Autumn 2024. Barcelona. A port terminal. Cargo containers are inspected by two dozen customs officers and armed police. A lift truck removes metal drums. A man wearing gloves and a gas mask pours a sample into a glass vial.  This is Operation Vial, which started back in 2022. Spanish law…

Ruling party holds on to its majority in Sunday’s poll, which it says is ‘strong mandate for EU accession. Moldova’s pro-western president, Maia Sandu, has hailed voters’ refusal to be “bought” by Moscow after her ruling party held on to its parliamentary majority in Sunday’s pivotal election, bolstering the tiny…

Brussels – Italy failed to notify the EU of the measures implemented to combat money laundering that could be used to finance terrorism. For this reason, the Meloni government now faces a brand-new infringement procedure, with a request to submit all necessary documentation to Brussels within two months to comply with EU regulations….

Fuelled by misinformation spread by politicians about Ukrainians exploiting social welfare systems , anti-Ukrainian sentiment is on the rise across Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. This backlash is fuelled by social tensions and nationalist rhetoric, leading to increased polarisation, public hostility, and in some cases, the risk of…

The parliamentary election in Moldova on 28 September is crucial for the country and will test its fragile democratic system, its European Union (EU) future, and Russia’s ability to suck countries back into its orbit and undermine their democracy.  For Russia, the vote is a must-win issue, as it is…