The ECR Group says it is “deeply concerned” about the imprisonment of Mikheil Saakashvili, former pro-western President of Georgia and leader of the largest opposition party in the country, after his return from exile. Saakashvili was fully entitled to return to his homeland. Allegations against him made by the ruling party in Georgia are unfounded. The…
In the margins of the Budapest Forum for Sustainable Democracies, the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, convened a global group of mayors united to build a value-driven city network to rebuild and reinforce democracy, stand as a bulwark against the erosion of the rule of law, and fight corruption, state capture, racism and populist nationalism….
Adding to a long list of concerns on the state of EU values in Poland, MEPs denounce the latest attempts to silence critical voices and undermine the primacy of EU law. In a resolution adopted on Thursday with 502 votes in favour, 149 against, and 36 abstentions, Parliament condemns the continuing deterioration of media freedom…
The EU should lift all obstacles facing LGBTIQ people when exercising their basic rights, say MEPs. In a resolution on the rights of LGBTIQ persons in the EU (adopted with 387 votes in favour, 161 against and 123 abstaining), the European Parliament emphasises that these citizens should be able to fully exercise their rights, including…
In her annual address on the State of the Union to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on 15 September the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need to better protect journalists, media outlets’ independence and the public right to information. President von der Leyen outlined her vision for the…
The S&D Group has welcomed the news that the Commission will propose a law to fight gender violence before the end of the year. Ahead of an important vote tomorrow, S&D MEPs are urging all political groups to support effective EU action to end gender based violence once and for all. In a debate on Wednesday,…
The European Commission has taken two separate decisions, both related to decisions of the Court of Justice and where the actions of the Polish authorities continue to undermine the functioning of the Polish justice system. First, the Commission decided to request the Court of Justice to impose financial penalties on Poland to ensure compliance with…
The High Court decision in London that Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu must not be extradited to Romania highlighted concerns about that country’s legal system. Popoviciu’s case exposed that the Romania legal system does not meet the standards expected of a country with membership of the European Union. The robust judgment from the appeal court went…
On the first anniversary of the catastrophic port explosion in Beirut, the Socialists and Democrats call on Lebanese authorities to ensure victims’ quest for truth and justice. More than 217 people were killed, and over 7.000 injured, as 2.750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut’s port on 4 August 2020. Around 300.000 people were displaced, whereas the…
EU foreign affairs Josep Borrell has urged China to do more to combat malicious cyber activities originating from the country. The Spaniard said, “Today, the EU and its Member States, together with partners, expose malicious cyber activities that significantly affected our economy, security, democracy and society at large.” He added, “The EU and its Member…
