Global Europe
Outgoing Bosnia peace envoy imposes jail terms for genocide denial
Bosnia's outgoing international peace overseer decreed amendments to its criminal code on Friday (23 July) to allow jail terms for the denial of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, a frequently expressed view among nationalist Serbs.
Telekom Srbija: Vucic’s weapon to stifle media freedom
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić bases his power largely on media influence. In this respect, state-owned cable and broadband provider Telekom Srbija is used as a political weapon, writes Darko Čačić.
Facing triple crises, Tunisia is in trouble
Each crisis on its own would debilitate any country. In Tunisia, they add fuel to the others, creating a vicious cycle of inaction and instability that threatens to undermine the fragile democratic transition, writes Sarah Yerkes.
Kaczynski and Putin’s alliance without friendship
It is wrong to assume that Europe's far-right are divided in their attitudes to Putin's Russia, writes Maciej Kisilowski.
Global Europe Brief: EU’s Olympic dreams shattered
In this week’s edition: EU’s Olympic (flag) politics, Cyprus plans and Nord Stream 2 deal, challenged.
France’s exit from the Sahel war offers Russia an opportunity to move in
Another Western army is leaving a fragile, landlocked region. But whereas the United States has pulled its troops out of one country, Afghanistan, France is walking away from five, argues Faisal Al Yafai
Newer EU members support Associated Trio as ‘champions’
Though vast majority of EU countries welcome deeper integration with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, their "Associated Trio" initiative finds more support within Eastern and Central Europe, while the Commission and Western member states remain hesitant to adopt the term.
Argentina complains to Russia over vaccine delivery
Argentina has complained to Russia about delays in delivering second doses of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in a letter warning of breach of contract repercussions, the government in Buenos Aires said Thursday (22 July).
The Brief – Too many cooks in the foreign policy kitchen?
In the Georgian Black Sea resort Batumi, taxi drivers, who usually talk about the likes of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, are currently talking about European Council President Charles Michel. In Georgia’s political crisis following the last parliamentary election in October...
China, the new Atlantis between the United States and Europe?
During the recent tour of US President Joe Biden to Europe, EU nations continued to resist taking sides, its leaders instead repeating the term “strategic autonomy”, writes Joël Ruet.
Tashkent conference: Connectivity and the need for a stable Afghanistan
EURACTIV republishes the latest blogpost by EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell who takes stock from his participation to the Central-South Asia Connectivity Conference held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on 15-16 July.
Russia takes Ukraine to European court over MH17 plane crash
Russia said Thursday (22 July) it had filed a complaint against Ukraine with the European Court of Human Rights, blaming Kyiv for the 2014 crash of a Malaysian airliner and civilian deaths in Russia and Ukraine.Editor's picks
China rejects WHO plan for study of COVID-19 origin
China rejected on Thursday (22 July) a World Health Organization (WHO) plan for a second phase of an investigation into the origin of the coronavirus, which includes the hypothesis it could have escaped from a Chinese laboratory, a top health...
Ukraine gets compensation in exchange for US-Germany deal on Nord Stream 2
Germany and the US struck a compromise on Wednesday (21 July) over the construction of the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. According to the deal, Germany will provide assistance for Ukraine's energy security, with an initial donation of €148.3 million.
Montenegro starts paying off $1 billion Chinese road loan
Montenegro paid the first instalment of a billion-dollar road loan from China that critics say could wreck the Balkan nation's economy.
On Washington visit, Belarus opposition leader asks US for more help
Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya appealed on Monday (19 July) for more help from the United States as she began a visit to Washington for meetings with top Biden administration officials this week.
EU, US reject Erdogan’s plans for a two-state solution in Cyprus
Brussels and Washington have reacted strongly to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to partially reopen a coastal resort town emptied of its original Greek Cypriot residents as well as his proposal for a two-state solution on Cyprus issue.
The Brief – Flattery by imitation
There’s no flattery like imitation, at least when it comes to migration control. Taking their lead from aggressive migration control measures in Denmark and the UK, Lithuania’s parliament last week approved the mass detention of migrants, in a move meant to deter high numbers crossing into the EU from Belarus.
US, Europe condemn China for ‘malicious’ Microsoft cyberattack
The United States on Monday (19 July) accused Beijing of carrying out a massive hack of Microsoft email servers and charged four Chinese nationals as it rallied the EU and other allies in rare joint statement condemning "malicious" cyber activity from China.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova seek acceptance of their EU membership perspective
A summit between Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi culminated on Monday (19 July) with the signature of a declaration calling for the EU to acknowledge the perspective of these countries to become full EU members one day. EURACTIV reports from Batumi.
The Brief – Watch your Olympic (flag) politics
Since their start in 1896, modern-day Olympic Games have rarely been free of politics. The upcoming Tokyo Games, opening on Friday, seem unlikely to break away from that pattern.
The Associated Trio in action
For Georgia, who last April initiated the Associated Trio format with Ukraine and Moldova, the presence of Charles Michel at a summit of the three countries in Batumi on 19 July is perceived as a milestone. Until now the Trio initiative was met...
Charles Michel heralds more EU involvement in the South Caucasus
European Council President Charles Michel will attend a regional summit in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi on Monday (19 July), after a weekend visit of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in what appears as an attempt to keep the region closer to the EU. EURACTIV reports from Batumi.