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EU: Bosnia and Herzegovina to begin talks to join bloc

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is set to begin negotiations for EU membership, marking a significant milestone eight years after the formal application was submitted. Following a recommendation from the European Commission last week, EU leaders have approved the initiation of talks. European Council President Charles Michel extended congratulations to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s leaders, affirming their place within the European family. He emphasized the importance of continued efforts for progress, a sentiment echoed by Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who expressed gratitude for achieving the necessary compliance with EU requirements.

The approval for Bosnia’s EU talks has been welcomed as a positive development by leaders across Europe. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed it as a good message for the entire region, while Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković described it as a historic day for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The road to EU membership has been long for Bosnia, with the country formally obtaining candidate status in 2022 after applying for membership in 2016. In the past year, Bosnia has made strides in passing laws aligned with EU priorities, particularly focusing on areas such as democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, and public administration reform.

Despite progress, Bosnia remains ethnically and politically divided, a legacy of the 1992-95 war. Further economic and democratic reforms will be necessary before formal EU accession can occur.

The EU’s commitment to the Western Balkans has been underscored by recent events, particularly in light of the conflict in Ukraine. Other countries in the region, including Albania, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine, are also at various stages of the EU application process.

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Russia election 2024: Voting begins in election Putin is bound to win

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Voting has commenced in Russia’s presidential election, with Vladimir Putin poised to secure another six-year term in office without any significant opposition. The election spans three days, from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Kaliningrad exclave, though the outcome is a foregone conclusion due to the absence of credible challengers.

Putin’s decision to run for a fifth term was portrayed as spontaneous, yet the Kremlin’s media apparatus swiftly mobilized to bolster his candidacy, portraying him as an indispensable national leader. Having already held power longer than any Russian leader since Stalin, Putin maneuvered to reset term limits, allowing him to potentially extend his rule until 2030.

Despite efforts to maintain a facade of legitimacy, the electoral process lacks genuine competition. Turnout is emphasized to showcase Putin’s popular support, though previous elections have been marred by irregularities. The limited opposition candidates on the ballot pose no real threat to Putin’s reign.

Televised debates excluded Putin, who instead engaged in choreographed interactions with various groups to bolster his image as a man of the people. His recent state-of-the-nation address primarily addressed domestic concerns, signaling awareness of pressing issues like poverty and healthcare failures, which remain unsolved despite his lengthy tenure.

The election, expected to be neither free nor fair, underscores Putin’s enduring dominance. The only notable challenge comes from Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who has urged supporters to demonstrate their presence at polling stations, although the impact is largely symbolic.

Ultimately, Putin’s victory is inevitable, and the illusion of democracy will persist for another six years.

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Alexei Navalny: Putin critic’s mother says she has been shown his body

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Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of Alexei Navalny, stated in a video that she was shown her son’s body by Russian authorities, but they are pressuring her to agree to a “secret” burial. She reported signing a death certificate at a morgue. Navalny’s press secretary mentioned a medical report indicating natural causes, while his widow believes he was killed by Russian authorities. Navalnaya expressed frustration at officials refusing to hand over her son’s body and alleged blackmail, stating that they are dictating conditions for the burial. She demanded the return of Navalny’s body and claimed threats from authorities.

Navalnaya met with US President Joe Biden along with Navalny’s widow and daughter in San Francisco. Biden praised Navalny’s courage and anti-corruption efforts, announcing forthcoming sanctions on Russia. Navalny died in a penal colony on February 16, purportedly after falling ill during a walk, though his widow accuses Putin of ordering his killing. The Kremlin denies involvement, dismissing Western reactions as “hysterical.”

Analysts suggest that showing Navalnaya the body aims to negotiate a non-politicized funeral. Navalny was previously poisoned with Novichok in 2020, survived after treatment in Germany, then imprisoned upon returning to Russia in 2021. Russian authorities have aggressively cracked down on attempts to commemorate Navalny’s death, detaining hundreds and removing makeshift memorials.

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Spanish Church sexual abuse affected 200,000 children, commission finds

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According to a recent report by Spain’s ombudsman, more than 200,000 children have reportedly suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy in Spain. The ombudsman, Angel Gabilondo, expressed deep concern over the “devastating impact” this has had on the victims. He criticized the Church for its silence and attempts to conceal or deny the abuse, emphasizing that this silence has facilitated such atrocities.

The comprehensive 700-page report, commissioned by Spain’s Congress last year, was based on a survey of 800,000 members of the public. The findings indicated that approximately 0.6% of the adult population, roughly 39 million people, reported experiencing sexual abuse as children by clergy members. When allegations of abuse by lay individuals in Church-run institutions were included, this percentage rose to 1.13%, accounting for over 400,000 people.

Mr. Gabilondo urged caution in interpreting these numbers and highlighted the emotional toll detailed in the statements of more than 487 abuse survivors. The report called for urgent action to address the suffering that has long been concealed by a pervasive culture of silence.

In response to these findings, the ombudsman proposed the establishment of a state-funded compensation program for victims of abuse. The investigation was initiated following an earlier inquiry by the El Pais newspaper in 2018, which had already cataloged over 1,000 alleged cases of abuse. Although the Church partially cooperated with the commission, Mr. Gabilondo noted their lack of active engagement and the resistance of certain bishops in collaborating with the inquiry.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hailed the report as a “milestone” in the nation’s democracy, stressing that it has brought to light a reality that had long been known but not openly discussed.

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Poland election: Tusk’s opposition eyes power after pivotal vote

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In Poland’s recent general election, the opposition parties have gathered enough votes to remove the ruling right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party from power. The National Election Commission confirmed PiS’s victory with 35.38% of the vote, surpassing the centrist opposition Civic Coalition led by Donald Tusk, which secured 30.7%.

Donald Tusk, with the support of the center-right Third Way and New Left parties, is likely to form a broad coalition, thus ending PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s eight-year rule. With 248 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, Mr. Tusk’s coalition would exceed the 231-seat threshold required for a majority.

Despite PiS losing 41 seats compared to the last election, their potential coalition with the far-right Confederation party would still fall short by 19 seats. The opposition had alerted Poles that this election was crucial in safeguarding democracy. Voter turnout was reported at 74.38%, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989.

Celebrations erupted in Warsaw, with Mr. Tusk addressing enthusiastic supporters, emphasizing that Poland and democracy had emerged victorious. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski praised the power of civil society, highlighting the significant voter participation in the capital.

Poland’s stock market surged more than 6%, and the Zloty, its currency, also strengthened on the anticipation of a new government. International observers noted that although parties were allowed to campaign freely, PiS had an advantage due to biased state media coverage and the misuse of public funds.

PiS’s tenure has been characterized by an emphasis on Catholic family values, increases in the minimum wage, and enhancements in child support and pensioner payments. It also imposed a near-total ban on abortion in 2021 and faced criticism for politicizing the judiciary.

Mr. Tusk has pledged to improve relations with the EU and unlock €36bn of EU Covid pandemic recovery funds, frozen due to disputes over PiS’s judicial reforms. His coalition also aims to liberalize abortion laws.

Poland’s strong support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and its acceptance of a million refugees are expected to continue under the new government. However, the process of forming a new government might extend until December, following President Andrzej Duda’s announcement that the winning party would be given the first opportunity to form a coalition, adhering to Polish tradition.

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Poland election: Bitter campaign splits country ahead of key vote

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In the old Lenin shipyard in Gdansk, where striking workers were once the catalyst for major political change, young Poles now debate how to protect democracy in their country.

They worry that the rights and freedoms won by the Solidarity movement over three decades ago are at risk, as the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, or PiS, campaigns to secure a record third term in office.

“It’s a very important election. We’re deciding whether we’re going back to being a democratic country,” was student activist Julia Landowska’s stark take on this weekend’s vote.

“This is our last call, to go to the election and fight for a better future in Poland.”

The event she helped organise was held under the slogan In My Day, Things Will Be Better.

A mixture of discussions and live music topped off with a silent disco, it was designed to encourage reluctant younger voters to the polls.

The activist’s worries are echoed by others in Gdansk, who point to the shrinking independence of the courts under a PiS government and backsliding on women’s rights, including a near-total ban on abortion.

There is also concern about media freedom – publicly-funded TV becoming a government mouthpiece – as well as acrimonious wrangling with Brussels on issues from judicial reform to migration.

That is why many Poles are now hailing the election on 15 October as the most important since 1989, when Solidarity candidates swept the board in the first partially-free vote since communist rule.

Freedom City The story of Poland’s struggle for freedom dominates the northern port city of Gdansk.

There is a Solidarity museum in the shipyard once occupied by strikers and billboards through the city centre that recount the momentous changes brought by their protest, led by an electrician named Lech Walesa.

This year, his son is running for re-election.

“We have to make sure we win, to reform all that has been destroyed in eight years,” Jaroslaw Walesa explained, referring to the two terms PiS have held office so far.Representing the opposition Civil Coalition, like fellow Gdansk-native and party leader Donald Tusk, he is most worried by Poland’s increasingly antagonistic relations with the EU.

Like Brussels, he is also concerned about the politicisation of Polish courts.

“If you look at what has been done to our democracy, we took a huge step backwards. That’s definitely not what my father fought for,” Mr Walesa told the BBC this week, wandering the paths of the handsome Oliwki park, greeting voters with leaflets and a promise of change.

The 1989 slogan – Don’t sleep, or they’ll outvote you! – has been resurrected in Gdansk for this election, all part of pitching it as another critical moment for Polish democracy.

The city is expected to vote solidly for the opposition, as usual.

But opinion polls put the governing Law and Justice Party ahead nationwide, although probably without a big enough majority to form a government.

So the last-minute battle for votes is intense.

PiS and Security In the town of Elblag, a short drive from Gdansk, campaigners spent Saturday canvassing for the governing party at a food market.

Between piles of potatoes and giant pumpkins, they dished out bags printed with the PiS logo and leaflets promoting the city’s main candidate, who didn’t show up.

“PiS have a good programme for us young people and for my children. I have twins and they’ve got a good programme for our future,” party activist Monica explained, referring to the 500 zloty (£95) monthly child benefit the government now pays.

It is set to rise to 800 next year if PiS win.

“In Poland, this amount can solve many things,” her husband added.Neither accepted the opposition’s fears for the future of democracy in Poland. “Democracy is good for us,” Monica said – and she wants to stay in the EU.

The pair both talked about security, including the government’s slogan that it is “protecting the future of Poles”.

“We’re not ready to accept immigrants. Muslims,” Monica clarified, adding that Poland had already taken in “a lot of Ukrainians”, meaning those who came in 2022 as refugees.

The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is nearby and there is a new barbed-wire fence along its entire length.

The activists’ pro-government message was not universally welcomed by marketgoers, even though the Elblag regional vote was strongly pro-PiS at the last election.

Several shoppers thrust the free bags back when they realised which party logo was printed on them. Others retorted that PiS had been so good for Poland that their children had moved abroad for better opportunities.

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News Trending War

Biden Stands by Choice to Provide Ukraine with Controversial Cluster Bombs

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US President Joe Biden has defended his controversial decision to supply cluster bombs to Ukraine, acknowledging it as a “very difficult decision” but emphasizing the urgent need for ammunition faced by the Ukrainian forces. While Ukraine’s leader praised the move as timely, criticism has arisen from human rights groups and certain Democrats. A Moscow envoy condemned the decision as cynical. Biden, ahead of a Nato summit, stated that he had consulted with allies regarding the decision.

Cluster bombs are internationally banned by over 120 countries due to their track record of causing civilian casualties. The decision to provide them to Ukraine has raised concerns due to the risk of unexploded bombs causing harm to civilians in the long term. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan acknowledged the risk and explained that the decision was postponed as long as possible. Sullivan asserted that the cluster bombs provided by the US are safer compared to those used by Russia in the conflict, with a lower rate of unexploded bombs.

The decision bypasses US law prohibiting the use, production, or transfer of cluster munitions with a failure rate exceeding 1%. Earlier in the war, when allegations of Russia’s use of cluster and vacuum bombs surfaced, the US referred to it as a potential war crime. The UN human rights office called for an immediate halt to the use of such munitions in any location. The Russian ambassador to the US criticized Biden’s decision, highlighting the risk of civilians being harmed by failed submunitions for years to come.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude for the military aid package worth $800 million provided by the US. He stated that it would bring Ukraine closer to victory and democracy over dictatorship. However, human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the US Cluster Munition Coalition condemned the decision, citing the grave threat cluster munitions pose to civilian lives even after the conflict ends.

The response from US lawmakers on Capitol Hill has been mixed, with some Democrats considering the decision alarming and a mistake, while others, including Republican leaders, view it as a means to enhance Ukraine’s capability to counter Russian forces more effectively.

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