Politics
The US held talks with Cuba in Havana for the first time in a decade
US officials held meetings with representatives of the Cuban authorities in Havana and discussed political and economic changes. The talks marked the first such high-level contact in recent years.
Turkey is promoting the Middle Corridor as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz
Ankara views the opening of the border with Armenia as a step towards establishing a new trade route between Europe and Asia. The project is supported by the US and forms part of broader plans for regional settlement.
Cyprus has found itself at the centre of a new round of tensions over Turkey’s actions and the British bases
The situation in Cyprus has escalated along the line separating the Greek and Turkish parts of the island. Against this backdrop, fears have grown that the island is becoming increasingly embroiled in a wider geopolitical conflict.
A court in Bucharest has authorised the extradition of Alexandru Belan, the former deputy head of Moldova’s secret service
The Bucharest Court of Appeal has authorised the extradition of Alexandru Belan, the former deputy director of Moldova’s Information and Security Service, who was sentenced in Chișinău to 18 months’ imprisonment for attempting to disclose state secrets. The Romanian court also ordered him to be remanded in custody for 30 days pending his handover to the Moldovan authorities.
Independent recruitment competitions for the National Police and the State Bureau of Investigation have been removed from the draft Anti-Corruption Strategy — MP
MP Anastasia Radina stated that independent competitions for senior positions within the National Police and the State Bureau of Investigations had been removed from the draft Anti-Corruption Strategy, which is due to be considered by the government.
Following the terrorist attack in Kyiv, Klymenko announced the final version of the law on civilian firearms
Following the terrorist attack in Kyiv, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that he supports the right of civilians to armed self-defence, particularly with short-barrelled firearms. According to him, expert discussions will take place in the near future to finalise the draft legislation on civilian firearms.
Ukrainian drones are set for export – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that 11 countries have made enquiries regarding Ukrainian drones.
Словаччина подасть позов до суду ЄС через заборону російського газу
Словаччина оскаржить у Суді справедливості Європейського Союзу регламент ЄС про поетапну заборону імпорту російського газу. Прем’єр-міністр Роберт Фіцо заявив, що Братислава вважає це рішення шкідливим для всього Євросоюзу і таким, що було ухвалене з порушенням базових принципів союзних договорів.
The war is beginning to take its toll on the Russian economy: the media have identified signs of decline
This year, the effects of sanctions and the high cost of the war have been particularly keenly felt in Russia.
Ukraine is set to review its immigration rules due to staff shortages and a lack of workers
Ukraine is preparing to revise its list of ‘migration risk’ countries in order to make it slightly easier to recruit foreign workers, against the backdrop of an acute labour shortage. Kirill Budanov made this announcement during a speech to the CEO Club, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine had already been instructed to urgently review the relevant proposals.
A city councillor was found shot dead in his car in Odessa: police have released a preliminary account
On the morning of 20 April, the body of a city councillor was found in a car in the Primorsky district of Odessa. The police have provisionally stated that the man may have committed suicide using a firearm.
Radev’s pro-Russian “Progressive Bulgaria” party is leading in the elections – exit polls
According to exit polls, the “Progressive Bulgaria” coalition led by former President Rumen Radev is comfortably in the lead in Bulgaria’s early parliamentary elections on 19 April. Various exit polls have put the coalition’s share of the vote at between 37.5% and 39.2%.
