Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor has spoken up about a “systematic campaign” against him by Hezbollah-backed PM Hassan Diab Riad Salameh, Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank, spoke out today in a one-hour long video conference. He addressed the “systematic campaign” against him, which is widely thought to have been driven by Hezbollah. Mr Salameh was responding…
Month: April 2020
Financing the New Green Deal
Nine NGOs sent an open letter to Werner Hoyer, the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), calling for its new role in the European economic recovery to be consistent with its climate commitments and play a key role in financing the European Green Deal. The EIB plans to spend €40 billion to support especially small and…
Commission Proposals for Temporary Relief for Banks
Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis on Tuesday presented proposals for a temporary reduction of capital requirements in the Corona crisis. The Commission wants to ensure that banks continue to provide credit to the real economy despite the crisis. The package of measures includes a proposal to compensate for the effect of the new accounting rules…
EU Mexico Seal Trade Deal
The European Union and Mexico have concluded the last outstanding element of the negotiation of their new trade agreement. Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan and Mexican Minister of Economy Graciela Márquez Colín agreed by telephone on the exact scope of the reciprocal opening of public procurement markets and a high level of predictability and transparency in public procurement…
Proper Audit Needed for Energy Efficiency Projects
Cost-effectiveness is not a determining factor for allocating public funding to energy efficiency measures in residential buildings, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. Despite improved guidance from the European Commission, EU-funded projects still do not focus on achieving the greatest potential energy savings per euro invested. The overall contribution of…
Ukraine Land Reform
The President of Ukraine has signed the law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on the Conditions of Circulation of Agricultural Land” Law № 552-IX was originally approved by the Verkhovna Rada on 31 March. The document provides for the formation of a legislative framework for the introduction of market circulation of agricultural…
Will There Be a Summer Holiday This Year?
The Commission says it is supporting Member States as they deal with the impact of the coronavirus on the tourism sector. At a videoconference on Monday, EU Ministers discussed the implications of the coronavirus outbreak on the tourism industry – which accounts for 10% of EU GDP – and the recovery strategy for the tourism…
China and Russia Accused of Spreading Disinformation about COVID-19
MEPs and High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell will discuss the latest report by the European External Action Service about disinformation on COVID-19, tomorrow 30 April. The aim of the report published by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on 24 April, is to provide a snapshot overview of the current trends and insights into disinformation…
Russia resumes overseas assassinations
This article first appeared in the online journal of the IGTDS, the Institute for Global Threats and Democracies Studies, and is reproduced here with their permission. Russia keeps practicing political terrorism by murdering foreign political figures and Russian citizens with the help of poison. The situation in the Czech Republic indicates that the motives for…
Making Business More Climate Friendly
A total of 68 large German and international companies from all sectors of the economy call upon politicians on the occasion of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue to combine economic measures to deal with the Corona crisis with ambitious climate policy. At yesterday’s launch of the 11th edition of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, a broad alliance…