5 Stories from Europe You May Have Missed

[rpannier]

5. Three Leading EU Parliamentarians Call On EU To 'Finally' Impose Sanctions On Dodik

Three leading European parliamentarians have called on the European Union to “finally” impose sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik over his efforts “to systematically undermine" Bosnia-Herzegovina. In a statement issued on July 5, the European Parliament’s chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister; the standing rapporteur for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paulo Rangel; and the chairman of the parliament’s delegation for relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, Romeo Franz, said it is high time for the EU and its member states to impose targeted sanctions on Dodik, who is already under U.S and U.K. sanctions, and his allies. “The EU’s credibility is at stake,” the statement said. Dodik has led an increasingly inflammatory campaign for years to encourage support for his secessionist hopes

https://www.rferl.org/a/dodik-bosnian-serb-sanctions-undermine-bosnia/32490242.html

4. Rightwing lobby group campaigns to undermine UK four-day week

A rightwing lobby group that does not declare its donors is spearheading a campaign to undermine the spread of the four-day week in the UK.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has emerged as a key influence behind ministerial attempts in the last week to try to shut down the first public sector trial of a shorter working week at South Cambridgeshire district council (SCDC).

There are signs of a town hall fightback, with shorter hours now poised to be introduced in neighbouring Cambridge city council, and eight other English councils said to be considering testing the approach. Glasgow city council said it was monitoring pilot programmes and described the four-day working week as “an aspirational position”.

snip

The TPA, which claims to be a grassroots organisation and is part of a global alliance of free-market advocacy groups known as the Atlas Network, is running a “Stop the clock off” campaign against the four-day week.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/07/rightwing-lobby-group-campaigns-to-undermine-uk-four-day-week

3. Thousands march in Bosnia to mark 1995 Srebrenica genocide as ethnic tensions linger on

A solemn peace march started on Saturday through forests in eastern Bosnia in memory of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, Europe's only acknowledged genocide since World War II.

The annual 100-kilometer (60-mile) march retraces a route taken by thousands of men and boys from the Bosniak ethnic group, made up primarily of Muslims, who were slaughtered as they tried to flee Srebrenica after it was captured by Bosnian Serb forces late in the 1992-95 war.

The march is part of several events preceding the actual date commemorating the massacre on July 11.

Nearly 4,000 people joined this year's march, according to organizers. The event comes as ethnic tensions in Bosnia still persist with Bosnian Serbs continuing to push for more independence and their open calls for separation.

https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/08/thousands-march-in-bosnia-to-mark-1995-srebrenica-genocide-as-ethnic-tensions-linger-on

2. Hungary, Poland Block EU Summit Over Migration

Poland, backed by Hungary, has staged a revolt against European Union migration reforms, leading to deadlock that on June 30 stretched into a second day at the bloc's summit. The bloc's countries struck a deal in early June on a long-stalled revision of the bloc's asylum rules, but Poland and Hungary fiercely oppose the plans. The agreement aims to share the hosting of asylum seekers across EU countries, with those who refuse having to pay money to the ones that take in migrants.

https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-poland-eu-migrants/32483526.html

1. Polish demand for recognition of WWII massacres sparks row with Ukraine

he invasion of Ukraine has inflamed some of the most contentious historical issues on a continent that has been shaped by war for much of its history.

And even Poland, perhaps Ukraine’s staunchest ally since the launch of the full-scale invasion of the country, has not been spared.

On Friday, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Catholic church leaders launched a series of observances to honour the victims of World War II era massacres that saw of tens of thousands of Poles murdered by Ukrainian nationalists.

“We can say that for many years this has been an unhealed wound in Polish-Ukrainian relations," Rafal Bochenek, the spokesperson for Poland's ruling Law and Justice party.

https://www.euronews.com/2023/07/07/polish-demand-for-recognition-of-wwii-massacres-sparks-row-with-ukraine

[niyad]

1. Thank you.

[jmbar2]

2. We can lose sight of important news in EU when we have so much on our plates domestically

Thanks for a good curated list. Hope you will continue to do this when you have time.

I hadn't heard of the Polish-Ukrainian massacres before. Makes current events more complicated.

[2naSalit]

4. Thank you!

Would have missed those!

[stopdiggin]

5. thanks. all worthy of notice. and thinly (if at all)

reported in U.S. media.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Thanks for posting this.

[cbabe]

7. Thanks for the post.