#roberta metsola | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

patricia-tricia · 6 months

Text

"I am not Syrian, I am not Ukrainian, I am not Yemeni, I am not Afghani. I am not from South Sudan. I am not from Israel or Palestine. I am not a politician. I am not even a pundit. But I am a witness. And having witnessed the human cost of war, violence and persecution visiting refugees from across the globe, I cannot look away. What sits at the core of my dual roles as actor and Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR is the human condition, the human story." - Cate Blanchett

#cate blanchett #roberta metsola #european parliament #unhcr #stop war

22 notes · View notes

tomorrowusa · 6 months

Text

Roberta Metsola is president of the European Parliament. She has gone on record as favoring observer status for Ukraine and Moldova in the EU Parliament.

The EU last year designated Ukraine and Moldova as official candidate countries, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, Metsola has been clamoring for official accession negotiations to begin this year. EU leaders are due to decide whether to formally open Ukraine and Moldova’s accession talks at a summit in December, once they’ve parsed a heavily anticipated report from the European Commission providing a status update on all countries still waiting in the EU’s wings. “Make no mistake: Politically if a country looks to Europe, then Europe should fling its doors wide open,” Metsola told POLITICO in an interview in her ninth-floor office at the Parliament in Brussels.

President Metsola has been a high profile supporter Ukraine for a while.

Metsola, who at 44 is the Parliament’s youngest president ever, was the first EU leader to visit Kyiv, meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 1 last year; a giant photo of the pair shaking hands now hangs on the esplanade in front of the Parliament in Brussels, a visual symbol of her championing the country in its war against Russia. “Enlargement has always been the European Union’s strongest geopolitical tool,” Metsola said.

The EU needs to play a greater role regarding Ukraine, it would be advantageous for both the EU and Ukraine. A belligerent and imperialistic Russia which is headed by an unhinged dictator requires a strong counterbalance in Europe.

5 notes · View notes

awesome-casuallyfamouscollector · 2 years

Link

"You are very well aware of what we are dealing with. Latvia has been warning other countries about Russia for a long time, and Latvia was right," said Metsola. Metsola told deputies that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the center of gravity of decision-making in the field of European defense and security has been in the Baltic region. And Latvia's experience and leadership will be decisive in the next steps to overcome threats to our democratic values and the well-being of the European Union, she said(..)

P.S. Belatedly, the right words are finally being heard in Europe, but real action must be much more important right now...

#Latvia #Riga #EU #defense of liberty #Baltic States #Northern Europe #Roberta Metsola #diplomacy #russian imperialism

10 notes · View notes

higherentity · 2 years

Photo

#roberta metsola #politician #president of the european parlament #mep #roberta #maltese #european parliament

4 notes · View notes

hiramnoriega · 2 months

Text

#roberta metsola #parlamento europeo #unión europea #ucrania #rusia ucrania

0 notes

womenforwomenitaly · 2 months

Text

Il Piano Mattei presentato a fine gennaio al Summit “Italia-Africa. Un ponte per una crescita comune”, sosterrà progetti pilota su istruzione, agricoltura, energia e acqua in cooperazione con diverse nazioni africane. L’Italia intende creare una solida partnership con l'Europa e Africa, con focus su sicurezza, pace e prosperità, oltre a programmi di scambio per interessi comuni.

1 note · View note

head-post · 5 months

Text

Metsola and Salvini clash ahead of EU elections

European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola’s statement that a pro-EU coalition will be needed after the June 2024 elections has irritated Italy’s far-right leader Matteo Salvini, Euractiv reports.

Matteo Salvini accused her of trying to “cheat again” by partnering with left-wing parties against his desire for a “centre-right” coalition.

Salvini’s far-right League party is part of the Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament (ID). Other far-right parties such as France’s Marine Le Pen, Germany’s AfD and Austria’s FPÖ are in the same group.

Far-right parties have been growing in popularity in Europe lately, but they will not be able to form a majority without partners from the right flank of the political spectrum. Salvini, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, wants the Italian model of governance to be applied at the EU level.

Learn more HERE

0 notes

kyreniacommentator · 11 months

Text

Tatar responds to the Greek Cypriot leader and EP President

President Ersin Tatar responded to the latest remarks issued by Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. President Tatar said, “The Greek Cypriot leadership should realise that their efforts to involve actors other than the UN in the Cyprus issue are futile. Any actor that the Turkish Cypriot side does not consent to cannot be…

View On WordPress

#Criitcal statement #European Parliament President #European Parliament statement #GC leader Nikos Christodoulides #Roberta Metsola #TRNC President Ersin Tatar

0 notes

cgvijesti · 2 years

Text

Narod Ukrajine dobitnik nagrade Saharov za slobodu misli 2022.

Foto: Twitter Ovogodišnji dobitnik nagrade Saharov za slobodu misli je narod Ukrajine, njihov predsjednik Volodomir Zelenski, izabrani čelnici i građansko društvo, objavila je predsjednica Evropskog parlamenta Roberta Metsola. “U proteklih devet mjeseci Evropski parlament i svijet gledali su kako Ukrajinci junački brane svoju zemlju, svoju slobodu, svoje porodice. Ali ukrajinski narod rizikuje…

View On WordPress

#nagrada #nagrada za slobodu misli #Roberta Metsola #Saharov #Ukrajina #ukrajinski narod #Volodimir Zelenski

0 notes

sauolasa · 2 years

Text

La presidente dell'Europarlamento, Roberta Metsola, a Praga

Al centro dei colloqui la guerra in Ucraina e l'importanza di restare uniti all'interno della Ue

#La presidente dell'Europarlamento #Roberta Metsola #a Praga News | Euronews RSS

0 notes

trumpbites · 2 years

Text

EU smells trouble, and Trump, in US abortion fight - POLITICO Europe

EU smells trouble, and Trump, in US abortion fight – POLITICO Europe

The explosive news that the U.S. Supreme Court is to roll back abortion rights greeted Europe’s eastern edge at dawn, and reverberated across the Continent throughout the day: Once again America was plunging itself into a partisan, inward-looking culture war on an issue most of the Western world regards as a private health matter. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, a center-right…

View On WordPress

#abortion #Donald Trump #Joe Biden #Rights #Roberta Metsola #Sophie in &039;t Veld #U.S. Politics #United States #Women&039;s Health

1 note · View note

mariacallous · 1 month

Text

A Russian political influence campaign is shaking up Europe, as top officials warned Moscow paid European Parliament members to interfere in the upcoming EU election.

"This confirms what we have suspected: the Kremlin is using dodgy outlets pretending to be media [and] using money to buy covert influence,” European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová told Brussels Playbook, calling the revelations “very troubling.”

The scandal broke when the Czech government on Wednesday sanctioned a news site called Voice of Europe, which Prague said was part of a pro-Russian influence operation. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Thursday that Russia had approached EU parliament members (MEPs) and "paid [them], to promote Russian propaganda.”

The new Russian influence campaign comes with less than three months to go before the European Parliament election on June 6-9. It echoes concerns of corruption and foreign meddling brought to the fore by the Qatargate corruption scandal that rocked the European Parliament less than two years ago.

"We can't afford to be one step behind Putin and his propaganda army on a chess board ... We have to constantly bear in mind he will use the disinformation and foreign interference as a weapon to divide Europe," Jourová said.

The influence scandal revolved around the website Voice of Europe. The Czech foreign ministry sanctioned Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Voice of Europe itself and a person called Artem Pavlovich Marchevskyi presumed to be involved in the operation.

Medvedchuk was running a “Russian influence operation” from Russia on Czech territory using Voice of Europe, authorities said in a statement.

“This decision is in the security interest of the Czech Republic, as well as contributing to the protection of the democratic nature of the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament,” the Czech foreign ministry said.

Polish security services said Thursday they had carried out searches as part of the cross-border investigation in Warsaw and Tychy in western Poland, Reuters reported. Local media cited the security services' statement saying authorities had seized €48,500 and $36,000. Poland's Internal Security Agency's website has been down since Thursday evening.

Voice of Europe’s YouTube page throws up a parade of EU lawmakers, many of them belonging to far-right, Euroskeptic parties, who line up to bash the Green Deal, predict the Union’s imminent collapse, or attack Ukraine. There is no suggestion that those appearing on the network accepted cash.

The website has its roots in the Netherlands, Dutch daily NRC reported. An entrepreneur linked to the site at the time “worked with” far-right leader Thierry Baudet in 2016 “to bring about the Ukraine referendum,” the paper wrote, referring to a non-binding vote in which Dutch voters opposed a political association agreement between Ukraine and the EU.

Voice of Europe’s website was unavailable on Thursday and its account on X hasn’t posted since Wednesday.

"It is just a bitter joke to call this operation of Russian interference the 'Voice of Europe' but it shows clearly the level of despise Putin has towards our democracies," Jourová said.

The claim that MEPs were paid to speak up for the Kremlin has raised questions about who might have taken the cash.

A spokesperson for European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a statement: “The president is aware of the allegations being made and is looking into specific allegations.”

Italian European People's Party lawmaker Matteo Gazzini, who gave Voice of Europe an interview and participated in a panel debate alongside other MEPs, denied being offered or taking any money.

“Of course not, what a question is this?” he said. “It makes me laugh when you ask me if I got money from Russia … because I come from a very well-off family,” he said, adding that he is an agricultural and real estate entrepreneur who is only in politics to serve his country.

Asked about his comments on a Voice of Europe panel in which he said that Europe should not have the goal of defeating Russia, and instead focus on finding a path to peace in Ukraine, Gazzini said he condemned the invasion and that Russian troops should leave Ukraine. “At the same time, Europe should not help to escalate the situation,” he said.

He also blamed the European Parliament for letting Voice of Europe into the institution, where he said they first approached him. “If they are such a big threat, why [did] the European Parliament let these journalists inside? Why didn’t they check them?” he asked.

His EPP colleague Dennis Radtke, from Germany, said that Gazzini’s membership of the political group “has to be discussed.” Gazzini joined the EPP this year from the far-right Identity & Democracy grouping, having quit his League party to join Forza Italia.

“It underlines my skepticism with former members of Lega and the ID. Whoever is involved in this Russian network has to face consequences ... We have to defend our democracy and the integrity of our political institution,” Radtke wrote in a message.

A senior EPP group official said: “The EPP stands clearly and firmly on the side of Ukraine. We have been fighting against Putin‘s propaganda and disinformation for years and we will continue to do so.”

The S&D group joined others in calling for an urgent debate.

15 notes · View notes

bluespring864 · 2 months

Text

I just read this insane thing and thought the folks of tumblr might appreciate it

The European Parliament is a peculiarly Byzantine place, which is all the more baffling for an assembly that only sprung into life in 1979.

It’s replete with obscure working groups hived off from real committees, opaque voting procedures, feeble attempts to keep tabs on the Commission, and dull, empty plenary sessions taking place weeks after the news trigger has passed. And don’t forget the gift vault on floor 5 ½.

And the article in full because it is insane:

Inside the European Parliament’s gift vault

APRIL 17, 2023 4:00 AM CET

BY EDDY WAX

BRUSSELS — Down a curving corridor on floor five and a half, there’s a dark alcove hiding an unmarked door.

This is the final resting place for the European Parliament’s would-be bribes.

The secret chamber is piled high with diplomatic gifts, all carefully labeled and left to languish in bureaucratic limbo under lock and key — neither accepted nor rejected.

There’s the opulent; there’s the bizarre. One cupboard contains a Taiwanese wristwatch given to a Polish EU lawmaker. Another holds a pot of French mustard, a miniature Saudi Arabian door and a commemorative plaque from the Indonesian parliament.

Expensive bottles of wine, children’s toys, wireless headphones, books, stationery, figurines — five dusty containers are brimming with the forsworn freebies that governments and parliaments from all over the globe have showered on EU lawmakers.

The crypt — essentially a glorified janitor’s closet — has sat largely unperturbed since the collection began almost 15 years ago. But in recent months, it has taken on a new significance due to revelations over alleged bribes that countries like Qatar, Morocco and Mauritania were funneling to EU lawmakers.

The scandal, dubbed Qatargate, has prompted soul-searching within Parliament, which is now squabbling over how to revise the code of conduct that governs lawmakers’ behavior — including what they should do when offered a gift.

But here, in room 55A031 of the labyrinthine Paul-Henri Spaak building, remain the gifts given but not received.

Too small a room

Outside, there is no indication about what the room contains. It is permanently locked.

Besides the renounced gratuities, the room stores old MEP files.

POLITICO’s access to the vault was facilitated by the office of German Green MEP Daniel Freund — a vocal proponent of tougher transparency rules in the institution — plus three European Parliament officials, including a spokesperson.

“It’s a bit anticlimactic if you expected some kind of treasure trove,” Nurminen said, standing on the squeaky linoleum floor of the vault as the air conditioning thrummed in the background.

With MEPs rushing to declare many more gifts than before in light of the Qatargate scandal, this storage room could soon become too small. Between 2009 and 2014, EU lawmakers declared just 15 gifts — but in this parliamentary term, which began in 2019, they’ve already registered 266.

The higher numbers are largely due to a massive dump of gifts by Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who declared 170 gifts since the start of the year — most recently a traditional shirt from the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament and a decorative box from Harvard University.

The president’s gifts are either displayed in her office, stored in this gift vault — or already long gone. When it comes to gifts of chocolates, wine or crunchy snacks, some have been “served in the course of Parliament’s functions,” i.e. consumed during official work meetings.

Even though she missed the internal deadline to declare many of the gifts, Metsola — who has been Parliament president since January 2022 — argued she was being radically transparent by declaring the gifts and turning them over. This broke with years of the institution exempting the president from declaring gifts on the public register.

Because of this change, many gifts given to previous presidents and kept in boxes by a set of civil servants called the “protocol service” are now being transferred to this room from undisclosed locations. The Parliament spokesperson described this gift vault as the only dedicated room where such gifts to former presidents are kept.

Just 17 gifts to presidents past and present are on display in glass cabinets at the Parliament’s seat in Strasbourg, next to a tiny kiosk selling Roberta Metsola-themed stamps. They include a statuette of a horse from the United Arab Emirates’ National Council; handmade artwork from the president of Nigeria; a silver bowl from top U.S. politician Nancy Pelosi; a peace-themed mosaic from Pope Francis; and a vide-poches or decorative tray from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Manfred’s mobile

For now, the gifts in the chamber in Brussels are essentially in limbo — neither displayed nor used — a fate that might perhaps make lobbyists or foreign dignitaries think twice about going to the trouble of making any such gesture in the first place.

A case in point is a Huawei smartphone that was worth more than €150 when given to European People’s Party chief Manfred Weber by the Chinese tech company — in 2013. It’s been gathering dust here ever since.

The “end of life” rules, as Parliament speak would have it, means dead but not buried.

According to the current rules, EU lawmakers can keep these gifts permanently if it can be proved they have no “obvious” value to the Parliament. Or they may be temporarily displayed in their offices if the president gives her blessing.

In theory, parliamentarians can also bid to buy back their gifts in a public tender — but such an auction has never happened.

At a later stage of the ethics reform plan initiated by Metsola, senior parliamentarians could at some point tweak the code of conduct to allow the gifts to be given to charities — as happens with used furniture and food waste from the canteens. But such a tweak is currently not under consideration.

“If you have more presents handed into the institution, there needs to be a way to process them. So the existing 2013 rules might be revised,” the spokesperson said as the door quietly closed.

source: politico.eu

#eu politics #the funny side of it #unwanted gifts #i hope this article brings you as much joy as it did for me

7 notes · View notes

womenforwomenitaly · 4 months

Text

"Donna, vita e libertà", Premio Sacharov 2023 a Jina Mahsa Amini e alle manifestanti iraniane

Il PE il 12 dicembre ha assegnato il Premio Sacharov 2023 a Jina Mahsa Amini e al movimento "Donna, vita e libertà" in Iran. Il premio è un riconoscimento alle donne iraniane che sono il simbolo della speranza e lotta per l'uguaglianza, dignità e libertà.

Il 12 dicembre 2023 a Strasburgo, il Parlamento europeo ha assegnato il Premio Sacharov per la libertà di pensiero a Jina Mahsa Amini e al movimento “Donna, vita e libertà” in Iran. Così la presidente del Parlamento Europeo Roberta Metsola durante la cerimonia ha dichiarato: “Il premio Sacharov per la libertà di pensiero di…

Repressione del regime e la condanna del Parlamento Europeo

In seguito alla repressione delle proteste da parte del regime iraniano, il Parlamento europeo ha condannato la drammatica situazione dei diritti umani nel paese. A ottobre 2022, i deputati hanno chiesto sanzioni contro i funzionari iraniani coinvolti sia nella morte di Jina Mahsa Amini che nella repressione di regime. A gennaio 2023 i deputati hanno chiesto nuove sanzioni contro il regime iraniano e l’inserimento del Corpo delle Guardie Rivoluzionarie Islamiche nella lista dei terroristi dell’UE. A novembre 2023 il Parlamento ha adottato una risoluzione sui recenti attacchi contro le donne e i difensori dei diritti delle donne in Iran e la detenzione arbitraria di cittadini dell’UE in questo paese, in cui invita a sostenere i vincitori del premio Sacharov e del premio Nobel istituendo una task force dell’UE. Il Premio Sacharov – istituito nel 1988 per onorare le persone e le organizzazioni che difendono i diritti umani e le libertà fondamentali per la libertà di pensiero – viene conferito ogni anno dal Parlamento europeo ed è intitolato al fisico sovietico e dissidente politico Andrei Sacharov.

#Cristina Montagni #diritti delle donne #Donna #Jina Masha Amini #Libertà #movimento diritti donne iraniane #Premio Sacharov 2023 #Presidente del Parlamento Europeo #Roberta Metsola #uguaglianza e dignità #violazione dei diritti umani #Vita #women for women Italy #womenforwomenitaly

1 note · View note

head-post · 6 months

Text

Malta MEP Metsola criticises EU for failure in migration

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Thursday that the EU had to do a better job of tackling irregular migration as, seven months before the EU elections, it still continues to be a hot topic across the bloc, Euractiv reports.

EU countries are working to reform the joint asylum system in response to growing pressure to curb a surge in irregular migration, but in the past their attempts to agree on a new functional regime have been unsuccessful.

Those failures must be honestly acknowledged, Metsola said in Berlin, where she delivered the annual State of Europe speech of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a think tank affiliated with the centre-right CDU (CDU), Germany’s largest opposition party. She claimed:

Migration is one area where we have seen too little progress in the last ten years.