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☆ Opinion: Putin’s lightning assault jolts Europe awake
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

View more opinion on CNNCNN —It was a carefully choreographed show of force in Beijing Thursday as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived for yet another meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Frida Ghitis CNNOn Wednesday, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times and gravely wounded in an assassination attempt. Russia’s lightning assault, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who cancelled all his foreign travel, aims to force Ukraine to stretch its defenses. Security officers move Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in a car after the assassination attempt in Handlova, Slovakia, on Wednesday May 15. Every day, the stark reality that what began in Ukraine will change Europe for years to come becomes more inescapable.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Robert Fico, Fico, Putin, —, Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, David Cameron, “, Fico —, Radovan Stoklasa, Sergei Shoigu, Andrey Belousov, laughably, Rishi Sunak, Mark Rutte, Russia's, Alexander Ryumin, Emmanuel Macron, ”, Mikko Heiskanen, Xi Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, CNN CNN, Frida Ghitis CNN, Wednesday, Slovakian, Kyiv, British, Putin, Kremlin, Moscow, European Union, Reuters, Europe, Russia, Republicans, Russian, West, NATO, Institute for, ” Locations: Beijing, Europe, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Georgia, Soviet Republic, Moscow, Moldova, Slovak, Slovakia, “, Handlova, Iran, North Korea, China, Norway, London, British, Netherlands, ”, Germany, Berlin, Finland

A key part of that lofty aspiration was the drafting of a convention that codified and committed nations to prevent and punish a new crime, sometimes called the crime of crimes: genocide. Now, in response to Israel's devastating military offensive in Gaza that was triggered by murders and atrocities perpetrated by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, South Africa has gone to the International Court of Justice and accused Israel of genocide. The ICC prosecutes individuals and is separate to the International Court of Justice, which rules in disputes between nations. At public hearings earlier this month and in its detailed written submission to the ICJ, South Africa cited comments by Israeli officials that it claimed demonstrate intent. Both Gambia and South Africa have filed ICJ cases in conflicts they are not directly involved in.

Persons: Reich, Mary Ellen O’Connell, Notre Dame University's, Israel, “, Joan E, Donoghue, ”, Marieke de Hoon, Said O’Connell, Malcolm Shaw, Serbia “, —, Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic, Jean Paul Akayesu, Omar al, Bashir, Danica Kirka Organizations: —, United Nations, Nazi, Notre Dame, Notre Dame University's Kroc, International Court of, Criminal, ICC, International Court of Justice, University of Amsterdam, of Islamic Cooperation, Rwanda —, Yugoslav, Bosnian, Associated Locations: HAGUE, Netherlands, Nazi Germany, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, Gaza, South Africa, Israel, Pretoria, Africa, ”, Rome, Serbia, Srebrenica, Bosnian, Moscow, Ukraine, Gambia, Myanmar, That's, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Arusha, Tanzania, Darfur, Cambodia, Khmer Rouge, London

☆ Exclusive: EU nuclear agency sees some Russia imports up again in 2023 from before Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Its overall imports from Russia's nuclear energy industry held steady last year despite rising demand for nuclear power driven by high energy costs and a push to cut carbon emissions. The trend highlights challenges EU faces in reaching its long-term goal of achieving VVER fuel self-sufficiency. EU imports of natural uranium from Russia fell 16% last year from 2021, a drop compensated by increase in deliveries from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, ESA said. In 2022, the EU's Russian nuclear energy imports were worth around 750 million euros ($823 mln), or 1% of the bloc's Russian gas imports, according the European Commission. Sources said, however, that the proposal - which is not public - does not include sanctions on Russia's nuclear energy industry.

Persons: Radovan Stoklasa, ESA's, Stefano Ciccarello, Ciccarello, Finland's, Gabriela Baczynska, Anne Kauranen, Timothy Gardner, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Union, Euratom Supply Agency, ESA, Reuters, U.S, Westinghouse, Commission, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Mochovce, Slovakia, Russia, BRUSSELS, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, France, Sweden, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Europe, United States, Brussels, Helsinki, Washington, Budapest

"I feel really alone and if somebody with the status of an elected official can’t be protected then how must others feel?” said Omar. Official data shows a significant, smaller increase in anti-Muslim incidents in Britain and is patchy for the other two countries. "The vast majority of Muslims do not file a complaint when they are victims of such acts. A spokesperson for France's national police acknowledged data on anti-Muslim incidents was "incomplete", and relied on victims filing a complaint. For some Muslims in Germany, which has welcomed about a million Syrians and just under 400,000 Afghans in recent years, rising hostility came as a surprise.

Persons: Jian Omar, Lisi Niesner, ”, Omar, Zara Mohammed, Geert Wilders, Ben Badis, Rachid Abdouni, Khalil Raboun, Tell Mama, Mama, Abdallah Zekri, Zekri, Rima Hanano, Gerald Darmanin, Reza Zia, Emmanuel Macron, Zia, Ebrahimi, fomented, Aiman, Germany's, Reem Alabali, Radovan, Ghalia Zaghal, Zaghal, Layli Foroudi, Thomas Escritt, Sarah Marsh, Andrew MacAskill, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Reuters, Muslim Council of, Ministers, Local, French Muslim Council, HISTORY, Kings College London, Amnesty, German Muslim Council, Thomson Locations: German, Kurdish, Israel, Palestinian, Berlin, Germany, BERLIN, LONDON, Europe, Gaza, London, France, Britain, Muslim Council of Britain, British, Dutch, Netherlands, United States, Nanterre, Paris, French, Moroccan, Western, Syria

☆ Slovak parliament confirms government promising to halt Ukraine military aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Slovakia's newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico attends the new cabinet's inauguration, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 21 (Reuters) - Slovakia's parliament confirmed Prime Minister Robert Fico's government on Tuesday, backing a policy agenda that promises to halt state military aid to Ukraine, slowly reduce budget deficits and impose a new bank tax. Fico's governing coalition combines his leftist, socially conservative SMER-SSD party with a smaller leftist party and a small nationalist party. The coalition adopted its policy programme last week, and parliament supported it in a vote of confidence on Tuesday. The programme promises a special tax on banking profits and measures to cut interest rates on mortgages.

Persons: Slovakia's, Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Robert Fico's, Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The shares and bonds of CPI Property Group (O5G.DE) fell sharply on Tuesday after short-selling hedge fund Muddy Waters said it had bet against the credit of the Luxembourg-based commercial landlord. In a report, seen by Reuters, the fund said CPI Property Group's controlling shareholder, Czech billionaire Radovan Vitek, had misstated the value of the company. CPI Property Group's Frankfurt-listed shares were last down 2.8% on the day, while the price of its 2027 medium-term note fell 3.5 cents on the day to 70.259, data from Tradeweb showed. Muddy Waters did not specify against which bond it had taken a short position and the company has several outstanding notes listed. CPI Property Group owns properties in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe.

Persons: Muddy Waters, Radovan Vitek, Nell Mackenzie, Amanda Cooper, Jason Neely Organizations: CPI, Reuters, Group's, CPI Property Group, Thomson Locations: Muddy, Luxembourg, Czech, Group's Frankfurt, Tradeweb, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Central, Eastern Europe

☆ New Slovak government eyes tax, spending hikes, slow deficit reduction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Slovakia's newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico attends the new cabinet's inauguration, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. The programme promised a special tax on banking profits and measures to cut interest rates on mortgages. The programme also set out plans for increasing tax levels for higher earners, on real estate -- especially second and third homes -- and on alcohol and tobacco. The goal is to help fund a slow consolidation of the public budget as the budget gap is expected to be nearly 7% of gross domestic product. ($1 = 0.9373 euros)Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague, Editing by Timothy HeritageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Slovakia's, Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Erik Tomas, Jan Lopatka, Timothy Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine, European, Social, European Union, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, European Union, Ukraine, Prague

☆ New Slovak government rejects final military aid package for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Then designated Prime Minister Robert Fico walks on the day of the new cabinet's inauguration at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. Fico's government rejected the package at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, according to the government's website. Fico ran a campaign criticising Western military support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, and backs pushing for peace talks, a line similar to Hungary's leader Viktor Orban but rejected by Kyiv. Slovakia, which shares a border with Ukraine in its east, had sent military aid in 13 packages and worth 671 million euros to Kyiv since Russia's attack in February 2022 before Fico's appointment. Diplomats have said army stocks have been largely depleted so a halt in official military aid may have limited impact.

Persons: Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico's, Fico, Viktor Orban, Jason Hovet, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, NATO, Kyiv, SNS, Diplomats, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Russia, Prague

☆ Slovakia's Fico will not support more military aid to Ukraine at EU summit -Slovak media
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Slovakia's newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico attends the new cabinet's inauguration, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa Acquire Licensing RightsOct 26 (Reuters) - Slovakia's newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico will not back further military aid for Ukraine nor support further sanctions against Russia at his first European Union summit, Slovak media cited him as saying on Thursday. Fico campaigned heavily in a September election on pledges to halt Slovakia's military aid to Ukraine, make foreign policy independent, and protect borders from illegal migrants. The EU and its member countries have provided billions of euros in assistance to Ukraine since Russian forces invaded in February last year. Fico has pledged repeatedly to halt military aid for Ukraine, after previous Slovak governments shipped military hardware including fighter jets, an S-300 air defence system, and fighting and de-mining vehicles to Ukraine.

Persons: Slovakia's, Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Dennik, Viktor Orban, Jason Hovet, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, Union, European Union, Ukraine, EU, year's, Pravda, Hungarian, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Brussels, Israel, Russian, United States, Prague

☆ Slovakia's Fico appointed prime minister for fourth time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Slovakia's designated Prime Minister Robert Fico and Slovakia's President Zuzana Caputova attend the new cabinet's inauguration, at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa Acquire Licensing RightsOct 25 (Reuters) - Leftist leader Robert Fico was appointed Slovakia's prime minister on Wednesday for the fourth time, after pledging in his election campaign to end military support for Ukraine and criticising sanctions on Russia. President Zuzana Caputova appointed Fico and his cabinet after his SMER-SSD party won the Sept. 30 election and formed a coalition with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties. Fico quit as prime minister in 2018 amid mass public protests against corruption after a journalist was murdered. Both Ukraine and migration may be among topics at an EU summit on Thursday and Friday that Fico will attend.

Persons: Robert Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Viktor Orban, Orban, Jan Lopatka, Toby Chopra, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine, SNS, EU, NATO, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, Europe, Brussels, United States, Prague

☆ Poland, Czech Republic extend border controls with Slovakia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Polish soldiers guard along a temporary checkpoint at the Slovakia-Poland border, as seen from the village Skalite, Slovakia, October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Poland and the Czech Republic will extend temporary controls on their borders with Slovakia into November as countries seek to restrict the flow of illegal migrants. The Polish government has decided to extend the controls by 20 days to Nov. 2, the interior ministry said in a statement. On Wednesday, Slovakia extended its own border controls with Hungary until Nov. 3. Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Germany are all part of the EU's Schengen open-border zone.

Persons: Radovan Stoklasa, Mariusz Kaminski, Kaminski, Slovakia's, Anna Wlodarczak, Jason Hovet, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Union, Justice, Thomson Locations: Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Czech, Austria, East, Afghanistan, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, EU, Europe, Warsaw, Prague

☆ Slovakia's Fico strikes deal on coalition after election win
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Jan Lopatka | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A Fico-led government would move Slovakia closer to Hungary at a time when the European Union and other Western countries have tried to keep unity on support for Ukraine. The memorandum did not specify any foreign policy details. He has not been specific on commercial supplies from the country's defence industry which include ammunition and heavy equipment makers. Prior to the election, also said he wanted to re-negotiate a defence cooperation treaty with Washington. Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Robert Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Viktor Orban, Jan Lopatka, Jason Hovet, Emelia Sithole Organizations: REUTERS, EU's, Ukraine Coalition, Ukraine, Democracy, European Union, Justice, SNS, NATO, Washington, EU, Hungarian, Diplomats, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Prague

☆ Anger in Poland after Legia Warsaw players arrested in Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dutch police have arrested two players from Polish soccer team Legia Warsaw following their Europa Conference League match against AZ Alkmaar, officials said, prompting an angry reaction in Poland. The players were pulled off the team coach and taken to a police station, public broadcaster TVP reported. Legia Warsaw fans had attacked the local police force before the match, knocking one officer in riot gear unconscious as they violently stormed the stadium's entry gate, police said in a statement. "Polish players and fans must be treated in accordance with the law. Legia spokesperson Bartosz Zaslawski was quoted by RMF as saying the team would return to Poland without Josue and Pankov.

Persons: Radovan Pankov, TVP, Josue, Dariusz Mioduski, RMF, Mateusz Morawiecki, Bartosz Zaslawski, Alan Charlish, Bart Meijer, Gareth Jones Organizations: Polish soccer, Legia Warsaw, Europa Conference League, AZ Alkmaar, Legia, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, Polish, Poland, Serbia, Portugal

Dealing with illegal migration has been a point of contention and unity in central Europe. Illegal migration was a key issue in elections in Slovakia last weekend, and in elections in Poland later this month. Slovakia has faced a rising number of illegal migrants crossing as they head to Germany and western Europe. Slovakia said last month the number of detained illegal migrants had soared nine fold, to more than 27,000 this year. "In recent weeks, we detected and detained 551 illegal migrants at the border with Slovakia.

Persons: Radovan, Vit Rakusan, Gerhard Karner, spillover, Robert Fico, Fico, Mariusz Kaminski, Kaminski, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Pawel Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak, Francois Murphy, Andrew Heavens, Ed Osmond, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: REUTERS, Slovakia Czech, Austrian, Justice, Poland, Thomson Locations: Czech, Slovak, Stary Hrozenkov, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, PRAGUE, WARSAW, Poland, Europe, Hungary, Vienna, East, Afghanistan, Serbia, Prague, Warsaw

[1/2] SMER-SSD party leader Robert Fico arrives to the party's headquarters after the country's early parliamentary elections, in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 1, 2023. Caputova, a liberal who has a tense relationship with Fico, a three-time former prime minister, will first make a 2 p.m. statement on the election outcome. Fico and his SMER-SSD party won nearly 23% of the vote on Saturday, ahead of liberal challenger Progresivne Slovensko (Progressive Slovakia, PS) with 18%. HLAS, led by Fico's former colleague and prime minister Peter Pellegrini, could also support a potential PS-led coalition if negotiations with SMER fail. Fico's pledge, however, may have limited practical impact as analysts say Slovakia has already provided much of what it could spare.

Persons: Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Progresivne Slovensko, Fico's, Peter Pellegrini, Reuters Graphics Fico, Viktor Orban, Pellegrini, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Andrew Heavens, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine Won, Russian Slovak National Party, SNS, SMER, Reuters Graphics, European Union, Russia's, Hungarian, Law and Justice, Brussels, NATO, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Progressive Slovakia, SMER, Russian, Hungary, European, Russia, Europe, Slovak

BUDAPEST/PRAGUE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Robert Fico's election win in Slovakia after he had campaigned to end military aid to Ukraine shows creeping discontent in Central Europe over the war with Russia, but analysts do not expect a major policy turn-around by Bratislava or Warsaw. Fico's victory in Saturday's election prompted concerns that his new government would see NATO-member Slovakia joining Hungary in challenging the European Union's consensus on support for Ukraine. However, analysts do not see a big policy switch regarding Ukraine in Slovakia and Poland. MODERATING EFFECTIn Slovakia, Fico's SMER-SSD party won the election with 23% of the vote. "The bigger challenges are not Slovakia, or Hungary but the U.S. election cycle and the impact that has on support for Ukraine."

Persons: Robert Fico's, Fico, Viktor Orban, Roger Hilton, Fico's, Peter Pellegrini, Samuel Abraham, Robert Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Radovan Stoklasa, Pellegrini, Abraham, legitimise, Orban, Mujtaba Rahman, Rahman, Krisztina, Jan Lopatka, Angus MacSwan Organizations: NATO, SNS, Republika, REUTERS, EU, Russia, Ukraine, Reuters, Eurasia, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, PRAGUE, Slovakia, Ukraine, Central Europe, Russia, Bratislava, Warsaw, Hungary, Russian Poland, Saturday's, Poland, GLOBSEC, SMER, Brussels, Budapest, Kyiv, Europe, Prague

☆ Knife-edge Slovak election to determine stance on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Jan Lopatka | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Robert Fico, leader of the SMER-SSD party, Michal Simecka, leader of Progressive Slovakia party, and Peter Pellegrini, leader of HLAS party await for the televised debate to begin at TV TA3, prior to the Slovak early parliamentary election, in Bratislava, Slovakia, September 26, 2023. Fico's SMER-SSD party has a narrow lead over liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS), which has pledged to stay the course on foreign policy, in two out of four final opinion polls. Such an alliance may be reinforced if Poland's conservative PiS wins another term in October, although PiS has a hawkish view on Russia. The leading Slovak party is expected to get the first chance from liberal President Zuzana Caputova to form a cabinet. "He will stop the weapons (for Ukraine), that is what he gains support on."

Persons: Robert Fico, Michal Simecka, Peter Pellegrini, HLAS, Radovan Stoklasa, Fico's, Viktor Orban, PiS, Zuzana Caputova, Fico, Grigorij Meseznikov, Orban, embolden, Jan Lopatka, Christina Fincher Organizations: Progressive, REUTERS, EU, Reuters, NATO, Oxford, Thomson Locations: Progressive Slovakia, Bratislava, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, UKRAINE, Brussels, Hungary, Europe, Czech Republic, Poland, EU, Prague

Were he to follow through on his promise, it would represent a sea-change for Slovakia, until now a staunch ally of its eastern neighbour Ukraine in its war against Russia. Bratislava has supplied weapons and offered strong political support to Kyiv within the European Union and NATO. Western diplomats and officials in Kyiv also say a small country like Slovakia can only go so far in upending EU and NATO policy. Disinformation, meanwhile, has spread, undermining public support for Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion of 2022, said Katarina Klingova of think-tank Globsec. The hoax was debunked, but the reaction pointed to the influence that false information surrounding the Ukraine war has among Slovakia's 5.5 million population.

Persons: Robert Fico, Radovan Stoklasa, Robert Fico's, Fico, Eleonora Tanacova, Viktor Orban, Orban, Katarina Klingova, Klingova, Andrew Gray, Thomas Balmforth, Mike Collett, White, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, NATO, EU, European Union, Russia, Moscow, Hungarian, Progressive, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Banovce nad Bebravou, Slovakia, Russian, Ukraine Brussels, Ukraine, Slovakian, Russia, Bratislava, Kyiv, Crimea, EU, Brussels, Moscow, Donbas, Luhansk, Western, Europe, Hungary, Progressive Slovakia

☆ Slovaks to send up to 500 soldiers to help control migrants crossing from Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A view shows migrants in front of the migrants camp in Velky Krtis, near the Hungary-Slovak border, Slovakia, September 6, 2023. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Slovakia will assign up to 500 soldiers to help police control an increasing flow of migrants coming across the border from Hungary, Prime Minister Ludovit Odor said on Wednesday. Odor said it was impossible to seal the border with Hungary but the troops would help police register the migrants and also patrol towns in the border area. "I would like to assure citizens that we are still talking about transit migration," Odor said after a government meeting. The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday the number of detained illegal migrants has soared by ninefold, to more than 27,000 so far this year.

Persons: Radovan Stoklasa, Jan Lopatka, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Interior, Thomson Locations: Velky Krtis, Hungary, Slovak, Slovakia, Syria, Hungarian, Serbian, Germany, Western Europe, Velky, Prague

☆ U.S. sanctions four Bosnian Serb top officials for undermining peace deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Daria Sito-Sucic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SARAJEVO, July 31 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday imposed sanctions against four top Bosnian Serb officials, including the Serb member of the country's presidency, for undermining a U.S.-sponsored peace deal that ended the Balkan country's war in the 1990s. The constitution is part of the Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian war in which 100,000 were killed, dividing the country into two autonomous regions, the Serb Republic and the Bosniak-Croat Federation, linked via a weak central government. Late in June, lawmakers in the Serb Republic voted to suspend rulings by Bosnia's constitutional court, a vote initiated by the region's separatist pro-Russian President Milorad Dodik who is already under U.S. and UK sanctions. "This action threatens the stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the hard-won peace underpinned by the Dayton Peace Agreement," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. They stepped up activities undermining state institutions in recent months, including suspension of decisions by an international peace envoy.

Persons: Bosnia's, Zeljka Cvijanovic, Matthew Miller, Milorad Dodik, Radovan Viskovic, Milos Bukejlovic, Nenad Stevandic, Brian E, Nelson, Cvijanovic, Stevandic, Radovan Kovacevic, Dodik, Daria Sito, Nick Macfie Organizations: Bosnian, U.S . State Department, - Croat Federation, Russian, U.S . Department of, Treasury, Terrorism, Financial, Dodik, Thomson Locations: SARAJEVO, United States, U.S, Serb Republic, Bosnian, Dayton, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Serbia

☆ Family of ex-Bosnian Serb leader sues US to escape sanctions list
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Family members of former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of war crimes for his role in the 1990s Balkan conflict, sued the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday over their continued inclusion on a U.S. sanctions list. A Treasury Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His family said they began petitioning the Treasury Department in 2020 to be removed from a list of sanctioned individuals known as the "Specially Designated Nationals" list. “It’s unfair for somebody to have to wait so long before getting a decision,” said the family’s attorney, Peter Robinson. The lawsuit asked the court to order OFAC to decide on their requests within 30 days and seeks attorney fees.

☆ Chinese consortium seals highway deal with Bosnia's Serb Republic
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SARAJEVO, Feb 23 (Reuters) - A consortium of Chinese companies and the government of Bosnia's autonomous Serb Republic on Thursday sealed a 350 million marka ($190.5 million) loan deal for the construction of a section of a northern highway connecting the region with Serbia. China Overseas Engineering Group Co Ltd. and China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co Ltd., with help of the China Construction Bank, will plan, build and finance the 17-kilometre-long Brcko-Bijeljina section, Serb Republic Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic said at the signing ceremony. The Serb Republic wants to build a modern highway connecting most of its territory with Serbia, its political ally and largest trade partner. It turned to Chinese investors after the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) declined to support the project, which it said was not vital. In August, the regional government signed a 650 million marka deal with China State Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd. (601668.SS) to build a 33-kilometre-long section of the same highway in northern Bosnia.

☆ Explainer: Why has Ukraine sought Leopard 2 battle tanks?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Kyiv has been pushing for the Leopard 2 tank in particular because it has several advantages over the alternatives, such as Britain's Challenger 2 and the U.S. M1 Abrams tanks. With some 20 nations operating the Leopard 2, several nations could each chip in a small portion of their tanks to support Ukraine. Germany has about 350 Leopard 2 tanks today, compared to some 4,000 battle main tanks at the height of the Cold War, according to German military expert Carl Schulze. At the same time, it is all but impossible to buy a large amount of Leopard 2 tanks quickly. However, unlike the Leopard 2, it is not widely used, which limits how many can be made available for Ukraine.

☆ Germany agrees to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, allies to follow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Andreas Rinke | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Germany's decision paves the way for other countries such as Poland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway to supply some of their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, going some way towards delivering the hundreds of tanks that Ukraine says it needs. "Germany will always be at the forefront when it comes to supporting Ukraine," Scholz told German parliament to applause. Germany aims to quickly establish two battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine and initially provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own inventory. A battalion normally comprises three or four companies with around 14 tanks each. Poland has also pledged 14 tanks and Britain has promised 14 of its own Challengers.

☆ Germany to send Leopard tanks to Kyiv, allow others to do so - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Germany delivers its first Leopard tanks to Slovakia as part of a deal after Slovakia donated fighting vehicles to Ukraine, in Bratislava, Slovakia, December 19, 2022. REUTERS/Radovan StoklasaBERLIN, Jan 24 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries such as Poland to do so while the United States may supply Abrams tanks, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. A government spokesperson, the foreign ministry and the defence ministry declined to comment. Other allies, in Scandinavia for example, intend to go along with Germany in supplying their Leopard tanks to Kyiv, the magazine reported. U.S. officials told Reuters that Washington may soon drop its opposition to sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine, in a move intended to encourage Germany to follow.

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