Ukraine is one of the largest and most prominent countries bordering the EU and, as such, one of the main beneficiaries of the EU neighbourhood policy. With prevailing corruption threatening the country’s economic growth and social development, the European Court of Auditors will assess the effectiveness of EU action to tackle grand corruption in Ukraine….
A plane has left Germany to pick up Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is in a coma in hospital after a suspected poisoning attack, and transfer him from Siberia to Berlin for treatment, the Cinema for Peace Foundation said. The foundation’s activists had arranged for Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov to be treated in Berlin after…
Ahead of tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting to be held by video link, demonstrations in protest against the violent actions of the authorities have mushroomed in Belarus. Schools, hospitals and state owned factories across the country have gone on strike. Street demonstrations have continued with women young and old wearing white and carrying flowers marching…
The full horror of the atrocities committed on their own peaceful citizens by the Belarus authorities in collaboration with thugs recruited from third countries is just starting to emerge. Foreign thugs completely outnumbered the internal security forces of Belarus who beat and arrested some 3000 peaceful demonstrators in Minsk alone. A three day clamp down…
Moroccan journalist Omar Radi exercises his profession freely. As such he has never been worried or questioned in any way in the course of his work or activities, or even in his public positions. Until the end of 2019 he had never complained of any infringement or restriction in this regard, either to the competent…
The result of an election in Belarus is usually a foregone conclusion, but the run-up to polling day is rarely dull, and this year has certainly been no exception. Presidential elections are due to be held in Belarus on Sunday 9 August. Already since June there have been ongoing street protests by opposition democratic parties…
EU member states have renewed the so-called EU terrorist list, which sets out the persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures aimed at combating terrorism. The list was updated on Friday. Persons, groups and entities on the list are subject to the freezing of funds and other financial assets in the EU. It is…
The Council has decided to impose restrictive measures against six individuals and three entities responsible for or involved in various cyber-attacks. These include the attempted cyber-attack against the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) and those publicly known as ‘WannaCry’, ‘NotPetya’, and ‘Operation Cloud Hopper’. The sanctions imposed include a travel ban and an asset freeze. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to…
On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, communities across Belgium will come together to pay homage to the work of first responders to human trafficking. These are the people who work in different sectors – identifying, supporting, counselling and seeking justice for victims of trafficking, and challenging the impunity of the traffickers. With the ongoing…
Less than 40 % of the irregular migrants ordered to leave the EU actually return to their home country or a third country. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has now launched an audit of the EU’s cooperation with third countries on the readmission of irregular migrants. The auditors will assess whether the suite of…
