Von der Leyen drifts right with new digital deregulation plans
A fresh proposal by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to reform digital laws on Wednesday was welcomed by lawmakers on the right but shunned on the left. It signals a possible repeat of a pivotal parliamentary clash last week in which von der Leyen’s center-right European People’s Party sided with the far…
EU’s latest Palestine Initiative lacks real influence
A new EU-led effort to raise funds for Palestinian reconstruction and claim a role in Gaza’s peace process has drawn criticism for exposing the bloc’s limited political weight in the region. The Palestine Donor Group meeting held on Thursday — announced earlier this year by the European Commission president —…
Berlin and Athens to build migrant return hubs in Africa
Greece and Germany aim to create facilities in African countries to receive migrants deported from Europe, Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said. In a televised interview, Plevris explained that discussions are underway with African states considered safe, which would agree to accept migrants who cannot be returned to their countries…
Kosovo in crisis: President Osmani dissolves Parliament, triggers snap elections
With the country under a caretaker government since February, the snap vote looms as a pivotal test of its polarized political landscape Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani has signed a decree dissolving the country’s parliament, clearing the path for early legislative elections on 28 December after the second nominee for prime…
Protests escalate in Bulgaria over judicial abuse against Varna mayor
Supporters plan to occupy parliament as political tensions sharpen around the case of Blagomir Kotsev, detained without conviction. Public anger over the nearly five-month detention of Varna mayor Blagomir Kotsev is intensifying, triggering demonstrations in several Bulgarian cities last evening, with the largest taking place in the capital Sofia. Kotsev,…