About: Syria
Syrian refugee in Romania: ISIS banned chemistry and biology
In recent years, the Syrian community in Romania grew due to the ongoing civil war. They say they like Romania. They have their school there. But still, the refugees wish to eventually return home, they told EURACTIV.ro.
Making a stop in Serbia, part I: The killer journey
Every day, hundreds of refugees enter Serbia. Most of them hope to cross to Hungary and eventually reach the West. But Syrians, Iraqis, and Afghans arrive only to get stuck at the border. EURACTIV Romania reports.
From Syria to Bulgaria, part II: ‘Now, I am a teacher in Sofia’
Elias now lives in Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria – a country that when it first greeted him was not at all prepared to receive and care for him and the many others like him. EURACTIV Romania reports.
From Syria to Bulgaria, part I: Escaping death
Some years ago, an ambitious Kurd from a village in northern Syria won a scholarship to study abroad. He ended up in Havana, where he learned Spanish. Elias later returned to Syria, where he became a translator at the state news agency, SANA. EURACTIV Romania reports.
George Friedman: The EU will exist and sink into irrelevance
American political scientist and author and former chief intelligence officer George Friedman told EURACTIV that “the EU has failed, but there is no clear alternative”.
Cameron pledges £100 million to help Syria
"When it comes to Syria, Britain has already given over a billion pounds. Today I can announce we will commit another £100 million (about €136 million) including £40 million pounds for the vital World Food Programme,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said upon his arrival at an extraordinary EU summit in Brussels on Wednesday (23 September).
MEPs debate migrant crisis after Juncker’s State of the Union address
On Wednesday (9 September), MEPs held a heated debate on how to tackle the refugee crisis in Europe after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his first ever State of the Union Speech in Strasbourg.
Juncker calls for the redistribution of 160,000 refugees
“160,000 is the number of refugees Europe should take in its arms,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said during his first ever State of the Union speech in Strasbourg on Wednesday (9 September).Promoted content
Asylum seekers up by 30% in 2013, EU says
2013 saw around 435.000 people seeking for international protection in the European Union, a 30% increase compared to 2012, according to a report published by Europe's Asylum Office on Monday.Promoted content
UNESCO chief: Education ensures normalcy for millions of displaced Syrians
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, with other international partners such as the EU, is committed to ensure that there would be not a generation of Syrian refugees who would be illiterate and likely to be recruited by extremists, Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO told EURACTIV.Promoted content
UN heads, EU call for humanitarian ceasefire in Syria
The European Commission signed on Wednesday three major contracts with United Nations agencies totalling €147 million to deliver vitally needed aid to people directly affected by the Syrian crisis.Promoted content
EU warns refugee push-backs are illegal
The European Commission indirectly warned Greece and Bulgaria today (19 November) to stop turning down Syrian refugees at their borders with Turkey, after the UN issued a similar call just a few days before.Promoted content
MEPs demand UN-backed response to Syria’s chemical weapons
The European Parliament called for a binding international resolution on how to deter the use of chemical weapons in Syria yesterday (12 September), as the US and Russian foreign ministers are due to hold a second round of talks on the crisis in Geneva.Promoted content
EU leaders tell Obama there is no military solution in Syria
Top EU officials warned on Thursday against a military strike in Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government inAugust.Promoted content
As Syrian refugees reach two million, EU calls for political solution
UN figures revealed on Tuesday that the number of Syrian refugees has now reached two million, half of them children. This makes it, says the UN, the worst refugee crisis in 20 years. After such announcement, Brussels on Tuesday urged the international community to find a political solution to the war in Syria. The plea came from the International Cooperation commissioner as Washington and France consider a military strike against the Syrian regime, which allegedly used chemical weapons against civilians.Promoted content
NATO Chief calls for ‘firm international response’ to chemical attack in Syria
As UN figures have revealed that over 2 million people have fled their homes in Syria, Nato's political chief on Monday called for a strong 'international response' to the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict. Rassmussen said in Brussels that he also believes the Syrian government is behind the chemical weapons attack that took place earlier in August in the outskirts of Damascus, killing over 1000 people.Promoted content
European Commission on UK’s decision to delay strike against Syria
Prime Minister David Cameron was forced yesterday (28 August) to push back his plans for an imminent military strike against Syria in a humiliating climb-down for Britain's leader after coming under fierce domestic and international pressure. Just a day after recalling Britain's parliament to vote on how to respond to Syria's suspected use of chemical weapons, Cameron was ambushed when the opposition Labour party said it wanted greater parliamentary scrutiny and rebel lawmakers in his own ruling Conservative party said they would oppose him.Promoted content
European Commission on the latest developments in Syria
Paris and London are gearing up with the United States for a probable military strike against Syria that could come within days and would be the most aggressive action by Western powers in the Middle Eastern nation's two-and-a-half-year civil war. Western envoys have told the Syrian opposition to expect a military response soon against President Bashar al-Assad's forces as punishment for a chemical weapons attack last week, according to sources who attended a meeting with the rebel Syrian National Coalition in Istanbul.Promoted content
US ‘ready’ to launch military attack against Syria, says Hagel
US forces are 'ready' to launch an attack on Syria at President Barack Obama's command. That's what US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told the BBC on Tuesday adding to mounting speculation of a possible imminent military intervention by Western countries. The comments came after US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that it is 'undeniable' that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians last week, even though Bashar Al-assad strongly denies it.Promoted content
US John Kerry on Syria: chemical weapons attack is ‘a moral obscenity’
The US put Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on notice yesterday (26 August) that it believes he was responsible for using chemical weapons against civilians last week, in what Secretary of State John Kerry called a "moral obscenity." "President [Barack] Obama believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world's most heinous weapons against the world's most vulnerable people," Kerry said in the most forceful US reaction yet to the 21 August attack (see background).Promoted content
Russia backs EU call for UN probe on Syria chemical attack
Russia has joined the EU in its call for an independent UN investigation of the deadly chemical attack that the Syrian government allegedly carried out against civilians on Wednesday. Unverified footage on Youtube released by Syrian rebel groups on Wednesday has shocked the international community. The videos show dead children and civilians suffering from convulsions after the gas shell.Promoted content
Britain, France block renewed weapons embargo against Syria
Britain and France are free to supply weapons to Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad starting in August, after attempts to renew an EU arms embargo on Syria failed yesterday (27 May).Promoted content
Israel’s Peres urges EU to blacklist Hezbollah, calls Iran ‘the greatest danger’
In a historic address to the European Parliament on Tuesday, Israeli president Shimon Peres urged Europe to place the Lebanese group Hezbollah on the EU's terrorist blacklist.Promoted content