Feed aggregator

Pásztor István tartományi házelnök bejelentette: a tartományi választásokra az április 22-e és május 22-e között kerül sor, és azt is elmondta, szeretné, ha a választásokat a korrekt és egymás megbecsülésén alapuló hangnem jellemezné, és hogy ez elsősorban a politika szereplőitől függ majd.

A Constitutional Court ruling against an EU-brokered agreement to give Kosovo’s Serbs more political representation may have fuelled support for the country’s opposition, experts said.

Moscow's Presnensky district court has declined to process Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's lawsuit against Prosecutor General Yury Chaika and the opposition-leaning Echo Moskvy radio station.

The Orenburg region branch of Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation after a man died on a local highway on Jan. 3, when dozens of drivers were trapped in a traffic jam for more than 16 hours amid heavy snowfall, the Kommersant newspaper reported Tuesday, citing the Committee's online statement.

Kenya's evangelical churches condemn government plans to make it tougher for religious bodies and clerics from all faiths to operate.

Granting Syrian President Bashar Assad asylum in Russia would be much easier than sheltering U.S. intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, President Putin said in a recent interview, noting that it was premature to discuss this idea.

Rosstat reports that Russian annual inflation for 2015 on consumer prices was set at 12.9 percent.

According to Prime Minister, David Cameron, Britain doesn’t need EU funds to help areas devastated by floods because ‘it’s quicker and better’ to use the country’s own money.

So it seems that Britain is so flush with cash that it can turn down around £125 million in EU emergency help for areas of the country devastated by record levels of rain. Really?

• If that’s the case, then why does the government need to impose £12 billion of austerity measures that will mostly hit the poor and needy?
• If that’s the case, then why did the government scrap flood defence plans that could have saved hundreds of homes and businesses from ruination?
• If that’s the case, then why does the country have a shortage of homes, hospitals and schools?
• If that’s the case, why are patients being denied life-saving drugs on the grounds of cost?
• If that’s the case, then why isn’t there more help for the hundreds of thousands of people who have to use charitable food-banks because they can’t afford a proper meal?

Labour MP for Bury South, Ivan Lewis, asked David Cameron in Parliament, “When are the Government going to apply for the European solidarity fund money?”  (Hansard, Column 41)

Mr Lewis explained, “Hundreds of my constituents in Radcliffe have had a terrible Christmas due to the flooding that has devastated so many people’s homes and businesses in Greater Manchester and across the north of England. Bury and other councils have to pick up the infrastructure costs.

“The European solidarity fund exists to help in such circumstances. It would be unforgivable to put Tory party management and posturing on Europe ahead of the national interest.”

Mr Cameron responded, “First of all, I send the hon. Gentleman’s constituents my sympathy for the flooding that they suffered”

But he made clear, “I think it is quicker and better to give people the help they need from our own resources.”

Mr Cameron explained, “I have looked very carefully at the question of EU funding; we looked at it previously in 2013. It takes a very long time to get hold of any money and it is very uncertain whether you get it. Indeed, you end up paying for it in many ways as well.”

He added, “Let me say that we will do everything we can, including through the Bellwin scheme, to make sure that his council is fully reimbursed for all the emergency measures that it had to take. We will also make sure that we put in place the flood prevention measures and investment that are coming down the track.”

As I reported here last week, EU member states are entitled to apply for money from the EU Solidarity Fund when a natural disaster causes substantial damage, calculated as a percentage of Gross National Income.

According to calculations by accountants, KPMG, the floods have already caused over £5 billion of damage, meaning that the UK is entitled to apply for emergency EU help.

Catherine Bearder, Liberal Democrat MEP for south-east England, said that EU officials told her that the UK government could apply for £125m in grants for flood victims, 10% of which could be available within six weeks.

Although some of the grants would be clawed back from our EU rebate, the European Commission explained to me today that this would only affect a proportion of the funds, and overall Britain would gain a net benefit from the receipt of the emergency money.

I asked Defra, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Prime Minister’s reply definitely meant that the UK would not be applying for EU funds to help with our floods disaster.

Defra emailed me a reply from ‘a government spokesperson’ that I could use as a quote for my story:

“We are committed to supporting communities hit by the recent flooding. We have opened the Bellwin scheme for local authorities, with 100% of eligible costs to be met by the Government, and our investment in recovery from Storm Eva and Storm Desmond now stands at nearly £200m.

“This will help people directly affected by the floods, support homeowners protect their properties and ensure flood affected businesses that have had their trading disrupted can get back on their feet.”

I immediately complained to the Defra Press Office:

“Thank you, but the quote doesn’t even mention the EU Solidarity Fund, which seems somewhat odd. Is the government going to apply for the fund or not? Is it the case that the country is rich enough not to need the EU emergency help?”

I will report back here if I receive a reply.

* Join the discussion about this article on Facebook.

___________________________________________________

Other stories by Jon Danzig:

• Britain rejects EU help for food and flood victims
• Does the Prime Minister know what he’s doing?
• Benefit tourism: why ‘fix’ a non-existent problem?

To follow my stories please like my Facebook page: Jon Danzig Writes

_________________________________________________

• Comments are welcome – but please read ‘The rules of engagement’ 

• Share on Twitter and Facebook:

According to @David_Cameron UK doesn’t need EU funds for floods. My Facebook report: https://t.co/IAPuIcXx3vpic.twitter.com/fAHnKsFv6k

— Jon Danzig (@Jon_Danzig) January 8, 2016

The post Britain doesn’t need EU help for floods, says PM appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Revue navale - Ballet d'hélicoptères des autorités au-dessus du PA CDG le 15 août 2004 à Toulon - Photographe : Janick Marcès / ECPAD 08.01.2016 - source ECPAD La construction du porte-avions à propulsion nucléaire Charles De Gaulle a débuté en 1987 pour...

The ex-wife of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony says she is yet to be fully reintegrated into the society years after fleeing from the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

« L'égérie » bosniaque de Daech, battue à mort après avoir tenté de fuir la Syrie ?
L'État islamique utilise (aussi) des armes de Bosnie-Herzégovine et de Serbie
Islam radical en Bosnie-Herzégovine : l'attrait puissant de la guerre en Syrie
L'Etat islamique en Bosnie-Herzégovine : vraie menace ou pure intox ?
L'État islamique lance un appel au djihad dans les Balkans
Bosnie-Herzégovine : vaste coup de filet « antiterroriste » en Republika Srpska... Vraiment ?
Bosnie : les drapeaux de l'État islamique ont fait leur apparition à Gornja Maoča
« Opération Damas » : la police de Bosnie s'attaque aux réseaux de l'islam radical
Islamisme et crime organisé en Bosnie : ces wahhabites qui partent « libérer la Syrie »
Le mouvement wahhabite, un danger pour la Bosnie-Herzégovine ?
Bosnie : le wahhabisme, une menace bien réelle
Islam : les wahhabites à la conquête de la Bosnie ?
Bosnie : nouveau coup de filet dans les milieux islamistes
L'ombre d'Al-Qa'ida en procès en Bosnie-Herzégovine

/ Courrier des Balkans, Balkans Syrie, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Défense, police et justice

« L'égérie » bosniaque de Daech, battue à mort après avoir tenté de fuir la Syrie ?
L'État islamique utilise (aussi) des armes de Bosnie-Herzégovine et de Serbie
Islam radical en Bosnie-Herzégovine : l'attrait puissant de la guerre en Syrie
L'Etat islamique en Bosnie-Herzégovine : vraie menace ou pure intox ?
L'État islamique lance un appel au djihad dans les Balkans
Bosnie-Herzégovine : vaste coup de filet « antiterroriste » en Republika Srpska... Vraiment ?
Bosnie : les drapeaux de l'État islamique ont fait leur apparition à Gornja Maoča
« Opération Damas » : la police de Bosnie s'attaque aux réseaux de l'islam radical
Islamisme et crime organisé en Bosnie : ces wahhabites qui partent « libérer la Syrie »
Le mouvement wahhabite, un danger pour la Bosnie-Herzégovine ?
Bosnie : le wahhabisme, une menace bien réelle
Islam : les wahhabites à la conquête de la Bosnie ?
Bosnie : nouveau coup de filet dans les milieux islamistes
L'ombre d'Al-Qa'ida en procès en Bosnie-Herzégovine

/ Courrier des Balkans, Balkans Syrie, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Défense, police et justice

Le Parti Conscience citoyenne a tenu samedi dernier, sa convention nationale à Porto-Novo. À l’issue de cette convention, plusieurs grandes décisions ont été prises, au nombre desquelles la confirmation du premier ministre Lionel Zinsou comme candidat du parti. Lisez ici l’intégralité du communiqué final de ladite convention.

The Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and the Embassy of Japan in Greece would like to cordially invite you to a public event on the theme of: “Maritime Security – Difference between Europe and Asia”.

Welcoming Remarks:
H.E Amb. Masuo Nishibayashi, Embassy of Japan, Athens

Speaker:
Prof. Satoshi Morimoto, National Security and Defense Policy Specialist & former Minister of Defense, Tokyo

Chair:
Dr. Thanos Dokos, Director General, ELIAMEP, Athens

The event will be held in English, on Friday 15 January 2016, at 11:00, at the Basil and Marina Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts and Music (9, Vassilissis Sofias Avenue & 1, Merlin Street, 106 71 Athens).

You are kindly requested to confirm your participation to Ms. Anastasia Chatzopoulou by 13 January 2016 (Tel. 2107257124, E-mail:activities@eliamep.gr).

Les dépôts de candidature pour le compte des élections présidentielles de février prochain se poursuivent au siège de la Commission électorale nationale autonome. Le général Fernand Amoussou vient de déposer son dossier qui a été accepté.

A quelques heures de la clôture du dépôt des dossiers de candidature à la présidentielle de 2016, les candidats se bousculent à la Cena. Outre les 11 candidats enregistrés hier, la liste des candidats s'est enrichie ce matin avec la candidature de Patrice Talon , Arifari Bako, Chabi Sika, Fernand Amoussou, Rhétice Dagba, Youssao Abdou, Mohamed Atao Hinnouho, Daniel Edah et Aké Natondé.
De sources concordantes, on apprend que le ministre Zul-Kifl Salami, les honorables Eric Houndété, Sébastien (...)

- Actualité

Le faux blessé est préparé pour son évacuation par des commandos marine après avoir reçu les premiers soins - photo JP Pons - Marine Nationale 11.01.2016 FORFUSCO En décembre dernier, un stage de médicalisation en milieu hostile a été organisé à l’école...