Five years after the start of the crisis, Europe is still “choked by recession”, warns The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
In the light of this situation, the federation wonders about the role it should play on a continent that has typically been a source for donations rather a destination for missions.
The European Commission’s latest report on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Romania’s justice system, established to pave the way for the country’s inclusion in the Schengen Area, has concluded that the government in Bucharest has fulfilled seven of the 10 recommandations contained in the previous report. However, it also notes that, although the rule of the constitution has been restored, “commitments on the independence of the justice system have not been implemented.”
In particular, the Commission has highlighted pressure on state institutions, a lack of respect for the independence of the judiciary, intimidation and even „media harassment“ of judges, and has demanded safeguards to guarantee the existence of a free and pluralistic media.
On January 30, as Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi made his first visit to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel asked the new leader to engage in a dialogue with all the political forces in his country and to ensure respect for freedom of religion and human rights.
Morsi declared that „Egypt will be governed by a rule of law which is neither military nor theocratic.“ He had to cancel the French stop on his European trip in order to return to Egypt to help resolve several days of violent street protest.
The Milan stock exchange lost 1.34 per cent after gas extraction company Saipem, which is controlled by Italian energy giant ENI, fell 34 per cent following a profit warning on its forecast business. Last December, Saipem was hit by a corruption scandal in Algeria, one of its main operation countries, which prompted the resignation of its CEO.
According to Linkiesta.it the whole affair is the consequence of a power struggle between the Algerian government, which controls the national gas company Sonatrach, and the powerful military secret services. It believes the hostage crisis at the In Amenas gas field may also be linked to this ongoing struggle for power.
Poland may not receive the promised €11bn in EU structural funds for road construction unless it settles claims of bid-rigging concerning three big motorway projects, a spokesperson for the European Commission (EC) told the daily.
The Polish government says it is shocked by the EC position, saying the country was the victim of price-fixing in relation to the road construction tenders, and informed the EC about irregularities in the process as early as 2010.
The daily publishes the handwritten “secret accounts” of former treasurer of the conservative governing Popular Party (PP) Luis Bárcenas, who is being investigated over claims he used parallel accounts to make payments to senior figures in the PP between 1990 to 2008.
The papers appear to show that PM Mariano Rajoy received €25,200 each year for 11 years. In response to the daily’s claims, the PP published a statement denying the existence of “secret accounts” in the party.
A shoot-out occurred in front of the Sofia Courthouse on January 29 between bodyguards protecting Zlatko Ivanov and a gunman who had set an ambush for the former special forces soldier. Ivanov, who is nicknamed „The Beret“ and who police suspect may be a drug lord, survived the assassination attempt.
Bulgarian daily Standart is upset by the „spectacular and brazen“ nature of the attempt. The shooting occurred on the day the justice and interior ministers, together with the attorney general, visited Brussels to discuss Bulgaria’s progress in its fight against organised crime. Many see this as a show of force or even as a warning on the part of the mafia.
Libération, Paris – In a Europe where “marriage for all” has opened up a bitter divide in France, and at time when the Polish parliament has recently rejected civil union legislation, Sweden stands out as a country where lesbian bishops can legally get married without sparking controversy. See more.
On a visit to Doha, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras obtained assurances from his Qatari counterpart, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, that the emirate will invest in a fund for small and medium-sized Greek companies.
“Sheikh Hamad said that Qatar would invest €1bn into a joint fund for Greek SMEs as long as Greece did the same,” explains the daily, which points out that the emirate concluded a similar agreement with Italy last November.
It took the Romanian state four years to recover € 550 000 from two police officers who could not justify how they came by such a sum. The daily reports that this is the first concrete victory won by state institutions in their battle to combat corruption in the civil service. However, it has come a full six years after the launch of the National Integrity Agency (ANI) and the opening of hundreds of investigations.
The news has made headlines on a day when the European Commission is expected to publish its latest report on justice systems and the drive to fight corruption in Romania and Bulgaria.