Author: Xenia Condiade

I have been in more than 20 European countries this year and I have seen two Europes. Across large parts of the continent, you’re still in a Europe where high-speed trains waft you across frontiers you hardly notice, as you travel seamlessly between highly integrated liberal democracies resolved to solve all their remaining conflicts by peaceful means. But take an old slow train just a few hours to the east and you are spending time in bomb shelters and talking to badly wounded soldiers with tales from the trenches reminiscent of the first world war. I keep the Air Alarm Ukraine app…

Over the past several years, drug shortages have vexed doctors and patients on both sides of the Atlantic, prompting lawmakers and government agencies to take action in both Europe and the U.S. Now, following the debut of a short-term plan to combat supply squeezes across the bloc this winter, European officials are taking a holistic look at the medicines most likely to run scarce. Tuesday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) laid out a list of more than 300 critical generic drugs that could fall prey to future shortages. Inclusion in the list doesn’t mean a particular drug is likely to experience a…

The Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection, a project with a budget of 1.9 billion euros, has attracted the interest of major investors inside and outside Europe. After the October agreement placing the Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE) in charge of implementation, the project is on track. “Since ADMIE assumed the role of implementing body, there has been very strong investment interest, which is expected to be expressed officially in the next period, from various sides,” said the president and managing director of ADMIE, Manos Manousakis. The Cypriot government “is gravitating toward participating in the project, which will make its implementation easier,” he…

Insiders say Germany’s budget crisis means it is unlikely to agree €10B funding for the EU’s new tech fund, amid signs that government purses are tightening and support for pan-European research is dwindling Alarm bells for the future research budget are ringing as Germany looks set to say no to the Commission’s proposal to put an extra €100 billion into the EU’s seven-year budget. EU member states are currently negotiating the proposal as part of the mid-term review of the multi-annual financial framework. The top-up would include €10 billion for a new strategic technology programme, the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform…

Taxi drivers, lawyers, doctors and civil engineers — thousands of Greece’s self-employed professionals took to the streets in the country’s capital on Wednesday to protest against the government’s proposed tax reforms. The proposed changes “lead to the demise of a large part of the middle class,” Giannis Hatzitheodosiou, president of the Professional Chamber of Athens, told journalists during the protest. The government’s aim is to introduce minimum presumptive taxable income and income tax on claims that tax evasion is widespread among freelancers. The draft tax legislation has already been submitted to the Parliament and is scheduled to be voted on…

Reflecting a strong tourism dynamic, travel receipts in Greece in the first nine months of the year increased by 15.2 percent over the same period in 2022 driven by a 17.3 percent rise in inbound traveler flows to 27.7 million despite a 2.5 percent drop in spending per trip, revealed data released by the Bank of Greece (BoG) this week. More specifically, travel receipts in the January-September 2023 came to 17.9 billion euros, marking a 15.2 percent rise over 2022. BoG analysts attribute the increase to strong spending by EU residents, up by 11.7 percent to 9,981.6 million euros and by non-EU nationals up by 18.3 percent…

Visitors from Germany and the United Kingdom accounted for almost half (44%) of all tourist spending and overnight stays last year, according to research by the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE). Between them they spent a total of 8.11 billion euros in 2022, with 62.15 million overnight stays, accounting for over 6 million arrivals. The Germans have a lead over the Brits which is bigger in all-inclusive summer holidays, where visitors from the UK represent approximately a fifth of all arrivals and spending (19%), while visitors from Germany account for a quarter of arrivals and 28% of spending. …

The number of commercial and self-production energy community projects in Greece reached 1,487. Total capacity has topped 1 GW, but the latter, non-commercial category makes up only 0.7%. Grid availability is one of the biggest issues on a global level for companies developing renewable electricity projects, but also for citizens eager to install such systems to cover their own consumption. Greek organization Green Tank published an overview of the energy communities scene in the country, pointing to the effects of the changes to the rules that were rolled out in March. A positive development is the priority given to self-production under the…

London (07/11 – 71) For ten years now, the authorities of Tajikistan have been engaged in forced assimilation of the ethnic Pamiri people, giving away the heartlands to China for debts,” Orzu M. shared with RFI – Radio France Internationale is a French news and current affairs public radio station that broadcasts worldwide. RFI met with Orzu in Paris, sharing the fact that more and more Pamiris are leaving their native homes in Gorno-Badakhshan Mountainous Autonomous (GBAO) Region of Tajikistan; they are driven into exile by the persecution of the authorities, who are displacing indigenous peoples. RFI: How did it…

When, where and what disruption you can expect. Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions. Walkouts are sometimes planned months ahead but others are announced last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel. Luckily, we have gathered all of the strike information together below. Read on to find out where and when are walkouts taking place. If your flight or train is cancelled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for the full details. France: Flights cancelled from…