the second mandate.

Complain Garraud Ursula

However the reality showed the opposite, and on March 7 a complaint from a French Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jean-Paul Garraud was filed to European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly on non-compliance with the “article 10 of the Code of Conduct for Commissioners by the President of the Commission European, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen”. As a MEP, but also as a professional jurist, Garraud expressed his “deep concern regarding respect for the principles of integrity and neutrality” which had to guide the action of all European commissioners, in accordance with Article 10 of the Code of Conduct of
commissioners, but clearly in case of Ursula von der Leyen was ignored. (The original of the letter above).

Apparently Ursula von der Leyen, incumbent President of the Commission European and candidate for a new mandate put forward by the European People’s party, recently published a glorious assessment of her mandate on the site of the European Commission.
This self-gratification raises serious questions about misusing of human and material resources of the European Commission for “purposes linked to its electoral campaign”, which would be in direct violation of Article 10 of the Code of Conduct for Commissioners. “This article clearly states the prohibition of using Commission resources for campaign activities”, Garraud underlines. Wishing to be re-elected at the head of the European Commission the president-candidate used the site of the European institutions to promote a 56-page document “devoted to her own glory” as MEP ironically remarked.

Garraud Tweet

“The trust of European citizens is essential for the proper functioning and legitimacy of institutions
European. It is therefore essential to ensure that all EU representatives and commissioners act in accordance full compliance with established ethical and conduct rules, thus guaranteeing equal treatment
between all candidates and preserving the integrity of our institutions” the MEP continues.
The text of the complaint to OLAF (depicted) resumes in a request of the investigation of the matter to ensure that Ursula von der Leyen campaign for re-election is conducted within the frame of existing rules in full respect of the Code of Conduct.

Jean-Paul Garraud is a French politician who has raised to prominence in his status as an accomplished jurist. After a long and illustrious professional career within the French justice system, this native of Toulouse turned to political life. He earned his stripes in the UMP as a French deputy where he was distinguished for his work in the National Assembly as rapporteur of several significant bills.

Nowadays Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is being sued in the Belgian courts over controversial private text messages exchanged with Albert Bourla, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The President of the Commission stands accused of having acted subjectively, through private wheeling and dealing, without a mandate from the EU Member States. The Commission attempted to defend the boss while saying that the messages were deleted because they were deemed to be of a ‘short-lived and ephemeral nature’ and devoid of ‘important information relating to policies, activities and decisions of the Commission’. This attitude has disappointed many, demonstrating an absence of any inclination for co-operation.

In spite of the evident public concern the Commission explanations expose the serious lack of transparency surrounding these private negotiations, which led to a purchase of Pfizer products for an
amount of €35bn. The negotiations conducted via texts attracted also keen attention of the New York Times newspaper, which resulted in a lawsuit.

The request from the New York Times, the first media outlet to reveal the SMS affair in April 2021, was filed on January 25, 2023 and has been visible since February 13 on the public register of the Court of Justice of the European Communities . (Pictured with Albert Bourla)

Screenshot (89)

One more similar  lawsuit was filed by a Belgian activist who started legal action against Ursula von der Leyen for causing financial damage to the Belgian state by negotiating the joint procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by text messages, local media reported.

Frederic Baldan, a lobbyist officially accredited to EU institutions, sued von der Leyen for causing financial damage to the Belgian state when she secured a €35 billion ($38.4 billion) deal with pharma company Pfizer to buy 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for EU countries, Belgian weekly Le Vif reported.

Taurus: Crimea bridge attack plans

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Brussels 03.03.2024 The German authorities are looking forward to the results of an investigation into a leaked conversation of Germany’s top officials about a perspective attack on the Crimean Bridge with the use of Taurus missiles. Bild am Sonntag reported the conclusions of this research will be published soon.
Earlier Russian media claimed it had obtained a 40 minutes long secret conversation between German Air Force Commander Ingo Gerhartz and other senior officers about the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Boris Pistorius said the released recording revealed officers discussing various scenarios and did not mean a “green light” for the transfer of Taurus missiles to Kiev.

According to the newspaper, the government intends to find out how the leak has occurred in a matter of days and then decide on appropriate measures. German Spiegel magazine ensures that first analyses show that the footage released is authentic.

Since this incident involves national security, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken it upon himself to make a decision, the newspaper said. He wishes to discuss potential measures with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

On Friday, March 1, Scholz gave assurances that NATO was not now and would not in the future be directly involved in the Ukraine conflict.

However he leak of German military conversations about the attack on the Crimean bridge with a Taurus missile is explosive, – Tagesschau TV channel:
▪️The officers conferred before a briefing for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The questions on the agenda were whether the Taurus could technically destroy the bridge, whether Kyiv would be able to carry out an attack without the participation of the Bundeswehr, and how long it might take to train the Ukrainians to work with these missiles.
▪️The recording shows that there is no green light from Berlin for the supply of cruise missiles. It says that first Germany can supply 50 missiles, and then another 50. But this is just speculation about the possibilities. The main result is a hole in the country’s security system. The media are asking the question: “how did Russia get the recording, was it a targeted interception? Did the fact that one of the participants in the conversation lived in a hotel in Singapore play a role?”
▪️The CDU party has already stated that it is necessary to investigate how Russian spies obtained phone numbers and “how they were able to gain access to this conference.”
▪️Russia’s main goal in the publication is to confirm that Germany has long been a participant in the confrontation in Ukraine and is deeply involved in the conflict, contrary to Berlin’s claims. The investigation is ongoing. – RVvoenkor reports.

Russia IL-76 crash under scrutiny

Blog, Conflict, Europe, Politics, Russia

Brussels 26.01.2024 In case the use of an U.S. or a German surface-to-air missile systems for the deadly attack on Russia’s Il-76 plane (pictured) is confirmed, Western countries will become complicit in the crime committed by the Kiev government, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said.

“According to preliminary investigation, Ukrainian armed forces carried out this terrorist attack using an anti-aircraft missile system. The missiles were launched from the village of Liptsy in Kharkov region,” the Russian diplomat said. “These could have been either American Patriot or German-made Iris-T missiles. If confirmed, this will make the Western suppliers of this ammo complicit in this crime. Just as they are complicit in shelling of peaceful neighborhoods of Russian cities that Ukrainian armed forces carry out with Western weapons.”

On January 24, Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft that was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) for exchange. All 74 people onboard, including 65 Ukrainians perished in the incident. The Russian Defense Ministry called the catastrophe a terrorist act and said Kiev authorities knew about the transportation POWs for an exchange that was planned at the Kolotilovka checkpoint.
In his video address late on Wednesday, President Zelensky said it was “obvious that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society”.

The Ukrainian leader, who has cancelled a planned regional trip linked to his birthday on Thursday, stressed that “all clear facts must be established”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the downing of the plane as a “monstrous act”, according to Russian news agencies. He told reporters that if Mr Zelensky meant an international inquiry into “the criminal actions of the Kyiv regime”, it was definitely needed.

Moscow drone attack hit two buildings

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Brussels 24.07.2023 Early morning hours an attack by two drones was carried out in Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced. The Ministry of Defense accused Kiev in conducting them.

“There were no victims in the thwarted terrorist attack by Kiev on objects in Moscow” the Ministry informed.
“Kiev drones that tried to attack Moscow targets were suppressed thanks to electronic warfare systems. Both drones crashed and fell” they concluded.

Russia’s state-owned Tass news agency reported that one drone fell close to the defence ministry.

Ukrainian officials are yet to comment, but they rarely claim responsibility for attacks inside Russia.

In a separate development, Russian-installed officials ordered people to evacuate one district of Crimea after a reported overnight Ukrainian drone attack.

EU establishes Russia Crime Centre

Blog, Conflict, EU, Human rights, International, Politics, Russia

Today, the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) started its operations in the Hague, hosted by the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust). The newly established Centre will be key to investigate Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine and facilitate case building for future trials. It will provide a structure to support and enhance ongoing and future investigations into the crime of aggression and contribute to the exchange and analysis of evidence gathered since the start of the Russian aggression.

The Centre will begin operating as of today. Eurojust will work closely with the Commission and the members of the Joint Investigation Team to ensure that the Centre can provide the best possible support to national authorities.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is competent to prosecute the gravest international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and the crime of aggression). However, at the moment, the ICC cannot prosecute Russia for the crime of aggression, since Russia is not a State party to the ICC. To close this gap, in November 2022 the Commission presented options to the Member States to guarantee that there is full accountability for all crimes committed in Ukraine. These options explored the possibility of establishing an accountability mechanism to allow the prosecution of the crime of aggression.

While discussions continue, in particular within the Core Group on the establishment of the Special Tribunal, it is crucial to ensure that the relevant evidence is properly secured, and that investigations can begin within the existing legal frameworks.

The evidence collected by the Centre could be used before other jurisdictions, including national and international courts, including a possible tribunal for the crime of aggression or the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes within its jurisdiction.

Prosecutors from the members of the Joint Investigation Centre will be relocated to Eurojust, where they can work together on a daily basis. The prosecutors will be supported by legal and analytical experts from Eurojust. Evidence identified can be stored securely in Eurojust’s Core International Crimes Evidence Database, established following the changes to the Eurojust Regulation based on the Commission’s proposal to amend Eurojust’s regulation.

Borrell: EU €3.5bn military support to Ukraine

Blog, Conflict, EU, Russia

Luxembourg 26.06.2023 “Today, the Foreign Affairs Council is approving a new top-up of our military support to Ukraine: €3.5 billion [for the European Peace Facility]” said the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell at doorstep of the EU Foreign ministers Council.

“I think that it is more important than ever to continue supporting Ukraine, because what has happened during this weekend shows that the war against Ukraine is cracking Russian power and affecting its political system”.

“We are certainly following closely what is happening, but now is the moment to continue supporting Ukraine more than ever, and that is what we will do”.

“Today, the Foreign Affairs Council is approving a new top-up of our military support to Ukraine: €3.5 billion [for the European Peace Facility]” the diplomat concluded.

Putin laments Berlusconi’s death

Blog, EU, Europe

Strasbourg 13.06.2023 MOSCOW, June 12. /TASS/. The Italian Senator Silvio Berlusconi will be honored in a state funeral in Milan cathedral on Wednesday, June 14, the Curia said.

Berlusconi was Prime Minister for nine years in total, making him the longest serving post-war Prime Minister of Italy.

President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella is expected to attend, sources said Monday, June 13.

Meanwhile, sources said Berlusconi’s body was transferred to his home at Villa San Martino in Arcore, near Milan, on Monday June 12 before being laid out for people to pay their respects starting Tuesday 13 June at the production centre of his Mediaset television empire in Cologno Monzese, ANSA news agency writes.

Berlusconi leadership skills and charisma and his ability to maintain strong and close foreign relations with both the United States and Russia was appreciated by many.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he feels deeply aggrieved over the death of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was a true friend and person whom he held dear.

“For me, Silvio was a dear man and a true friend,” Putin said in a message of condolence to Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

“I have always sincerely admired his wisdom and his ability to make balanced, far-sighted decisions even in the most difficult situations. During each of our meetings, I was literally charged with his incredible vitality, optimism and sense of humor,” Putin shared his memories of Berlusconi. “His death is an irreparable loss and a great misfortune.”.

Putin called Berlusconi a remarkable person with whom the most significant events in Italy’s recent history were associated.

“A true patriot, Silvio Berlusconi has always put the interests of his country above everything else. Being at the helm of the Council of Ministers and holding other important governmental posts for many years, he did a great deal for the economic and social development of the country and for its firmer foothold in Europe and in the world arena,” Putin said. The Russian underlined that Berlusconi was rightly considered the patriarch of Italian politics and enjoyed high international prestige.

The President drew particular attention to the fact that Berlusconi had made a truly invaluable personal contribution to the development of mutually beneficial Russian-Italian partnership.

“In Russia, Silvio Berlusconi will be remembered as a consistent and high-principled supporter of strengthening friendly relations between our countries,” Putin believes. He asked the Italian President to “express sincere sympathy and support for Silvio’s relatives and friends.”

“I wish everyone fortitude in the face of this great loss,” Putin wrote.

Berlusconi’s death was reported by Corriere della Sera on Monday, June 12. The veteran and heavyweight of Italian politics, founder and permanent leader of the Forza Italia! (Forward, Italy!) party, who led the government three times, died at the age of 86.

Putin and Berlusconi first met at the G8 summit in Genoa in 2001. They held dozens of one-on-one business meetings over the years in politics and at various international forums in Russia and Italy and in many other countries. Putin and Berlusconi not only worked together, but were on friendly terms for more than 20 years.