Speaking on International Human Rights Day (10 December) at the Brussels Press Club, Andriy Domansky, a prominent Ukrainian lawyer, called for the freedom of speech and the rights of journalists in Ukraine. He represents a number of journalists in Ukraine who have been detained or harassed for doing nothing more than carrying out their professional duty….
The Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Romania is investigating 403 cryptocurrency transactions. These transactions, valued in total at 14 million US Dollars, were made over a period of three years, writes James Wilson. The funds entered Romania in order to fund #resist groups and other NGOs who support the National Anti-Corruption…
If European leaders still harbour any doubts about the Hungarian conservative Viktor Orbán’s loyalties to Europe, the events in Hungary last week will have done little to dispel them, writes James Wilson. Hungary has a new VIP asylum seeker, the former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. He was convicted by a court in Skopje of…
A permanent independent body should be set up to investigate murders of journalists, it has been claimed, writes Martin Banks The demand comes after the murders of three journalists in Europe so far this year, including Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese reporter who was killed by a car bomb in the course of her investigation into…
British Conservative Member of the European Parliament, Sajjad Karim, has held a debate on the case of Asia Bibi postponed to a later date, writes Martin Banks. Karim made a request to the Parliament’s President, Antonio Tajani, to delay the discussion – that was due to take place later this week – in order to avoid…
The European Parliament is “deeply concerned” about the reform of the Romanian judicial and criminal laws, which it says risks undermining separation of powers and the fight against corruption, writes Martin Banks. In a resolution wrapping up the plenary debate held with the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila the Chamber called on the Romanian authorities to put in…
International attention is turning to Romania, not only due to recent protests, but also because Romania will shortly take up the presidency of the European Union. The country’s presidency, which begins January 2019, will oversee a pivotal moment in European history, as the United Kingdom leaves the EU in March. Romania joined the EU in…
With still 5 months to go before the Presidential elections in Ukraine pro-Russian elements are openly at work to disrupt the democratic process with blatant corruption, illegal practice and dirty tricks, writes James Wilson. Europe cannot afford to sit idly by and watch its values and principles trampled upon in this friendly neighbouring country by…
The European Commission has been urged to do more to tackle “very serious” judicial irregularities in Romania, writes Martin Banks. A hearing in Brussels on Wednesday heard that these include “mass surveillance” of the Romanian population, collusion between the secret services and the judiciary and blackmailing of judges. The demand comes just ahead of the…
It is rare that Romania makes it onto the news of international television broadcasters and when it does, coverage is usually related to protests.It is difficult not to be stirred by the sight of large numbers of people on the streets.International media coverage of Romanian protests is usually brief and very visual.On 10 August, world…
