COMECE calls for concrete solidarity and generosity
Following the adoption of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum proposed by the European Commission on Wednesday 23 September 2020, the Bishops of the European Union encourage the EU and its Member States to act in concrete solidarity and responsibility towards migrants and refugees.
Considering the dysfunctionalities of the current migration and asylum systems and the dramatic situations that have recently affected many migrants and their families in Europe, COMECE welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to set out a new and comprehensive framework with the aim of creating a fair and predictable migration management mechanism rebuilding trust between the Member States.
In view of the future negotiations, COMECE encourages the European Parliament and the Council to prioritize the protection of the human dignity and the promotion of the common good. The Bishops urge the EU and its Member States to recognize migrants and refugees as persons with dignity and fundamental rights, and not as numbers.
Using the words of Pope Francis, migrants have “a name, a face, and a story, as well as an inalienable right to live in peace and to aspire to a better future for their sons and daughters”.
The proposed EU package includes a number of positive developments such as the special treatment at the border for unaccompanied minors, quicker reply to asylum applicants and clarification of their rights and duties, access of migrants to the benefits of the European Pillar of Social Rights, paving the way for long term residence.
The EU and its Member States must protect asylum seekers and their families, fulfilling the obligation of non-refoulment to the country where they were at risk and supporting their resilience and full inclusion in the hosting society.
The clear reinforcement of the return policy included in the EU package should be balanced – according to COMECE – with a more generous approach towards social and economic migrants, opening broader legal pathways for their regular access to the European Union in a spirit of fraternal hospitality.
Regarding the relocation of asylum seekers across the EU, it is unclear how the mechanism will be implemented, as the proposed system is highly dependent on the decision of each Member State. Concerning this issue, COMECE calls on the EU and its Member States to improve and increase the support to those countries that geographically are more exposed to high influx of migrants and refugees.
As stated by Pope Francis, we have to prevent the Mediterranean Sea to turn into a vast cemetery, therefore COMECE reiterates that rescuing people in distress at sea is a moral and legal obligation that should respected by all State and non-State actors.
To be sure, countries are also seeing some two million new COVID-19 cases each week, WHO Executive Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at his latest press briefing in Geneva.
Describing four varying national situations, he said those countries that jumped on the virus quickly have avoided large outbreaks. Others had large outbreaks but were able to bring them under control and continue to suppress the virus.
Some economies that had controlled an initial outbreak, and subsequently eased restrictions, have seen an increase in cases, he said. And there are still other countries that are in the intense phase of transmission.
Turning the tide
“It is never too late to turn the tide”, he assured, stressing that in every region, countries have developed a collective blueprint for suppressing the virus – and saved both lives and livelihoods.
For its part, WHO will continue to support national action plans through its regional and national country offices.
“This is a critical moment in the outbreak response”, he said, urging leaders to strengthen their response by putting in place targeted measures to suppress the spread and ensuring that health systems and workers are protected.
Solidary equals speed
“For us all, the fastest way for us to get through this is to act together”, he stressed. He issued a call to “keep doing the basics” of physical distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, and coughing and sneezing safely away from others. It is also important to avoid crowds and keep windows and doors open when it is not possible to meet friends or family outside.
Tedros welcomed the $1 billion in new funding announced for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a collaboration to speed the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.
Recalling that WHO approved its first antigen-based rapid diagnostic test for Emergency Use Listing, he said “these tests are simple”, providing reliable results in 15-30 minutes – rather than hours or days – at lower prices.
Expressions of interest
He also announced that WHO published today a call for expressions of interest by manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines – to apply for approval for prequalification and/or Emergency Use Listing.
“Sharing finite resources – from tests to therapeutics to vaccines – is not charity”, he clarified. “It is the smart play for all countries, as it will ensure that they can protect those at most risk.”
US President and COVID-19
Tedros began the press conference, wishing both President Trump and the First Lady of the United States, “a full and swift recovery. Our prayers are with them”, he said.
Responding to a journalist’s question about whether the President’s “disregard” for mask-wearing made it inevitable that he would contract COVID-19, WHO Emergencies Executive Director, Dr. Mike Ryan, said that the agency does not comment on the risk management measures or behaviour of any individual.
“We don’t know what risk management measures were in place”, he said, especially for someone as prominent as a president. “What we will reiterate, is that each and every individual and each and every citizen should be guided by the national guidance in their country.”
We all know “the combination of different measures that reduce risk”, said Dr. Ryan, “and we know these reduce risk; washing your hands, staying a safe distance from other individuals, avoiding crowded spaces, wearing a mask…and doing all of that to protect yourself and others, is the best way to protect society. Our advice doesn’t change.”
“We are a community, and we will get through this together”, he added.
WHO probe of DR Congo abuse allegations
Tedros also addressed disturbing news from the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by people identifying themselves as working for WHO.
“To be very clear, we are outraged,” he said. “The betrayal of people in the communities we serve is reprehensible.”
WHO will not tolerate such behaviour from its staff, contractors or partners, he said, emphatic that anyone identified as being involved will be held to account and face serious consequences, including immediate dismissal.
Tedros said he has initiated an investigation into the charges, as well as broader protection issues in health emergency response settings.
OHCHRhighlighted what it called a “cycle of violence” whereby people faced deprivation and abuse in Libya, only to be left to drift “for days at sea”. Often, their boats were intercepted dangerously by the authorities and returned to Libya, the UN rights office said, noting that migrants then faced arbitrary detention, torture and other serious human rights violations.
And the situation has become even more acute amid the COVID-19 pandemic, OHCHR continued in its statement, as humanitarian search and rescue vessels have been prevented from heading out to sea, while there is also a lack of access by civil society groups that help migrants.
“What is happening to migrants…is the result of a failed system of migration governance…marked by a lack of solidarity forcing frontline States…to bear the brunt of the responsibility”, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
Despite the lack of sufficient safe and regular migration channels, migrants continue to take the precarious sea journey, often multiple times – encountering danger and suffering.
Arbitrary detention, torture, trafficking, sexual abuse, forced labour and other serious human rights violations were some of the horrors that migrants in Libya described.
And many reported being intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard, including having their boats rammed or shot at, causing vessels to capsize or people to desperately jump into the water.
While some reports reflected that commercial vessels did not come to their assistance, others affirmed that commercial ships picked them up only to return the individuals to detention centres in Libya.
OHCHR pointed out that if true, “these are serious allegations of failure to assist people in distress at sea and possible coordinated push-backs that should be duly investigated”.
Mission to Malta
The call followed a week-long UN rights mission to Malta that engaged Government officials, UN partners, migrant community leaders, civil society organizations, speaking to 76 migrants from 25 different countries.
Some migrants there explained that they had been detained for several months, with only one change of clothing and little access to daylight, clean water and sanitation.
They also reported severe overcrowding, poor living conditions and limited contact with the outside world, including lawyers and civil society organizations.
“You’re in jail in Libya and now you come to Europe and prison again”, one migrant testified.
“The pressures on the reception system in Malta have long been known but the pandemic has clearly made an already difficult situation worse”, said Ms. Bachelet.
Despite COVID-19 challenges, “human rights must always be upheld and those who are confined, out of sight as it were, must not be forgotten”, she continued, appealing for European Union States to adopt “a principled approach to migration” and tackle “the shocking conditions” faced by migrants in Libya, at sea, and often when they finally reach Europe, and supposed safety.
At the European Council, leaders gave their strategic guidance on many key foreign policy issues, from our relations with China, the conflict in Nagorno-Karabach and the poisoning of Aleksei Navalny. On the Eastern Mediterranean, we will pursue dialogue with Turkey on outstanding issues. And European leaders tasked me to organise a multilateral conference which could address issues on which multilateral solutions are needed, including maritime delimitation, security, energy, migration and economic cooperation. We clearly prefer the path of constructive relations but the political line is clear: in case of renewed actions by Turkey that breach international law, the EU will use options at its disposal.
One big decision that leaders took was to finally impose sanctions on Belarus. There is no point denying that this decision took a long time: almost two months have passed since the rigged Presidential elections. Many observers and commentators have pointed out that divisions among member states were hampering our collective ability to take a stand, even on issues that are core to the EU’s founding principle. In short, our credibility was at stake.
As long as the EU has been working on developing a common foreign policy, it has had to deal with this kind of splits. From the break up of Yugoslavia, to the Middle East Peace process, the war against Iraq in 2003, the independence of Kosovo or Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
This is of course not the first time that we experience divisions. As long as the EU has been working on developing a common foreign policy, it has had to deal with this kind of splits. From the break up of Yugoslavia, to the Middle East Peace process, the war against Iraq in 2003, the independence of Kosovo or Chinese actions in the South China Sea: there have been many examples where divisions among member states have slowed down or paralysed EU decision-making, or emptied it of substance.
The underlying reasons are not hard to state: history, geography, identity. Member-states look at the world through different prisms and it’s not easy to blend these 27 different ways of defining their national interests into a united, common European interest. Having been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain I have sat at both sides of the table. And I know all too well that in the Council we discuss a common EU line, but as soon as we get home, minister focus above all on conducting their national foreign policy, with their own priorities and red lines.
The real question is what to do about this. For me it is clear that the main long-term answer lies in the creation of a common strategic culture: the more Europeans agree on how they see the world and its problems, the more they will agree on what to do about them. That is in part what we intend to do with the work on a Strategic Compass. But all this is a long-term process. And in the meantime, we have to be able to take collective decisions, on tough issues, in real time.
And this brings us to the question of how we take decisions on foreign policy. For decades we have agreed that foreign and security policy must be decided by unanimity, with every country holding a veto. In foreign policy we work a lot with so-called discrete instead of continuous variables. This means many of our decisions are binary in nature: you either recognise a government or not, you launch a crisis management operation or not. And this leads to a lot of blockages and paralysis. In the same way, there are other important policy fields such as taxation or the multi-annual EU budget where the unanimity requirement has also created serious difficulties to find adequate solutions.
The contrast here is with those areas of the EU, from the single market to climate to migration, where the EU can take decisions by qualified majority (55% of member states and 65% of population). And crucially, market rules or climate targets are not secondary issues of lesser sensitivity. Indeed, big national interests at stake, which often clash just as much as in foreign policy.
What matters in the EU is not how a discussion begins; what matters is how it ends.
Moreover, it is striking that even in the areas where the EU can take decisions by QMV, it mostly doesn’t. Why? Because the ethos of the club is to work for compromises, something everyone can buy into. But for this, all member states need to move and invest in unity. Simply sitting on one’s position creates blockages. And in this specific sense, having the QMV option is important: not to use it but to create an incentive for member states to move and search for common ground. This is how, outside foreign policy, the EU can take decisions on important topics with big interests at stake, even if member states are divided. What matters in the EU is not how a discussion begins; what matters is how it ends.
Right at the start of my mandate I argued that if, in foreign policy, we want to escape the paralysis and delays of the unanimity rule, we ought to think about taking some decisions without requiring the full unanimity of 27. And in February when we were blocked on the launch of Operation Irini to police the arms embargo on Libya, I raised the question at the Munich Security Council how reasonable it is for one country, which would anyway not participate in the naval operation because it lacks a navy, to prevent the other 26 from moving forward.
Let’s be clear: we will not have majority voting across the board. But one could limit it to aspects where we have been frequently blocked in the past – sometimes for completely unrelated reasons – such as human rights statements or sanctions. In her State of the Union , President Von Der Leyen repeated this proposal (it was actually the line in her speech that attracted the largest amount of applause).
Since then, there has been renewed debate on the merits and risks associated to this idea. For instance, the President of the European Council has warned that dropping the unanimity requirement would risk losing the legitimacy and buy-in that is needed when it comes to implementing any decisions. This is without any doubt, an important issue. Others have pointed to the fact that the national veto is an ‘insurance policy or emergency brake’ to protect especially the ability of small countries to defend their core national interests (larger member states may not even need the veto to protect their core national interests).
Abandoning the unanimity rule would not be a silver bullet. But we need to create the right incentives for member states to come together. Just appealing to the need for unity is not enough.
I welcome this debate. I am clear that abandoning the unanimity rule would not be a silver bullet. But we need a discussion on how to create the right incentives for member states to come together. Just appealing to the need for unity is not enough. Which decisions we make and how credible they are, depends crucially on how we make them.
Going forward, some possibilities seem pertinent to me, to be evaluated and discussed:
Maybe it could be better, sometimes, to accept to issue a quick statement at 25 with good substance than wait for several days and come with a lowest common denominator statement at 27?
Maybe it is also better to think not mainly in terms of introducing QMV but also of ‘constructive abstention’? This was a possibility introduced to enable a country to abstain without blocking the Union from moving forward. For example, this was how the EULEX mission in Kosovo was launched in 2006.
And finally, as we are certainly not going to abandon unanimity across the board, could we define areas and tools and instruments where it could make more sense to experiment (for example sanctions, statements, demarches) and, if so, with what kind of safeguards?
I hope that in the weeks and months ahead, for example in the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe, we can debate the pros and cons of these options, knowing that there is a great and urgent need for the EU to protect its capacity to act in a dangerous world.
Mr Valdis Dombrovskis announced “a launch of a WTO trade and climate initiative, focusing on green goods”, acknowledging that “today, trade is about much more than just trade”. He intends to reshape the EU’s future trade policy to make it more sustainable, including in the Mercosur trade agreement where the EU must “find lasting solutions for the Amazon region” before its ratification.
“Europe needs to become more assertive”, he said, adding that EU’s trade partners using unfair practises will be met with new tools, including a new anti-coercion mechanism- if needed, even against the United States. With China, Mr Dombrovskis seeks to conclude the investment agreement now under negotiation while ensuring that the trade relationship is “restructured to be reciprocal, balanced and fair”.
Enforce sustainable trade deals in practice
MEPs welcomed the planned new trade defence measure but also emphasised that the EU’s tools must be sharp enough to ensure that “existing trade agreements don’t only work on paper but in practice, too.” On Transatlantic trade relations, some MEPs asked for the EU to prepare for the WTO judgment to impose USD4 billion worth of tariffs on US goods in the Boeing case.
Several MEPs called for a trade policy linked closely to the Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals, and a long-awaited proposal on enforcing sustainable development chapters in trade agreements through sanctions. Several MEPs expect a new trade commissioner to ensure the Mercosur deal is environmentally sustainable and to protect the respect for human rights in the investment deal with China.
MEPs asked the candidate about obligatory due diligence for companies to ensure sustainable supply chains, which Mr Dombrovskis pledged to propose. Other MEPs wanted to know about future steel safeguards against dumping on the EU market and prospects for an EU-UK trade deal.
Based on the committees’ recommendations, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of the hearing and forward its conclusions to the Conference of Presidents. The latter will carry out the final evaluation on 6 October and decide if the hearing can be concluded. If so, the plenary will vote on whether or not to approve the portfolio change on 7 October, in Brussels.
During her introductory speech, Ms McGuinness told MEPs that her guiding priority would be to put people front and centre of the roll out of the EU’s financial services architecture. The financial system must be used to underpin a more inclusive society. Ms McGuinness also said she would prioritise lending to the real economy, especially SMEs.
MEPs were also keen to sound out Ms McGuinness on these priorities in more detail. Many also asked her to commit to going further with legislation aimed at incentivising investments beneficial to the climate and the environment.
Capital markets union, banking union, and anti-money laundering
Many MEPs asked the Commissioner-designate how she planned to give new impetus to the completion of the capital markets union and the banking union, with a number of them warning that the obstacles laid down by some member states risked paralysing the whole process.
A number of MEPs also asked about the next steps that Ms McGuinness would take to tackle money laundering more efficiently, including on when exactly she would attempt to propose new legislation.
MEPs also raised the topics of Brexit, gender mainstreaming in the financial sector, crypto currencies, and taxation, among others.
Next steps
Based on the committee’s recommendations, the Conference of Committee Chairs will assess the outcome of the hearing and forward its conclusions to the Conference of Presidents. The latter will carry out the final evaluation on 6 October and decide if the hearing can be concluded. If so, the plenary will vote on whether or not to approve the Commissioner-designate on 7 October.
NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM As part of the European Union Climate Diplomacy activities and #EU4GreenKZ campaign, the European Union Delegation in Kazakhstan jointly with EU Member States and with the support of Nur-Sultan Mayor Office organized a tree-planting event at the EXPO site of Nur-Sultan city on September 30.
The event aims to contribute to the green and sustainable development of Nur-Sultan city and strengthen cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
During the solemn opening, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sven-Olov Carlsson noted: «The EU commends Kazakhstan for having taken bold steps to move towards sustainable development. In 2013, Kazakhstan launched the Green Economy Transition Plan, which is one of the most ambitious in Europe and Central Asia region. The EU is proud to be a part of these achievements by contributing to the green development of the country both through our regional and bilateral programmes. Cooperation in the area of environment and green economy is also amongst the priorities of the EU–Kazakhstan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation agreement, which entered into full force in March 2020», the official website of the Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan reads.
The welcoming remarks were also delivered by Ambassador of Germany Dr Tilo Klinner (Germany is currently holding Presidency of the Council of the EU), Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Mr Magzum Mirzagaliyev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mr Margulan Baimukhan, and Deputy Akim of Nur-Sultan city Ms Malika Bekturova. Ambassadors and representatives of 21 EU Member States accredited to Kazakhstan were present at the event.
Altogether, the diplomats planted 27 trees (15 Christmas trees and 12 oak trees), which is the number of countries represented in the EU. The trees will serve as another symbol of friendship and joint commitment of Kazakhstan and EU to a green and sustainable future.
The EU is at the forefront of international efforts to fight climate change and supports partner countries’ efforts to address climate change, to protect the environment and ecosystems worldwide. During 2015-2018, the EU supported the transition of Kazakhstan to a green economy model through its 7 million euro bilateral programme aimed to contribute to Kazakhstan’s long-term environmental sustainability and inclusive economic development. Kazakhstan’s ambition to move to a green economy model is also well aligned with the EU’s regional priority to work together to enhance environmental, climate and water resilience in Central Asia. For today, the EU has 15 ongoing regional programmes covering the sustainable use of water, energy, environment and the water-food-energy nexus for the total amount of about €100 million, including its flagships on water and environment cooperation – WECOOP, NEXUS and the Central Asia Water and Energy (CAWEP) programme.
As part of the #EU4GreenKZ campaign, the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan also plans to announce on its social media pages an #Ecoselfie photo competition, to organize «Green Europe Tour» with Erasmus students, and a series of online green master classes.
Authorities declared a three-month state of emergency in early September after the worst flooding in 30 years.
To date, more than 860,000 people have had houses destroyed or damaged and more than 120 people have died.
Some 560 schools and thousands of health facilities have also been affected, compromising essential services to communities, especially in North Darfur, Khartoum, West Darfur and Sennar, which account for 52 per cent of all people affected.
#Sudan economic crisis, inflation, underdevelopment, floods, disease outbreaks, and conflict are ⬆️humanitarian needs: •Price of food basket ⬆️by 200% vs 2019 •Inflation reached 170% in August •9.6M people food insecure •Health costs ⬆️90% More: https://t.co/k93FDU7yttpic.twitter.com/bvBg2tQp43
The response by UN agencies and partners has reached more than 400,000 people so far, including emergency shelter and essential household items relief to over 181,000 flood-affected refugees, 1.87 million internally displaced people and Sudanese across the country.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 virus transmission has continued, with 13,653 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 836 deaths, according official data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Amid growing needs, surging inflation – reaching nearly 170 per cent in August – has caused a shortage of basic commodities and increased prices of some locally sourced supplies by 300 to 400 per cent.
“In some cases, by the time the procurement process is finalized, the supplies have increased prices, so that the original budgets are no longer valid”, said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.
He explained that this meant the purchasing process had to begin again and “there is no guarantee that by the time that that process is done, that the prices will not have risen once again”.
Healthcare costs have also increased by up to 90 per cent, OCHA Sudan said in a recent tweet.
In Geneva, Mr. Laerke noted that the price of an average family food basket had increased by over 200 per cent since last year, based on World Food Programme (WFP) data, increasing pressure on already dramatic levels of food insecurity across Sudan, where 9.6 million people are described as “severely” in need.
Cash shortfalls and crop failure
Inflation has also affected the UN’s humanitarian partners which provide cash support to vulnerable families, as they are constantly having to adjust the amounts transferred, Mr. Laerke said.
Even with these adjustments, many families are no longer able to purchase what they need with the cash received: today, only one in four families who previously relied on outside assistance now receives it, the OCHA spokesperson said.
Another concern in Sudan is that large areas of farmland are under water or ruined just before harvest. “Most families in Sudan already spent around 65 per cent of their income on food, so these price hikes lead to increased hunger and less education, health and other services that families de-prioritize as they try to cope with the economic hardship”, Mr. Laerke explained.
UNFPA/Sufian Abdul-Mouty
A rapid needs assessment team from UNFPA pays a visit to women affected by floods in Khartoum, Sudan.
Increased risks to pregnant women
The UN population fund (UNFPA) has estimated that some 187,500 women of reproductive age are living in temporary flood shelters with minimal protection measures to ensure their safety and security. The damage to health clinics, hospitals and latrines poses further risks.
12,000 women are pregnant and more than 1,300 women will give birth in the coming month, said the agency. Of these women, 600 will likely experience complications in birth and require life-saving sexual and reproductive health services.
In addition to urgent health needs, displaced women face limited settlement options, and financial difficulties as a result of job loss. They also face increased risk of gender-based violence, with limited services threatened by damaged facilities and networks.
“Sudan needs immediate support to ward off this humanitarian crisis”, said said Massimo Diana, the UNFPA representative in Sudan. “Flooding means that economic livelihoods are destroyed and that disproportionately affects women. Stress means more domestic violence. Local health services are interrupted and support networks are disrupted.”
UNFPA has helped to rehabilitate 16 emergency obstetric and newborn care facilities in seven regions of Sudan, support that can mean the difference between life and death for displaced pregnant women.
Receiving the new recruits, who have chosen to dedicate “a period of their youth in the service of the Successor of Peter,” the Pope on Friday emphasized the crucial role of the family in the transmission of the faith. “The presence of your family members expresses the devotion of Swiss Catholics to the Holy See, as well as the moral education and good example by which parents have passed on to their children the Christian faith and the sense of generous service to their neighbour,” he said.
Pope Francis also took the opportunity to recall the “illustrious past” of the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps. He told them his thoughts turned in particular to the “Sack of Rome,” which saw the Swiss Guards courageously defend the Pope, to the point of giving their lives.
“The memory of that event,” he said, “may evoke in you the danger of a spiritual ‘plundering’.”
“In today’s social context,” the Pope continued, “many young people run the risk of being stripped of their souls, when they follow ideals and lifestyles that respond only to material desires or needs.”
Pope Francis expressed the hope that the new recruits would make the most of all the positive things the city of Rome has to offer. “It is rich in history, culture and faith; therefore, take advantage of the opportunities offered to you to enhance your cultural, linguistic and spiritual background,” he said.
“The time you will spend here is a unique moment in your life,” the Pope commented. “May you live it in a spirit of fraternity, helping one another to lead a meaningful and joyfully Christian life.”
Fidelity to Christ
Pope Francis told the new guards, “The oath that you will take the day after tomorrow is also a declaration of fidelity to your baptismal vocation, that is, to Christ, who calls you to be men and Christians, protagonists of your existence.”
He went on to say, “With His help and the power of the Holy Spirit, you will serenely face the obstacles and challenges of life. Do not forget that the Lord is always at your side: I sincerely hope that you will always feel His consoling presence.”
In conclusion, Pope Francis expressed his gratitude to the entire Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps “not only for what you do, but also for how you do it.”
Then, quoting Saint Teresa of Calcutta, he said, “at the end of our lives we will not be judged for how many things we have done, but for how much love we have put into those things.”
The swearing-in ceremony of the 38 new guards was due to take place on May 4. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it will now take place on 4 October. The ceremony will also be held behind closed doors, in accordance with current protection regulations.
Bulgaria is ready to join the production of face masks, protective clothing and ventilators amid the efforts of the EU to ensure own supply of protective equipment during the Covid-19 crisis, Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov said. On the second day of the extraordinary sitting of the European Council in Brussels, Premier Borissov said that the Council has found a relatively good balance to protect Greece and Cyprus and at the same time allow Turkey to undertake actions by December. Thus, cooperation will be enhanced and sanctions will be avoided, Boyko Borissov said.
All representatives of the Council contend that the military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh must stop and the countries involved in the conflict engage in dialogue immediately. We also share common stand on the opposition in Belarus, Premier Borissov said, quoted by BTA.
NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM As part of the European Union Climate Diplomacy activities and #EU4GreenKZ campaign, the European Union Delegation in Kazakhstan jointly with EU Member States and with the support of Nur-Sultan Mayor Office organized a tree-planting event at the EXPO site of Nur-Sultan city on September 30.
