Taking stock in Ukraine: Two years of inspiring resilience
The stakes of the upcoming US presidential election cannot be overstated for Ukraine. In the meantime, it’s up to all of Kyiv’s allies to match its inspiring resilience. I write this in Bucharest, less than 200 kilometres from Romania’s border with Ukraine. Ever since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, pieces…
EU deal on new gig-workers rules unlikely before June elections
No EU deal on platform work directive was reached on Friday (16 February), as four member states decided not to support the latest agreement to improve conditions for gig workers in Europe — making the chances of a directive before the elections unlikely.Germany, France, Greece, and Estonia formed a blocking minority, preventing the EU Belgian…
Pylos shipwreck — Motives of Greek coastguard put in doubt
An independent Greek authority probing the deadly Pylos shipwreck is posing questions eight months later on whether the Greek coast guard had even been tasked to carry out a search and rescue.”You take it for granted that the operation was a search and rescue operation,” Andreas Pottakis, the Greek ombudsman, told MEPs in the civil…
Greece becomes first Orthodox state to legalise gay marriage
The Hellenic parliament passed a bill to legalise same-sex marriage on Thursday (15 February), by 176 votes in favour, 76 against and two abstentions [46 lawmakers were not present at the vote] — making Greece the first Orthodox Christian country to adopt such a law.For families like Eleni Maravelia’s, what seemed like a dream 25…
MEPs waive immunity of top suspect in Qatargate scandal
EU lawmakers formally waived the diplomatic immunity of the top suspect in the Qatargate scandal Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili on Tuesday (6 February), following a request of the European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi.According to the parliament’s report setting out the case for waiving Kaili’s immunity from prosecution, Kaili is accused by the European Public…
Why Bulgarian, Romanian hopes for a ‘mini-Schengen’ were a non-starter
Attention will now shift to applying further pressure on Vienna to fully lift its veto on Bulgaria and Romania’s Schengen accession. Any movement, however, is unlikely until after Austria holds parliamentary elections in September. Ali Demirci has been driving trucks across Europe for more than two decades, delivering primarily Turkish-made textiles to distributors and retailers across…
EU’s Red Sea mission to be ‘purely defensive’, says Borrell
The EU’s Red Sea naval mission will be purely defensive, unlike the US-led one, Europe has said, amid concern the US and Iran are heading for a direct clash.”Aspidus: It’s named after the ancient Greek word for shield. It’s a shield to act in a purely defensive mode to defend merchant vessels … it will…
ECHR condemns Greece in Syrian refugee boat shooting
Greece has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, in a case involving the deadly 2014 shooting of a Syrian refugee by the Greek coast guard.The judgment on Tuesday (16 January) by the Strasbourg-based court followed an almost decade-old incident where the Greek coast guard fired 13 bullets into a motor of a…
EU raises Cyprus NGO bombing with authorities during visit
The European Commission says it has discussed with Cypriot authorities the 5 January bombing of an NGO fighting racism in the capital Nicosia.A commission spokesperson said the issue had been raised by EU home affairs Ylva Johansson during her visit on the island only days after the offices at Kisa were bombed. Published by: euobserver.com
EU needs a million migrants yearly, says EU commission
The EU needs a million migrants annually to make up for a demographic shortfall, says the European Commission.The comments made in Athens, Greece on Monday (8 January) by EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson come on the back of Europe’s ongoing struggle to attract top talent. Published by: euobserver.com