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…
The campaign group “New Europeans” has won the CiDAN Citizenship and Human Rights Prize for its Green Card proposal to secure onward mobility (free movement) rights post Brexit for Britons in Europe and to protect EU27 citizens in the UK from discrimination, writes Martin Banks. The prize is awarded by a European jury consisting of parliamentarians and military staff representatives…
By Viktoria Rozendaal More than 70 heads of state and government, as well as heads of international organisations, gathered last weekend in Paris. On November 11, celebrations marking the centenary of the World War One Armistice were held in the French capital. Among the honoured guests of Emmanuel Macron were Donald Trump, Angela Merkel, Petr Poroshenko, Vladimir…
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…
October 16th marks the anniversary of the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kurdistan and the humiliating annexation of Kirkuk that ripped up the Iraqi constitution. The Kurdish people were betrayed, and one year later they still feel bruised and angry. They had fought against the Islamic State alongside the US trained Iraqi army. The Kurdish…
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…
Bosnia and Herzegovina goes to the polls on 7 October to elect the members of the Presidency (one Bosniac, one Croat and one Serbian) and members of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, and also the Presidents and legislatures both of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), and the Republika Srpska (RS). The outcome is…
“Today’s world is far from tranquil, as regional conflicts triggered by ethnical, religious and territorial factors keep cropping up, Religion advocates peace and justice. Religion has been made use of from time to time, just like the strings of a harp being plucked, to trigger and foment conflicts, separation, hatred and upheaval. This has aroused…
