The European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament condemns the escalation near the village of Kuźnica Białostocka, Poland, where a huge number of migrants under the control of armed Belarus units are set to destroy border fences and cross illegally into EU territory. ECR Co-Chairman Prof Ryszard Legutko (Poland) said: “The scenes that are…
Defence
Space Records Due To Be Broken Friday 22 October
Ariane 5 is on the cusp of setting 3 new records when it carries the SES-17 and SYRACUSE 4A satellites for its second launch of the year, scheduled for Friday October 22. Arianespace will orbit two geostationary satellites: SES-17, a high throughput satellite operated by SES and SYRACUSE 4A, a satellite developed for the French…
Strengthening EU Cyber Defence
MEPs call for a comprehensive set of measures and a coherent IT policy, as well as improved military cyber defence coordination, to strengthen EU cyber resilience. A common cyber defence policy and substantial EU cooperation on cyber capabilities are among the key issues needed for the development of a deepened and enhanced European Defence Union,…
Arctic Regional Stability Under Threat
The European Parliament has called for constructive international cooperation in the Arctic while issuing warnings over emerging threats to stability in the region. In a new report on geopolitical and security challenges in the Arctic, adopted on Wednesday, MEPs say that Arctic states and the international community should preserve the Arctic as an area of…
International community warned of Taliban “danger” to security and peace
The re-emergence of the Taliban threatens the peace and security of the “whole world”, an event in Brussels was told. The stark warning came at a conference which discussed the rise of extremism in South Asia, particularly in the context of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Junaid Qureshi, the Executive Director of European Foundation for South Asian…
Sakharov Prize Nominations
The Sakharov Prize was established in 1988 by the European Parliament as an honorary award for individuals or groups who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought. A shortlist of nominees was drawn up yesterday by the Parliament’s Committee of Foreign Affairs which will be further refined…
ECR Group Supports EP Afghanistan Resolution
The ECR Group says that it endorses the European Parliament’s resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, which deplores the violent takeover by the Taliban and expresses strong concerns about the future of the country. The MEPs stress their refusal to recognise the interim all-male Taliban government, made up of 33 mullahs, with many under US…
Is Equatorial Guinea Courting Russia for Security Support?
Last week, there were reports about the development of cooperation between Mali and Russia. In social networks, unverified sources posted news about the transfer of Russian military personnel from Syria to Bamako. But Mali is not the only country seeking the support of the Russian Federation. Yesterday, information about the visit of government officials from…
Algeria: Proxy Hitmen in Mali
In his The Dark Sahara (2009) and The Dying Sahara (2012), Jeremy Keenan argues that there is a danger of proxy hitmen in Mali, writes Abdelkader Filali. Keenan is an anthropologist and an associate professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London who works as a consultant on the Sahara and the Sahel for many international…
Poland Warns of Security Threat From Russia
Polish ECR MEPs Anna Fotyga and Witold Waszczykowski have labelled recent joint Belarusian and Russian activities around the EU-Belarus border as “hybrid warfare”, also warning against a further worsening of the situation. During a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, MEP Anna Fotyga stated that the situation caused by Belarusian attempts…