Tuesday

5th Dec 2023

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Lithuania completes 550km Belarus border fence

Lithuania last week completed its four-metre-high, 550km-long border fence with Belarus, costing around €150m. The controversial barrier aims to stop irregular migrants from crossing into Lithuania from Belarus. The European Court of Justice in June found Lithuanian legislation allowing mass detention and preventing asylum requests for irregular arrivals in violation of EU law. Rights groups like Amnesty have also faulted Lithuania's abusive practices against migrants.

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Opinion

Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?

Six months ahead of the EU elections, knocking an 'elitist' climate agenda is looking like a vote-winner to some. Saving the Green Deal and the EU's climate ambitions starts with listening to Europeans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Afghanistan is a 'forever emergency,' says UN head

Afghanistan is a "forever emergency" rendered worse by an isolated country intent on dismantling human rights, says UN refugee agency (UNHCR) representative for the country, Leonard Zulu.

EU public procurement reform 'ineffective', find auditors

The EU Commission reformed procurement directives to make bids more attractive (and competitive), but the reform has failed, say auditors. Procedures now take longer, and the number of direct awards and individual tenders has increased over the past decade.

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