European Union

Opposition members demonstrated on Sunday in several Russian cities in anticipation of Vladimir Putin's fourth inauguration. Supported by representatives of the pro-Kremlin National Liberation Movement and men wearing Cossack uniforms, the police attacked the demonstrators with truncheons and made a number of arrests. In the view of commentators the state won't achieve its goals with this crackdown.

Air France-KLM CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac has resigned over the pay dispute that has raged between the company and its pilots since early February. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has accused the employees of acting irresponsibly and warned that the Franco-Dutch airline holding company could collapse. The media discuss ways out of the crisis.

Sweden's ruling Social Democrats plan to tighten the country's asylum policy by introducing harsher measures against asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected. Under a proposal presented on Friday, among other measures eight years must pass before those rejected can reapply. Swedish commentators find these steps incomprehensible.

A ceremony marking the formal dissolution of Eta was held in the French-Basque town of Cambo-les-Bains on Friday. Several international mediators were present, but no official representatives of Spain's established parties attended the event. Spain's government needs to take an active role in seeking reconciliation, commentators stress.

US President Donald Trump is due to announce by mid-May whether the US will exit the nuclear deal with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu last week accused Iran of lying when it signed the nuclear agreement and of planning to reactivate its nuclear weapons programme at a later date. Commentators examine the various players' interests.

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Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, visits Miro Cerar, Prime Minister of Slovenia, on 6 May 2018.

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Open Day 2018 takes place on 5 May 2018 in the Justus Lipsius and Europa buildings.

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The Informal Meeting of the Ministers of Defence takes place on 4 and 5 May 2018 in Sofia. It focuses on the discussion of issues related to key activities of the European Defence Agency, the Permanent Structured Cooperation, the Action Plan on Military Mobility and perspectives for crisis management operations.

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