Former US President Donald Trump, who was charged with his negligent handling of state secrets after he left the White House, defended himself in an interview with Fox News on Sunday, saying he was too “busy” with those confidential documents to sort.
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In this unusually gruff-toned interview, which aired Monday night on the conservative channel, 77-year-old Mr Trump, who will seek to win back the presidency next year, said his personal belongings were lost in his swift departure from the White House in January 2021 disappeared were mixed up with government documents.
“For my part, I kicked them out, but people wrapped them up and we left. I had clothes in them, I had all kinds of personal items in them – lots of stuff.” “I have every right to have those boxes,” he said.
When asked by Fox News reporter Bret Baier why he didn’t just turn over the documents at the behest of federal agents, Mr Trump replied: “Because I had boxes, I wanted to rummage through them. Cardboard boxes to get all my personal information out.” Possession. I didn’t want to give them back…for now,” he said.
“As you can see, I’ve been very busy,” he added.
Mr Trump appeared before a federal judge in Miami a week ago to be formally briefed on the 37 charges against him as part of the investigation launched following an FBI search of his Florida mansion last August.
The former Republican president is accused of endangering the security of the United States by keeping confidential documents, including military plans or information about nuclear weapons, in a bathroom or storage room at his luxury residence in Mar-a-Lago, Fla., instead of turning around them to the National Archives.
Solomon Libman had a good run with Lima AllianceTherefore, he felt safe to continue with the team Students from La Plata for the Copa Libertadores in 2010. Despite his good performance, the coach decided not to give him up and replaced him with George Forsyth, news that did not please the former national team goalkeeper.
After Solomon Libmanthe squad list was announced hours before Alianza Lima’s game against Argentina side, but like his teammates he was surprised when Gustavo Costas wrote the name George Forsyth as the owner of the blue and white box.
YOU CAN SEE: Libman’s vigorous response to Guerrero after he downgraded the League 1 level
Why did Solomon Libman argue with George Forstyh?
Before the decision of the La Victoria team’s technician, Solomon Libman and George Forsyth had a warm relationship, but after what happened, their communication broke down. Since then, the former Alianza Lima goalkeepers haven’t spoken to each other and when they meet on the street, they don’t greet each other.
Additionally, Libman said they were young at the time and said things without thinking, as he was always lashing out at George Forsyth in front of the press. On the other hand, he was bothered by the rumors about his partner’s alleged influence on the club’s decisions and kept taking him to task, which ended in a fight.
YOU CAN SEE: Libman annoyed after the start of League 1: “It’s a shame, you have to defend the footballers”
“Up until 2009, (our relationship) was good. We shared and now our paths have crossed and we didn’t say hello. I hope that one day (say hello to each other) we’ll be grown up,” Libman told the Time-Out YouTube channel.
Likewise, he recalled an episode that also shaped his football career when he was called up by Sergio Markarian to integrate into the national team, but then the coach told him that he could no longer support him in the national squad because he had no continuity in Alianza Lima. In this sense, Salomón Liberman assured that he was no longer part of the squad of the intimate team George Forsyth He returned to the starting job after an injury.
Solomon Libman hopes to one day have a conversation with George Forsyth. Photo: Dead Time/YouTube
Doesn’t Solomon Libman rule out a friendship with George Forsyth?
Although he mentioned that the differences between them were clearly due to the fact that they started in the Alianza Lima goal, Solomon Libman He does not rule out that one day discussions will be held and the disputes that existed when both were still part of the blue and white team will be resolved. Okay, to the goalkeeper, the two are already grown up at the moment, so you should keep your distance.
Jack Hanna, the zoo keeper known for his appearances on David Letterman’s late night shows and Good Morning America, is battling late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Hanna’s wife Suzi detailed her spouse’s health issues in a detailed article published in The Columbus Dispatch on Wednesday.
76-year-old Hanna, who was director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium from 1978 to 1992, was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in October 2019 and her family — Suzi and daughters Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie — told the newspaper that the Illness worsened went from “moderate” to “advanced”.
According to Hanna’s relatives, he currently only remembers Suzi, to whom he was married for 54 years; his dog Brassy and his eldest daughter Kathaleen.
“The Jack people knew he wasn’t here anymore, but parts of my husband are already there,” Suzi told the newspaper. “And I will hold on to them as long as I can.”
The Latest: Jack Hanna, the zoo keeper best known for his appearances on David Letterman’s late-night shows and Good Morning America, is battling an “advanced” stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Pictured in NYC in 2017
His daughter Suzanne said, “He just stopped remembering who I was in any way.” Whether in person or over the phone, he had no idea I was his daughter,” adding, “I believe that It’s because he didn’t see me that much because I got married so young and moved away.”
Suzi said that Hanna’s daily routine includes medication and a two-mile walk together.
“I want to keep going on these walks for as long as possible,” she said. “I remember the day it all officially started.” The day the doctor told us what it was. Since then I’ve just been trying to hold on to the little parts of Jack.”
She told the paper, “My husband’s still in there somewhere.” There are still those sweet, tender moments — you know, parts of him that made me and the rest of the world fall in love with him. “
Suzi said that “some days it was really hard taking care of her spouse…but he’s taken care of me all these years so it’s my turn to take care of him.”
Kathaleen was emotional while discussing her father’s withdrawal from the spotlight – he retired from his conservation work in 2020 – as the family tried to keep his Azheimer’s diagnosis a secret.
“He only retired because of Alzheimer’s disease,” Kathaleen said. “He was embarrassed. He lived in fear that the public would find out.’
Kathaleen said Hanna “worked until he died.”
The TV personality’s family – wife Suzi and daughters Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie – said his condition had improved from moderate to advanced
Hanna, 76, who served as director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in October 2019
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Hanna has passed on his expertise and brought exotic animals to many shows, the most notable of which is 93 total Letterman shows
Hanna appeared in 68 episodes of The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS from 1993 to 2015
The charismatic zoo keeper had Letterman perched on the edge of his seat with a reptile friend he brought with him
Kathaleen said the family would speak out about Hanna’s health to raise awareness for other families in a similar situation.
“If that helps even one other family, it’s worth more than telling dad’s story,” Kathaleen told the newspaper. “He spent his life helping everyone he could.”
“He’ll never know or understand, but he does now.”
Suzi said she refrains from relying on home care when her daughters are not present.
She said she told her kids, “I just want it to be your dad and me, for as long as I can.” The river, the sun, Brassy, our walks… that’s what we’re left with is.”
In April 2021, Hanna’s daughters voiced their Alzheimer’s diagnosis in a statement on Columbus Zoo’s social media.
“His condition has been evolving much faster than any of us could have expected over the last few months,” his daughters said. “Unfortunately, dad is no longer able to participate in public life as he used to, with people around the world watching, learning and laughing with him.”
They added: “Although dad’s health has deteriorated rapidly, we can assure you his great sense of humor continues to shine through.” And yes – at home he still wears his khakis.”
Hanna was pictured with actress Drew Barrymore at an event in LA in 2016
He sported a rare serval cat when he posed alongside Katie Holmes on the New York set of Good Morning America in 2017
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Hanna – nicknamed “Jungle Jack” – has shared his expertise and brought exotic animals to many shows, the most notable of which is 93 total Letterman shows.
He appeared in 25 episodes of the NBC series Late Night with David Letterman (1985-1993); and in 68 episodes of The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS from 1993 to 2015.
He also shared his expertise on 39 episodes of ABC’s Good Morning America from 1990 to 2019.
Hanna has also appeared on talk shows including Piers Morgan Live, Maury, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Late Late Show with James Corden.
He also had his own syndicated shows, starring in 162 episodes of Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild from 2007 to 2020; and on 156 episodes of Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown from 2011 to 2020.
Israeli troops entered the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday morning as violence there escalated to demolish the home of a Palestinian gunman accused of killing an Israeli soldier last year.
On October 11, 2022, Osama Taweel and Abdel Kamel Jouri, members of the Nablus-based terrorist group Lion’s Den, opened fire on Staff Sgt. Ido Baruch of the Givati Infantry Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, killing him, according to the military. The attack came as Baruch was securing a protest march by settlers at a transport hub near the Shavei Shomron settlement outside of Nablus.
Taweel and Jouri were arrested on February 13 and a third member of the cell alleged to have helped plan the attack, Hussam Bassam Isleem, was killed in a raid in Nablus a week later.
“The IDF is operating in the city of Nablus to demolish the home of one of the terrorists who carried out the attack that killed Staff Sergeant. Ido Baruch,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a brief statement early Thursday morning, referring to Jouri.
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Last week, a Palestinian was killed in clashes when the military entered Nablus to demolish the home of Taweel, the other accused attacker.
Clashes erupted again in the area early Thursday, with the Palestinian Red Crescent reporting it had treated about 33 people, mostly from tear gas inhalation.
Staff Sergeant Ido Baruch, 21, was killed in a shooting attack in the West Bank on October 11, 2022, in an undated photo released by the military. (Israeli Armed Forces)
The IDF said Palestinian gunmen opened fire on troops while others hurled explosive devices and slightly damaged a military vehicle. Other rioters threw stones and set fire to tires in the area, the IDF said in a later statement.
“The troops responded with counterinsurgency means,” the military said, adding that no soldiers were injured.
Footage released by the IDF showed Jouri’s home being destroyed by multiple controlled demolitions.
For political reasons, Israel regularly demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly terrorist attacks, a strategy touted as a deterrent. Human rights activists denounce this practice as unjust collective punishment, and the effectiveness of this policy has been hotly debated even within the Israeli security apparatus.
The home of Isleem, the cell’s third member, was surveyed by the IDF in May in anticipation of possible destruction.
Nablus has been subject to repeated IDF raids over the past year, and Thursday’s house demolitions came amid a spate of violence in the West Bank.
On Tuesday, four Israelis were killed and four others injured by Hamas-affiliated gunmen in the central West Bank. One of the terrorists was shot dead at the scene by an armed Israeli civilian, while the second fled and was killed by special forces about two hours later.
After the attack, hundreds of Israeli settlers rampaged through several Palestinian communities, setting houses, cars and fields on fire and terrorizing residents. One Palestinian was killed in suspicious circumstances in the town of Turmus Ayya and another 12 were injured.
The killing sprees appeared to be a grim repetition of an incident some dubbed a “pogrom” by some earlier this year, following another deadly Palestinian shooting attack.
Late Wednesday, an IDF drone struck a car carrying three Palestinian gunmen who had just opened fire at a checkpoint in the northern West Bank.
The attack, which the IDF said killed all three, was the first targeted killing in the West Bank since 2006 and came after attack helicopters were used in a military attack in the northern West Bank city of Jenin earlier this week, also for the first time in about two decades.
The scene of an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle near the West Bank city of Jenin on June 21, 2023 (Social media: use according to section 27a of the copyright law)
Over the past year, Palestinian gunmen have repeatedly attacked troops conducting arrest raids, military posts, Israeli settlements and civilians on roads, particularly in the northern West Bank.
Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians have escalated over the past year and a half, as the military conducted raids on the West Bank almost every night and a series of deadly Palestinian terrorist attacks.
Since the beginning of the year, Palestinian attacks in Israel and the West Bank have killed 24 people, including Tuesday’s victims – 17-year-old Nachman Mordoff, 17-year-old Elisha Anteman, 21-year-old Harel Masood and 64-year-old. One year old Ofer Fayerman.
According to a Times of Israel tally, 132 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank during that period, most of them in clashes with security forces or in attacks, but some were innocent civilians and others were killed under unclear circumstances.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, U.S. regulators approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells for the first time, allowing two California companies to put “lab-grown” meat on restaurant tables and eventually supermarket shelves across the country.
The Department of Agriculture gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, companies vying to be the first in the U.S. to sell meat that doesn’t come from slaughtered animals — what’s now called “cell-cultured” but “cultured” meat, if it comes out of the laboratory and ends up on the plates.
The move heralds a new era in meat production that aims to prevent animal harm and drastically reduce the environmental impact of grazing, animal feed farming and animal waste.
“Instead of slaughtering all the land and water that goes into feeding all these animals, we can do it in a different way,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just, which operates there good meat.
The companies received approval for the federal inspections required to sell meat and poultry in the United States. The move came months after the US Food and Drug Administration ruled both companies’ products safe for consumption. A manufacturing company called Joinn Biologics, which works with Good Meat, has also been granted approval to manufacture the products.
Cultured meat is grown in steel tanks using cells derived from a live animal, a fertilized egg, or a special bank of stored cells. In the case of Upside, it comes out in large sheets that are then formed into shapes like chicken chops and sausages. Good Meat, which is already selling cultured meat in Singapore, the first country to allow it, is mass-processing chicken cells into chops, nuggets, shredded meat and satays.
But don’t be so quick to scour US grocery stores for this novelty meat. Farmed chicken is much more expensive than whole farmed bird meat and cannot yet be produced on the scale of traditional meat, said Ricardo San Martin, director of the Alt:Meat Lab at the University of California Berkeley.
The Pieces of Good Meat breeding chicken will be on display June 14th at the Eat Just office in Alameda, California. (Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press)
The companies plan to initially serve the new food in upscale restaurants: Upside has partnered with a San Francisco restaurant called Bar Crenn, while Good Meat dishes will be served at a Washington, DC restaurant run by chef and owner Jose Andrés is guided.
Company officials are quick to note that the products are meat and not substitutes like the Impossible Burger or Beyond Meat offerings made with plant-based proteins and other ingredients.
More than 150 companies worldwide focus on cell-derived meat, not just chicken, but also pork, lamb, fish and beef, which scientists say have the greatest impact on the environment.
Berkeley-based Upside operates a 70,000-square-foot facility in nearby Emeryville. On a recent Tuesday, visitors entered a gleaming commercial kitchen where chef Jess Weaver was roasting a sophisticated chicken fillet in a white wine butter sauce with tomatoes, capers and spring onions.
The finished chicken breast product was slightly paler than the supermarket version. Otherwise it looked, cooked, smelled and tasted like any other roasted fowl.
“The most common response we get is, ‘Oh, it tastes like chicken,'” said Amy Chen, Upside’s chief operating officer.
The “Ick Factor”
Alameda-based Good Meat operates a 100,000-square-foot facility where chef Zach Tyndall prepared a smoked chicken salad on a sunny June afternoon. He followed with a chicken thigh served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a mushroom and veggie demi-glace and tiny purple cauliflower florets. Good Meat’s chicken product is supplied pre-cooked and only needs reheating before it can be used in a range of dishes.
Chen acknowledged that many consumers are skeptical or even reluctant to eat cell-grown chicken.
“We call it the ‘ick factor,'” she said.
This opinion was confirmed in a recent survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Half of adults in the US said they were unlikely to try meat derived from animal cells. When asked to choose from a list of reasons for their reluctance, most who said they probably wouldn’t try said “it just sounds weird.” About half said they didn’t think it was safe .
Machines will be shown in the bioreactor suite at Eat Just in Alameda, California on Wednesday. The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday granted California firms Upside Foods and Good Meat final permits to sell the products, known as “lab-grown” or “cultured” meat. (Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press)
But once people understand how the meat is made, they’re more likely to accept it, Chen said. And once they’ve tried it, they’re usually sold.
“It’s the meat you’ve always known and loved,” she said.
Cultured meat begins with cells. Upside experts take cells from live animals and select those most likely to taste good and multiply quickly and evenly, producing high-quality meat, Chen said. Good Meat products are made from a master cell bank consisting of a commercially available chicken cell line.
Once the cell lines are selected, they are combined with a broth-like mixture containing the amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, salts, vitamins, and other elements the cells need to grow. In the tanks, so-called cultivators, the cells grow and multiply rapidly. In Upside, muscle and connective tissue cells grow together and form large leaves. After about three weeks, the poultry cell layers are removed from the tanks and formed into chops, sausages or other foods. Good meat cells grow into large masses that are formed into a variety of meat products.
Both companies stressed that initial production will be limited. The Emeryville facility can produce up to 50,000 pounds of cultured meat products a year, although the goal is to expand to 400,000 pounds a year, Upside officials said. Good Meat officials would not set a production target.
In comparison, the US produces about 50 billion pounds of chicken per year.
Chef Zach Tyndall prepares Good Meat’s breeding chicken Wednesday at the Eat Just office in Alameda, Calif. The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday granted California firms Upside Foods and Good Meat final permits to sell the products, known as “lab-grown” or “cultured” meat.
It could be a few years before consumers see the products in more restaurants and seven to 10 years before they reach the broader market, said Sebastian Bohn, who specializes in cell-based foods at CRB, a Missouri-based company that has facilities designs and builds for pharmaceuticals, biotech and food companies.
Another sticking point will be the costs. Neither Upside nor Good Meat would reveal the price of an individual chicken cutlet, saying only that it had dropped by orders of magnitude since the companies began offering demonstrations. Ultimately, the price is expected to match the price of top-tier organic chicken, which sells for as much as $20 a pound.
San Martin said he was concerned that cultured meat could be an alternative to traditional meat for the wealthy but would do little for the environment if it remained a niche product.
“If some upscale or wealthy people want to eat this instead of a chicken, fine,” he said. “Does that mean you feed chicken to poor people? I honestly don’t see that.”
Tetrick said he shares critics’ concerns about the challenges of making an affordable, novel meat product for the world. However, he stressed that traditional meat production is so damaging to the planet that an alternative is needed – preferably one that doesn’t require giving up meat altogether.
“I miss meat,” said Tetrick, who grew up in Alabama eating chicken wings and barbecue. “There should be another way people can enjoy chicken, beef and pork with their families.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Division receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Rumor Summary: AEW Split, Punk/KENTA, WWE Relocations, Mercedes Film Reel – Cageside Seats
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By Randall Ortman
on June 22, 2023 1:00 am
Speculating on the rumors surrounding pro wrestling is a favorite pastime for many fans, perhaps even more important than watching the matches. In this daily column, we take a look at the latest rumors from the pro wrestling rumor mill.
Important note: rumors are just that – rumours. None of this has been confirmed as fact, it’s just circulating in the pro wrestling rumor mill. We’re tracking the veracity of the rumors in a weekly feature called Rumor Look Back, which you can find here. Remember to take everything with caution.
Rumors for today:
If you have heard of any interesting rumors that you would like to add, please feel free to post them in the comments section below. Remember that these are rumors and not confirmed facts, so please treat them as such. And check out our weekly rumor recap here to keep track of how often rumors turn out to be correct.
If Thursday’s NBA draft felt disappointing with Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 pick, it made up for the lack of drama the night before.
In their second attempt at a multi-team trade spanning a seven-hour period, the Washington Wizards on Wednesday agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics in a deal that also included guard Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies sends, confirms a man with knowledge of the facts.
Washington welcomes Memphis point guard Tyus Jones and forward Danilo Gallinari, center Mike Muscala and a second-round pick, their 35th pick overall, in Thursday’s draft from Boston. The Wizards are now expected to finish eighth, 35th, 42nd and 57th. Memphis also sends Boston the 25th pick in Thursday’s draft and a first-round pick for 2024.
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For the Wizards, the Porzingis deal is the next step in what appears to be a complete disbandment of the roster under the team’s new top decision-maker, Michael Winger. In return, they signed one of the league’s most respected backup point guards to a team-friendly deal: Jones, 27, is expected to make $14 million next season in the second year of a two-year contract.
Washington was allegedly wanted to send Porzingis to Boston as part of a three-team swap with the Los Angeles Clippers early Wednesday – until the deal fell through.
Porzingis, 27, had to exercise the $36 million player option in his contract to make a trade possible. The Latvian arrived in Washington at the close in 2022 as part of the deal that sent Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to the Dallas Mavericks. He shone alongside Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma in his first full season and shed some of his injury-prone reputation by playing 65 games and posting career-high points per game (23.2), assists (2.7) and field Goal percentage (49.8) scored. .
He also thrived off the field, forging a friendship with third-year forward Deni Avdija and becoming more comfortable in DC. That spring, his agency opened talks with former general manager Tommy Sheppard about keeping Porzingis in Washington long-term.
Porzingis said he believes he can reach his full potential with the Wizards. But joining Boston offers something sweeter than distant hope: He will have a chance to fight for a championship right away after the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season and the NBA Finals in 2022.
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In theory, Porzingis would fit into Boston’s spread offensive, which involves large-volume three-pointer throws. The big man shot 38.5 percent from long range on 5.5 attempts per game last season, and his ability to spread court space is his most valuable offensive skill. However, Porzingis will almost certainly lose his role playing alongside the Celtics’ all-star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Porzingis still has a lot to prove defensively in the playoffs, although his presence should help Boston limit 37-year-old center Al Horford’s minutes in the regular season. At best, Porzingis could emerge as a paint-protecting option to complement Horford’s more versatile approach.
To bring in Porzingis, Boston parted ways with Smart, who ended a nine-year career with the Celtics during which he was named 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and contributed to five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. Smart was a tenacious defender who endeared himself to Boston fans with his hustle. In the big moments of the postseason, Smart’s shaky outside shot proved costly for the Celtics at times.
Memphis adds Smart to a roster that includes several notable defensemen, including 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and center Steven Adams. Smart will help handle some of the defensive duties previously given to Dillon Brooks and he will likely need to handle the ball a lot during Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension.
The Rebuilding Wizards added assets without taking on weighty commissions. Jones could get a chance to headline the show in Washington. He is a controlled player who makes up for his limited athleticism with excellent decision making. Last season, he averaged 10.3 points and 5.2 assists, the best of his career.
Gallinari, 34, and Muscala, 31, finalize the deal. Gallinari missed last season after tearing his left cruciate ligament and recently earned his $6.8 million player option; This is the final season of his two-year career. Muscala is set to earn $3.5 million next season after playing sparingly in the playoffs following a midseason move from Oklahoma City.
As for Washington’s new pick, 35th place may not represent a huge accomplishment, but this year’s draft class is seen as full of prospects with high potential, which means for a team starting from the bottom and ready to be patient should be many options.
The 35th pick looks stronger than the numerous second-round picks and first-round pick swaps the Wizards landed when they agreed to trade Beal to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. In that transaction, Winger was bound by Beal’s contract—it contained a no-trade clause approved by Sheppard and owner Ted Leonsis, relieving Washington of any pressure—but he was able to sell Porzingis when the asking price was high.
The move could indicate the Wizards won’t re-sign Kuzma from free agency this summer unless Winger sees the 27-year-old as a player he wants to build on. The forward reportedly turned down his $13 million player option on Tuesday, as expected, hoping to land a more lucrative deal after two strong seasons in Washington.
The European institutions are preparing to welcome Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area this year. The two countries are expected to enter the free movement zone through airport controls in October, before becoming full members and land border controls being abolished on 1 January 2024, sources tell EURACTIV Bulgaria. Unofficial diplomatic contacts in Brussels and in the Bulgarian Parliament and Government.
According to sources in Sofia, Bulgaria has a serious chance of achieving full Schengen membership by October this year if it exerts diplomatic pressure and shows its willingness to reform.
Until a month ago, the resistance of the Netherlands was the main obstacle to Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen area. Mark Rutte’s government has unofficially expressed its appreciation for the efforts of the Bulgarian Parliament and the last four governments to initiate real judicial reform through the introduction of an independent investigative mechanism to the Attorney General, which was passed at the end of May.
Former Bulgarian Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev, who did not have a particularly good reputation with the European institutions, became the first victim of the new legislation after being dismissed from his post ten days ago. The EU also sees this as a good result of the Bulgarian reform and hopes that the clean-up work in the judiciary will continue.
The second main reason for removing the obstacles to Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen area is the election of a regular pro-European government in Sofia, supported by the GERB and the PP-DB, which announce their intention to overhaul President Roumen Radev’s government policies towards Ukraine.
The country’s European partners hope that achieving this major foreign policy goal will help overcome the political crisis in Sofia. In July, the European Commission, on behalf of the Netherlands, will publish the latest monitoring report on the state of the rule of law and the fight against corruption in Bulgaria. This report criticizes the lack of sufficient results in the fight against corruption at the top of power, but also welcomes the political will to press ahead with reforms.
Austria’s objections to Schengen expansion amid the refugee crisis have not abated, but Vienna is unlikely to hold back the two Balkan states if it remains the only EU country to oppose it. The next major goal of the Bulgarian institutions is to join the eurozone from January 1, 2025.
Last December, Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area was blocked by Austria and the Netherlands. Romania was only held back by Austria, while Croatia became a full member of the free movement zone by unanimous decision in January. Romania’s new Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu revealed in an interview with EURACTIV earlier this week that he had instructed his ministers to come up with a plan to persuade Austria to lift its veto on Romania’s entry into the Schengen area.
The Netherlands asked the Bulgarian authorities to prove that they were fighting corruption and had not abandoned judicial reform. Austria’s demands seem to be much more difficult to implement. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer is even beginning to call for a new fence along the border with Turkey, which was rejected by the European Commission.
At the beginning of June, the Commission granted Romania and Bulgaria new financial support for the implementation of pilot projects in the field of border management that had already been launched. The aid granted to Bulgaria amounts to 45 million euros and to Romania 10.8 million euros.
In addition, the European Commission welcomes the progress made by the two countries in the last three months in the areas of asylum and return of illegal immigrants, border management and international cooperation. This advance should allay Austria’s fears that Sofia and Bucharest are not doing enough To illegal immigrants.
Solomon Libman hopes to one day have a conversation with George Forsyth. Photo: Dead Time/YouTube
