INTL Europe: Politics, Economics, Military- January 2022

[Plain Jane]

Scholz, Macron say diplomacy can fix Ukraine-Russia standoff – DW – 01/25/2022

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron embraced talks with the Kremlin as a means to de-escalate the crisis. At the same time, they said Russia would pay a "high price" if it attacked Ukraine.

www.dw.com

Scholz, Macron say diplomacy can fix Ukraine-Russia standoff
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron embraced talks with the Kremlin as a means to de-escalate the crisis. At the same time, they said Russia would pay a "high price" if it attacked Ukraine.


Watch video00:36
Germany's Scholz calls on Russia to de-escalate tensions
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin on Tuesday, with the two leaders welcoming diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

The German and French leaders discussed a coordinated response should Russia move forward with an invasion of Ukraine.


Watch video00:46
EU's Borrell on Ukraine crisis: 'Path of dialogue' will continue
What did Scholz and Macron say?
Scholz called on Russia to pursue "clear steps" to de-escalate tensions.

Scholz said a Russian threat to Ukraine's territorial integrity would bear "serious consequences" for Moscow. In addition, he defended how the German government has handled the crisis.

"We have done a great deal to actively support economic development and democratic development in Ukraine," Scholz said.

Macron said the two countries are "united" in the need for de-escalation in Ukraine.

"If there is an attack, there will be retaliation and the price (for Russia) will be very high," Macron said.

At the same time, the two leaders said diplomatic talks will continue.

"We will never give up dialogue with Moscow," Macron said.

Representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will meet in Paris tor talks on Wednesday in what's known as the Normandy format, a development which was praised by Scholz.

The French president also said he would hold phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, as part of a "demanding dialogue" with the Kremlin.

Where do Germany, France stand on the Ukraine crisis?
Both Germany and France have expressed concerns about additional sanctions against Russia.

Scholz has previously said European states must consider the cost of sanctions towards Russia, and how that could affect their own economies. Germany, for example, is a major importer of Russian gas. Franco-Russian commercial ties plummeted by about a third soon after the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and amid the EU sanctions imposed in response, but they have been recovering steadily since.

Macron has previously said sanctions do little to deter Russia's actions.

France has also called for a European solution to the crisis, such as the aforementioned "Normandy format" talks, instead of relying on the US.

Germany, France divided on weapons exports
An area of disagreement between the two allies revolves around weapons exports. France has expressed a willingness to provide additional arms to Ukraine, while Germany has blocked exports to Kyiv.

Ukraine's foreign minister has criticized Germany's reluctance to send "defensive" weapons, and said the move is encouraging Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Military exports have been a sensitive issue in Germany ever since World War II. On principle, the country claims to almost never export weaponry to active conflict zones, although critics allege that these rules are not always kept.



Watch video01:41
Ukraine calls for calm as US puts troops on higher alert
Both France and Germany are aligned, however, on providing both diplomatic and financial support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian leaders on Tuesday urged citizens to remain calm amid tensions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Western countries pulling out personnel from embassies in Kyiv does not signal an imminent conflict.

"Protect your body from viruses, your brain from lies, your heart from panic," Zelenskyy said in video remarks.

Biden says US could target Putin with personal sanctions
US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, said Washington could hit Russian President Putin with personal sanctions in the event of a Russian invasion.

At the same time, Biden told reporters he has "no intention" of dispatching US troops to Ukraine.
wd/msh (Reuters, dpa)

 

[Plain Jane]

Prince Andrew requests jury trial – DW – 01/27/2022

The UK's Prince Andrew wants to face civil charges of sexual assault in front of a jury, his lawyers have said. The prince has been stripped of all military patronages and faces the court as a private person.

www.dw.com

Prince Andrew 'demands trial by jury' in sexual assault case
The UK's Prince Andrew wants to face civil charges of sexual assault in front of a jury, his lawyers have said. The prince has been stripped of all military patronages and faces the court as a private person.




Prince Andrew has denied the sexual assault and battery allegations

Britain's Prince Andrew again denied allegations that he sexually abused a minor more than 20 years ago and has requested a jury trial in the civil complaint he faces.

"Prince Andrew hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint," the motion filed by his legal team on Wednesday read. The prince has been accused of sexual assault and battery by Virginia Giuffre, who sued for damages in August last year

Watch video01:26
UK's Prince Andrew loses royal and military titles
The case against Prince Andrew
Giuffre alleges the two had sex while she was still a minor after meeting him through the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his prison cell two years ago.
Giuffre alleges that Epstein trafficked her to the prince at the age of 17. Giuffre alleges that assaults took place at Epstein's New York home and on his private island situated in the US Virgin Islands.

Epstein's long-time partner Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted earlier this month on sex trafficking charges. She is seeking a retrial.

The prince has denied the allegations and will be facing the allegations as a private citizen.
Earlier in January, the prince resigned his royal patronages and military titles, after 150 military veterans signed an open letter to Queen Elizabeth II.



Watch video02:03
Ghislaine Maxwell convicted of sex trafficking
Giuffre's lawyer's respond
Giuffre's legal team said that the prince was attempting to "blame the victim."
"We look forward to confronting Prince Andrew with his denials and attempts to blame Ms. Giuffre for her own abuse," lawyer David Boies said in a statement.

Giuffre is seeking an unspecified amount in damages. Earlier this month, the duke failed to have the case thrown out on the grounds of Giuffre having accepted a $500,000 settlement from Epstein in 2009.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan said a trial could take place between September and December 2022.
kb/sms (AFP, Reuters)

 

[Zagdid]

Poland starts building wall on border with Belarus

KUZNICA, Poland (AP) — Poland has started building a $394 million high wall on its eastern border intended to block migrants pushed by Belarus in what the European Union calls

www.titusvilleherald.com

AP
Poland starts building wall on border with Belarus

Poland has started building a high wall on its eastern border intended to block migrants pushed by Belarus in what the European Union calls a “hybrid attack” from crossing illegally into EU territory

• AP 4 hrs ago

KUZNICA, Poland (AP) — Poland has started building a $394 million high wall on its eastern border intended to block migrants pushed by Belarus in what the European Union calls a “hybrid attack” from crossing illegally into EU territory.
Reporters were allowed to see the work in the guarded area on Thursday.

Pressure from thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa on Poland’s and Lithuania's wooded border with Belarus began in the summer, leading to clashes with Poland’s border guards. Poland has sealed its border with Belarus using razor wire and increased the number of guards.

The EU says the migrants are being used by Belarus' authoritarian leader to destabilize the 27-member bloc in retaliation for the West's sanctions on Minsk following an election internationally consider as rigged, and a clampdown on opposition.

Poland's 5.5 meter (18 ft) high metal wall is to run more than 180 kilometers (115 miles) along the land part of the border with Belarus, which also includes the Bug River as a frontier. It is to be completed in June, at the cost of some 1.6 billion zlotys ($394 million.)

Critics and environmentalists say it will fail to stop migrants, but will do harm to one of Europe’s last pristine woodlands, the Bialowieza forest.

 

[Plain Jane]

Are Ukrainians preparing for a Russian invasion? – DW – 01/28/2022

As diplomatic talks aim to ease further tension between Russia and Ukraine, many Ukrainians are mulling whether the crisis is all hot air — or if it's time to pack their bags for safety. A recent survey sheds some light.

www.dw.com

Are Ukrainians preparing for a Russian invasion?
As diplomatic talks aim to ease further tension between Russia and Ukraine, many Ukrainians are mulling whether the crisis is all hot air — or if it's time to pack their bags for safety. A recent survey sheds some light.




This satellite image shows the buildup of ground forces in Russia's Smolensk district, not far from the Ukrainian border

The situation is tense due to the deployment of tens of thousands of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders, and Western states are trying to steer the Kremlin towards de-escalation. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government has told its own population that, though it does not expect an invasion in the near future, the threat from Russia is real.

This assessment seems to be shared by about half of the Ukrainian population. According to a recent poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), 48.1% of Ukrainians believe the threat of an invasion is real, while 39.1% don't think an invasion will happen. Another 12.8% of respondents either had no opinion yet or did not want to comment.

This assessment has barely changed since the last time the institute conducted a survey in mid-December, when 49.2% of respondents saw a real danger and 41.4% said they were sure there would be no invasion.

Kremlin activity nothing more than blackmail?
"The belief that Russia will not attack can be based on a variety of reasons: From sympathy for Russia to confidence that Ukraine and the global community will respond by preventing such an attack," the deputy head of Ukraine's Razumkov Center, Mykhailo Mischenko, told DW.

Mischenko said it was especially those who think the global community could stop Russia who were confident there would not be an invasion. He also pointed out that some Ukrainians see the Kremlin's activity as nothing more than blackmail.

Volodymyr Paniotto, the director general of the KIIS, explained that in Ukraine, as elsewhere, public opinion was formed quite quickly on the basis of certain information, and after being consolidated it did not change significantly. He said people tended to seek out sources that confirmed their opinions and were more likely to trust them.

"In Ukraine, the number of people using the internet and social networks has increased over the past two years. Now, this development has intensified. This is because the social networks are fast and their algorithms are designed to provide people only with the information that they like," he told DW. That's why people often found themselves in an echo chamber, he said — further cementing their own views, and thus making it more difficult to change their perceptions.


Watch video04:59
Ukrainians taking up arms amid Russia tension
Preparing for an emergency
Reports that some Western countries are already evacuating the families of their embassy staff could also have influenced the opinions of Ukrainians. Some view these as concrete measures being taken by states to protect their citizens, whereas others see them as a mere precaution. In any case, many Ukrainians have started posting tips online on how to pack an "emergency suitcase" or what to do in case of war.

Paniotto said evacuation reports could increase the fear of an invasion among the Ukrainian population, but this did not mean that everybody was preparing for an attack. "Of course, those who believe the danger is real will prepare more than those who don't," he said, adding that people would prepare differently according to their means. Some would simply pack a suitcase they could take with them in an emergency, whereas others might start organizing weapons.



Watch video26:01
Russia-Ukraine conflict: Is Germany letting its allies down?
According to the findings of a KIIS survey in December, 33.3% of Ukrainians would be prepared to resist with arms in the event of a Russian attack; 21.7% would resist in different ways, such as through protests; 14.8% would retreat to a safer part of the country and 9.3% would flee abroad. Meanwhile, 18.6% of respondents said they would do nothing and 12.1% said they did not yet know what they would do.
This article was originally written in Ukrainian

 

[Plain Jane]

Germany: AfD party leaders — lurching further to the far right – DW – 01/28/2022

Since it was founded as a euroskeptic party in 2013, Germany's populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) has steadily moved towards the more extreme right — and swapped out leaders at every step.

www.dw.com

Russia bans more European Union officials
Russia has expanded a list of EU officials prohibited from entering the country amid worsening tensions over Ukraine. The move comes as "reciprocation" for restrictive measures Brussels put on Moscow.




Russia did not specify how many people it was banning or name them in an official statement

Russia has added a number of European Union officials to a list of people barred from entering the country as a tit-for-tat response to restrictions imposed on Moscow by Brussels.

"Guided by the principle of reciprocity and parity, the Russian side decided to expand a list of representatives of EU member states and institutions who are prohibited from entering Russia," a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Russia blacklisted the heads of some European private military firms, some members of security services, EU lawmakers and other Mofficials who are "personally responsible for promoting anti-Russian policies," according to a statement on the Ministry's website.
The Foreign Ministry did not disclose the number of people involved or their names.



Watch video04:43
No common EU position toward Russia
The EU reacted on Friday by saying that it "deplored" the new sanctions by Russia.
"The European Union deplores the decision by Russian authorities... to ban an unknown number of representatives of EU member states and institutions from entry into Russia," an EU spokesperson said.

"This decision lacks any legal justification and transparency and will meet an appropriate response," the statement added.

The ban comes amid heightened tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine.
The West has warned Moscow of a coordinated response if it launches an attack on neighboring Ukraine.
dvv/sms (AFP, Reuters)

 

[Plain Jane]

Portugal's Socialists land parliamentary majority – DW – 01/31/2022

Portugal's ruling socialist party has won the country's parliamentary elections after a large part of the votes were counted. The party has also secured an absolute majority in the parliament.

www.dw.com

Portugal: Polls open in snap election
No party is expected to win a majority outright. The fragmented political scene may benefit Portugal's far-right.




Portuguese incumbent Prime Minister and leader of the Socialist party (PS) Antonio Costa at a campaign rally in the Portuguese capital Friday ahead of the vote

Polls opened in Portugal Sunday in a snap election that polls suggest will be a tight election with no party expected to win a parliamentary majority.

The opposition center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) party saw last minute gains in the polls, eroding support of the ruling Socialists, though both parties remain in a statistical dead heat.

How will the voting work?
Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) and will remain open throughout Sunday into the evening, when they close at 8:00 p.m. Some 285,000 voters cast their ballots early on January 23.

Exit poll results are expected a few hours after polls close.

Approximately 10% of the electorate remains undecided according to the latest polls prior to the vote. Analysts have said the outcome of the vote is anyone's guess as the country of 10 million votes.

Additionally, more than one-tenth of the country is estimated to be isolating due to COVID-19 concerns. Authorities have granted permission for the infected to go to the polls but requested that they do so in the final hours before polls close.


Watch video03:39
Azulejos - Traditional Tile Art From Portugal
What is at stake in Sunday's election?
Prime Minister Antonio Costa of the Socialist Party told the crowd at a campaign rally in the country's second city Oporto Friday, "Portugal needs stability after these two difficult years of fighting against the pandemic."

Fellow European Socialist leaders such as Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz lent their support to Costa during the campaign. Scholz called Costa a "tireless defender of social justice."

Costa's government has rolled back austerity measures, held to budgets and reduced unemployment to the level it was at prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opposition leader Rui Rio of the PSD challenges Costa's handle on the economy and says further expansion is needed. Rio has called for cuts to corporate tax rates.



Watch video02:20
Portugal is revamping its 'Golden Visa' rules
The election Sunday comes after two far-left parties switched sides and joined with right-wing parties in rejecting the 2022 draft budget put forward by Costa last October.

Burned by that vote, should the Socialists win the most votes but fail to gain a majority, Costa said he will govern as a minority party and seek support from other parties on a case-by-case basis.

Lisbon University politics professor Antonio Costa Pinto said that governing in such a way would unlikely last until the term expires in 2026.

Far-right party Chega, meaning "Enough," could emerge as the third largest party in parliament after entering during the last vote in 2019 with a single seat.



Watch video26:04
The Algarve: Warmth, waves, wind and wide open spaces
What challenges does Portugal face?
Portugal faces another weak government as an outcome of the vote. The country's tourism-dependent economy has been hurt by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, key challenges that will confront the country's next ruling coalition.

Portugal will receive €16.6 billion ($18.7 billion) in recovery funds from the EU by 2026. The next government will be tasked with maximizing the effectiveness of these funds.
ar/aw (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

 

[Plain Jane]

Zerohedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

Denmark Is First EU Country To Scrap All COVID Restrictions

BY TYLER DURDEN
SUNDAY, JAN 30, 2022 - 09:20 AM
Via 21stCenturyWire.com,
Later this week, England is scheduled to drop its problematic mask mandate for shops and public transport, along with its highly unpopular vaccine passport regime. Up north, Scotland says it will “relax” so-called ‘work from home guidance,’ and reopen nightclubs, as well as ending venue capacity limits.


While the UK and Ireland gingerly roll-back their highly disruptive COVID restriction policies, other European countries are now leading the way by scrapping the entire ‘pandemic’ regime altogether.

Financial Times reports…

Denmark said it would lift almost all Covid-19 restrictions and stop designating it a “societally critical” disease on Wednesday in the latest sign that western European countries are easing or even eradicating strict measures brought in to combat the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Magnus Heunicke, Denmark’s health minister, wrote to parliament on Wednesday saying that he would remove all Covid-19 restrictions on February 1, except for testing on arrival from abroad. Just as the Danish government did in September, when it lifted all restrictions, it will also stop calling Covid-19 a “societally critical disease”, meaning that it will no longer have the legal basis to introduce wide-ranging curbs.
“Tonight we can begin to lower our shoulders and find our smiles again,” said Mette Frederiksen, Danish prime minister, on Wednesday evening. “The pandemic is still here, but with what we know now, we can dare to believe we are through the critical phase.”
Denmark is the latest European country in recent days to announce it is dropping most or nearly all measures as it follows in the footsteps of the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands…

Meanwhile, mainstream media outlets like Politico report this latest development with the accompanied fear-mongering over the latest “subvariant” – allegedly on the loose:

The announcement comes as a new subvariant of Omicron, BA.2, is gaining a foothold in Denmark and driving infections up, with 46,000 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday.
“Recent weeks have seen very high infection rates, in fact the highest in the entire pandemic,” Frederiksen said. “Therefore, it may seem strange and paradoxical that we are now ready to let go of the restrictions.”
Some 82 percent of Denmark’s population is fully vaccinated with two doses, of whom 50 percent are boosted with a third dose, according to the Danish Health and Medicines Authority.

However, as the FT points out, with this alleged rise in “cases” (aka PCR positive tests) promoted in the media – there is no corresponding rise in serious illness as a result COVID-19:

Denmark still has one of the highest number of Covid-19 cases per capita in the world, currently more than 10 times its previous peak as Omicron causes tens of thousands of daily infections. But the number of patients in intensive care continues to fall and, even with Omicron, never hit the peaks reached from April 2020 and January 2021.

Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Sweden, Norway and Finland have all announced they will also be easing their restrictions in the coming weeks.

 

[Plain Jane]

Portugal's Socialists land parliamentary majority – DW – 01/31/2022

Portugal's ruling socialist party has won the country's parliamentary elections after a large part of the votes were counted. The party has also secured an absolute majority in the parliament.

www.dw.com

Portugal's Socialists land parliamentary majority
Portugal's ruling socialist party has won the country's parliamentary elections after a large part of the votes were counted. The party has also secured an absolute majority in the parliament.




Portuguese incumbent Prime Minister and leader of the Socialist party (PS) Antonio Costa at a campaign rally in the Portuguese capital Friday ahead of the vote

Portugal's ruling Socialists have won the country's snap parliamentary elections, beating the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), the national electoral commission announced on Sunday.

The Socialists, led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa, received 42% of the vote, the electoral commission said after counting 95% of the ballots.

Costa said the Socialists had secured an absolute majority of 117-118 seats in the election.
"An absolute majority doesn't mean absolute power. It doesn't mean to govern alone. It's an increased responsibility and it means to govern with and for all Portuguese," Costa said in his victory speech.

The Socialists will now be able to govern alone, after having relied on the Left Bloc and Portuguese Communist Party for support since 2015. Both left-wing parties lost seats in the Sunday election.
Additionally, more than one-tenth of the country is estimated to be isolating due to COVID-19 concerns. Authorities have granted permission for the infected to go to the polls but requested that they do so in the final hours before polls close.

Watch video02:53
Polls closed in Portugal's snap election: DW's Jan-Philipp Scholz
What is at stake in Sunday's election?
Costa told a crowd at a campaign rally in the country's second city Porto Friday, "Portugal needs stability after these two difficult years of fighting against the pandemic."

Fellow European left-leaning leaders such as Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz lent their support to Costa during the campaign. Scholz called Costa a "tireless defender of social justice."

Costa's government has rolled back austerity measures, held to budgets and reduced unemployment to the level it was at prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opposition leader Rui Rio of the PSD challenges Costa's handle on the economy and says further expansion is needed. Rio has called for cuts to corporate tax rates.



Watch video02:20
Portugal is revamping its 'Golden Visa' rules
The election Sunday comes after two far-left parties switched sides and joined with right-wing parties in rejecting the 2022 draft budget put forward by Costa last October.

Burned by that vote, should the Socialists win the most votes but fail to gain a majority, Costa said he will govern as a minority party and seek support from other parties on a case-by-case basis.

Lisbon University politics professor Antonio Costa Pinto said that governing in such a way would unlikely last until the term expires in 2026.

Far-right party Chega, meaning "Enough," has emerged as the third largest party in parliament, having received 7% of votes. This is much more than the 1.29% it received in 2019, allowing it to enter parliament with a single seat.



Watch video26:04
The Algarve: Warmth, waves, wind and wide open spaces
What challenges does Portugal face?
The country's tourism-dependent economy has been hurt by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, key challenges that will confront the country's next ruling coalition.
Portugal will receive €16.6 billion ($18.7 billion) in recovery funds from the EU by 2026. The next government will be tasked with maximizing the effectiveness of these funds.
ar/aw (AFP, dpa, Reuters, Efe)