News from across Europe

[Richard White]

Another "election" in Belarus, but this time, people seem really mad. Will it amount to anything? I dunno...

I was in Hungary in September 2006 when their prime minister was caught lying to the people about the fiscal state of the country.

We stormed the MTV building and torched it, We set up barricades and resisted the police, we even tried to storm the parliament (though I'm glad we did not make it inside).

Did change happen? No, the PM stayed in power.

My point is that they will riot and complain but not much will happen.

This will not end up going the way of Romania.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Lukashenko has the benefit of 26 years of being able rig the system in his favour. He isn't going anywhere.

 

[Johnny Au]

Belarus is the only country in Europe that still practises the death penalty to civilians.

 

[kEiThZ]

Turkey have no intention of joining the EU.

They formally applied in 1987 and have pushed for admission on and off since then through never-ending negotiations.

The end result of Europeans dicking them around for decades and moving the goalposts.

I always thought of Turkey as being a part of the middle east vs Russia which has been very much European for centuries.

This is such a bigoted point of view. The place was home to most of Ancient Greece and half of the Roman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was seen as European. And if Cyprus can be considered part of Europe, the case for Turkey is less debatable.

I would go so far as to say that Europe's refusal to integrate Turkey has contributed to the rise of Turkish populism.

Maybe so but they are much more European than Turkey is.

You realize that the EU is not some ethnic heritage club right?

 

[AlbertC]

Belarus election: Germany threatens sanctions over Lukashenko's controversial win

Aug 10, 2020

The EU should reconsider its decision to lift previously-imposed sanctions against Belarus "in the light of the past weeks and days," said Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, following a controversial election win for President Alexander Lukashenko that sparked mass protests.following a controversial election win for President Alexander Lukashenko that sparked mass protests.

EU foreign ministers unanimously agreed to lift restrictions in 2016, citing progress improving the rule of law in the country. Sanctions had previously targetted several arms companies with close governmental ties as well as froze assets and implemented travel bans for 170 people.

There was really no sign of free elections, added Maas, speaking in Berlin after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha. "Instead, we have witnessed violence, intimidation and arrest."

Earlier, German officials voiced "strong doubts — and from our point of view justified doubts — about the conduct of the elections in Belarus," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a press conference on Monday.

"Minimum standards for democratic elections were not met," Seibert said. The government finds this "not acceptable," he added. He said EU officials were discussing how to react.

---------

Manuel Sarrazin, a member of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee for the Greens, told DW that the election result was more "fake" than previous ones.

"It's quite obvious that, for the past 25 years, we haven't seen free and fair elections in Belarus at all," Sarrazin said. "But I think no election has been as fake as this one."

Sarrazin also accused the European Union and Germany of "being too soft" in their approach to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who was named the winner on Sunday.

Belarus election: Germany threatens sanctions over Lukashenko's controversial win | DW | 10.08.2020

The European Union should review previously lifted sanctions on Belarus, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says. Germany previously voiced "strong doubts" about the legitimacy of President Lukashenko's election victory.

www.dw.com

 

[Towered]

Belarus election: Germany threatens sanctions over Lukashenko's controversial win

Aug 10, 2020

The EU should reconsider its decision to lift previously-imposed sanctions against Belarus "in the light of the past weeks and days," said Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, following a controversial election win for President Alexander Lukashenko that sparked mass protests.following a controversial election win for President Alexander Lukashenko that sparked mass protests.

EU foreign ministers unanimously agreed to lift restrictions in 2016, citing progress improving the rule of law in the country. Sanctions had previously targetted several arms companies with close governmental ties as well as froze assets and implemented travel bans for 170 people.

There was really no sign of free elections, added Maas, speaking in Berlin after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha. "Instead, we have witnessed violence, intimidation and arrest."

Earlier, German officials voiced "strong doubts — and from our point of view justified doubts — about the conduct of the elections in Belarus," government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a press conference on Monday.

"Minimum standards for democratic elections were not met," Seibert said. The government finds this "not acceptable," he added. He said EU officials were discussing how to react.

---------

Manuel Sarrazin, a member of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee for the Greens, told DW that the election result was more "fake" than previous ones.

"It's quite obvious that, for the past 25 years, we haven't seen free and fair elections in Belarus at all," Sarrazin said. "But I think no election has been as fake as this one."

Sarrazin also accused the European Union and Germany of "being too soft" in their approach to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who was named the winner on Sunday.

Belarus election: Germany threatens sanctions over Lukashenko's controversial win | DW | 10.08.2020

The European Union should review previously lifted sanctions on Belarus, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says. Germany previously voiced "strong doubts" about the legitimacy of President Lukashenko's election victory.

www.dw.com

The EU has tolerated this bs in Belarus for far too long. Enough - impose full sanctions.

 

[AlbertC]

Police in Belarus detain several opposition activists

August 24, 2020

MINSK, Belarus — Police in Belarus on Monday detained several leading opposition activists who have helped spearhead a wave of protests challenging the reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in balloting that his critics say was rigged.

The Coordination Council, which was established by the opposition to negotiate a transfer of power, said its members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained in the capital of Minsk. Later in the day, the opposition also reported the detention of Alexander Lavrinovich, the leader of striking workers at a major industrial plant.

The police actions signal Lukashenko’s determination to stifle massive post-election demonstrations that have entered their third week. The 65-year-old Belarusian leader, who has been in power since 1994, toted an assault rifle in a show of force as he arrived at his residence by helicopter on Sunday while protesters rallied nearby.

Police in Belarus detain several opposition activists

MINSK, Belarus — Police in Belarus on Monday detained several leading opposition activists who have helped spearhead a wave of protests challenging the reelection of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in balloting that his critics say was rigged.The Coordination Council, which was...

ca.finance.yahoo.com

 

[AlbertC]

Czech Republic tops record infection surge in Eastern Europe

October 8, 2020

The Czech government announced further restrictions Thursday to contain the pandemic in the hardest hit-country in struggling Central and Eastern Europe, where a record surge of infections was also recorded in most other countries.

Calling his country's record spike “alarming,” Health Minister Roman Prymula said the Czech health care system has been facing a steep increase of people needing intensive care, while more COVID-19 patients have been dying.

“We have to limit those increases,” Prymula said.

The Czech Republic currently has more people testing positive daily than any other country in Central and Eastern Europe, even neighbouring Germany whose population is eight times bigger.

Starting Monday, all theatres , cinemas and zoos will be closed for at least two weeks.

Czech Republic tops record infection surge in Eastern Europe

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — The Czech government announced further restrictions Thursday to contain the pandemic in the hardest hit-country in struggling Central and Eastern Europe, where a record surge of infections was also recorded in most other countries.Calling his country's record spike...

ca.finance.yahoo.com

 

[Towered]

Czech Republic tops record infection surge in Eastern Europe

October 8, 2020

The Czech government announced further restrictions Thursday to contain the pandemic in the hardest hit-country in struggling Central and Eastern Europe, where a record surge of infections was also recorded in most other countries.

Calling his country's record spike “alarming,” Health Minister Roman Prymula said the Czech health care system has been facing a steep increase of people needing intensive care, while more COVID-19 patients have been dying.

“We have to limit those increases,” Prymula said.

The Czech Republic currently has more people testing positive daily than any other country in Central and Eastern Europe, even neighbouring Germany whose population is eight times bigger.

Starting Monday, all theatres , cinemas and zoos will be closed for at least two weeks.

Czech Republic tops record infection surge in Eastern Europe

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — The Czech government announced further restrictions Thursday to contain the pandemic in the hardest hit-country in struggling Central and Eastern Europe, where a record surge of infections was also recorded in most other countries.Calling his country's record spike...

ca.finance.yahoo.com

It's Czechia.

 

[Richard White]

It's Czechia.

Czechia will never catch on.

There is an entire generation out there who grew up calling it Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.

For me it will always be the Czech Republic. Czechia is too convoluted and confusing.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Surprised no one posted this:

Greek court rules neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn is a criminal group

A Greek court ruled Wednesday that the far-right Golden Dawn party was operating as a criminal organization, delivering landmark guilty verdicts following a politically charged five-year trial against dozens of defendants.

www.ctvnews.ca

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Czechia will never catch on.

There is an entire generation out there who grew up calling it Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.

For me it will always be the Czech Republic. Czechia is too convoluted and confusing.

You must hate having to call Holland The Netherlands then!

AoD

 

[Richard White]

You must hate having to call Holland The Netherlands then!

AoD

Actually I grew up calling it the netherlands

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Czechia is too convoluted and confusing.

Except it's Czechia.

 

[Richard White]

Except it's Czechia.

The point I was attempting to make was that old habits die hard.

Some people still refer to places like Leningrad for example because that's what they know as opposed to St Petersburg. It is like North Macedonia... I highly doubt I will call it anything but Macedonia because that's what I am familiar with.

Sometimes though name changes are a good thing though I do miss Yugoslavia...