Page 6 - bne_Magazine_July_2017

6 I The Month That Was bne July 2017
Politics
Central Europe
The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland over their refusal to take part in the EU’s migrant quota scheme.
The Hungarian parliament defied international criticism and passed stricter rules against non-govern- mental organisations. The law forces civil society groups that receive foreign funding to register as such and advertise themselves as “foreign funded” on all public materials and appearances.
Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka stepped aside as Social Democratic leader as the party’s opin- ion poll ratings remain in the doldrums just four months before the general elec- tion. Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek will lead the party into the elections.
The Czech Republic is a standout in terms of tolerance of homosexuality amongst CEE countries, where 77% of young people under the age of 39 accept same-sex marriage and 58% of the over 40s do – well in excess of the regional median of 23% of those ages 18 to 39 who favour same-sex marriage, com- pared with 12% of those 40 and older, according to a recent Pew Research Cen- ter survey of adults in 18 CEE countries.
The Czech Republic will file a com- plaint at the European Union Court of Justice against the European Com- mission’s proposed revision of the Firearms Directive designed to tighten gun controls in order to combat terror- ism. Interior Minister Milan Chovanec has proposed that gun laws should be relaxed so that citizens can use arms against terrorists. The Czech Republic has never experienced a terrorist attack.
Southeast Europe
Romania’s senior ruling Social Democratic Party nominated
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Economy Minister Mihai Tudose
to replace Sorin Grindeanu, after
the prime minister fell out with
the powerful PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea, who then orchestrated a vote of no-confidence in the party’s own nominee of just four months ago.
Albania’s governing Socialist Party won 48.8% of the vote in the coun- try’s general election, giving it 73 seats in the parliament – two more than the 71 needed for a majority.
Ana Brnabic will become Serbia’s first female and first openly gay prime minister, after President Aleksandar Vucic gave her a mandate to form a new government.
Eastern Europe
The US Senate overwhelmingly backed deeper sanctions against Russia, cementing into law measures imposed in 2014 as well as a widening of them to target Moscow’s controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe EU leaders agreed to extend the sanc- tions imposed on Russia for its mili- tary aggression in Ukraine by another six months until January 2018.
Russia warned the US-led coalition in Syria that its aircraft would be regarded as targets after the US shot down a Syr- ian military aircraft. Tensions also rose between the US and Russia in the Baltic region after a series of aerial confrontations.
More than 1,500 people were arrested on June 12 during protests orches- trated by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was detained by
the police moments after leaving his apartment. Most of the arrests were in Moscow and St Petersburg but there were also significant rallies in some 200 cities across Russia.
The State Duma, the lower chamber of Russian parliament, passed a controver- sial bill on a $5bn housing renovation project in Moscow. Under the scheme, more than 4,000 apartment blocks built in the 1950s and 1960s are to be demolished.
Eurasia
Islamic State claimed responsibility for two deadly attacks in the Iranian capi- tal on June 7 that targeted the parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Kho- meini, founder of the Islamic Republic, killing 17 and injuring more than 40.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has granted the post of state justice coun- sellor to his daughter Ozoda Rahmon, the head of the presidential administra- tion.Rahmon has actively been shuffling his children among positions of power over the past few years.
Uzbekistan’s once-powerful but side- lined Deputy PM Rustam Azimov has reportedly been shifted to a middling post. The former political heavyweight and big player in economic reforms appears to have been pushed out of the country’s ruling triumvirate by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev who is moving to consolidate his power.
The Georgian government faced assorted protests over its failure
to protect Azerbaijani and Turkish dissidents. Protesters were upset that Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was abducted from central Tbilisi and transported to a jail in Azerbaijan, while days earlier a court ordered Turkish educator Mustafa Cabuk to be handed over to Ankara. It claims he is connected to Fethullah Gulen, the US-based cleric it accuses of attempting to stage a coup.