Why Were Russia and Belarus Left Off Trump's Sweeping Tariff List?
The United States did not include Russia and Belarus in its latest round of tariffs due to existing sanctions that have already severely limited trade with the two countries
The use of the death penalty in Belarus does not allow the country to be a member of the European Council. This was stated yesterday by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen after a meeting in Vienna with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, TASS reported.
He added that the implementation of the extreme criminal measure in Belarus is one of the contentious issues in the relations between the former Soviet Republic and the European Union. "Austria is in favour of a moratorium," Van der Bellen said.
Lukashenko replied that his country has regularly questioned the abolition of the death penalty, but so far there has been no change in public sentiment since the 1996 referendum decided the death penalty to be introduced.
Van der Bellen praised the authorities in Minsk for their important role in the peace process in Ukraine. Lukashenko stated that Belarus' membership in the EU's Eastern Partnership program is not aimed at third countries.
Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty is applied. More than 400 executions have taken place in the country over the past 20 years, with only one condemned to be pardoned by the president, TASS recalls. In 2002, the EU imposed visa bans on members of senior Belarusian leadership, including the president, for human rights violations. In February 2016, the EU did not continue sanctions against 170 officials, including Lukashenko, but upheld the arms embargo against Minsk.
Bulgaria has officially joined the eurozone and will adopt the euro as its national currency on January 1, 2026
The European Parliament has given its approval for Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone, marking a crucial milestone in the country’s integration into the common European currency area
The Eurogroup has confirmed the official conversion rate for Bulgaria’s planned adoption of the euro: one euro will be exchanged for 1.95583 leva
Tsvetelina Penkova, Bulgarian MEP from the Socialists and Democrats group and secretary for international affairs of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, discussed Bulgaria's European trajectory
The return of compulsory military service is once again at the center of political debate in Europe, driven by heightened security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Danish MEP Niels Fuglsang, representing the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, described Bulgaria’s anticipated entry into the eurozone
Borderless Bulgaria: How Schengen Benefits Are Transforming Trade and Logistics
Bulgaria's Mortality Rate Remains Highest in Europe