BELGRADE: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen canceled talks with Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic on Friday because of his earlier meeting with a Russian minister, the EU’s ambassador said.
“We canceled the meeting... following the prime minister meeting with the minister of economy of the Russian federation,” the EU’s ambassador in Belgrade, Emanuele Giaufret, told AFP.
Vucevic had met earlier with Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development.
Giaufret said that according to a statement published on the Serbian government’s website, which he said was later removed, there was an “indication of Serbia’s intention to strengthen economic relations in other areas with the Russian Federation.”
“In that light the president of the Commission felt that there were no reasons to hold the meeting with the prime minister,” he added.
The statement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, said that Vucevic spoke with Reshetnikov and a Russian delegation, about the “further strengthening of economic and overall cooperation between the two countries.”
Von der Leyen had arrived in Belgrade earlier Friday as part of a tour of six Balkan nations, and duly met with President Aleksandar Vucic.
The latter did not take part at this week’s summit of the BRICS group — an alliance of emerging economies — in Russia.
“My presence here today, in the context of my fourth trip to the Balkans since I took office, is a very clear sign that Serbia’s future is in the European Union,” von der Leyen told a joint press conference with Vucic.
“The partnership between the European Union and Serbia is getting stronger,” she added.
Serbia, which aspires to join the 27-nation bloc, has maintained friendly ties with Russia and has refused to sanction Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
On Friday, Vucic stressed his country’s commitment to joining the EU.
“We will continue on our European path,” he said, but added that Serbia will “try to preserve our friendship and partnership with all the others also.”
During her four-day Balkan tour, which started on Wednesday, von der Leyen pledged that membership expansion would be high on the Brussels agenda.
Discussions around EU enlargement in the Balkan region of almost 18 million people stretch back 20 years.
The six countries — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — are in different stages on their path toward membership of the bloc.
The EU Commission chief will visit Montenegro and Kosovo on Saturday.
EU chief cancels meeting with Serbian PM over Russia minister: ambassador
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EU chief cancels meeting with Serbian PM over Russia minister: ambassador
- Vucevic had met earlier with Maxim Reshetnikov, Russia’s Minister of Economic Development.
- The statement said that Vucevic spoke with Reshetnikov and a Russian delegation
Palestine Action hunger strikers launch legal action against UK govt
- They accuse authorities of abandoning prison safety policies
- Several of the imprisoned activists have been hospitalized
LONDON: Hunger strikers from Palestine Action in the UK have launched legal action against the government, accusing it of abandoning the policy framework for prison safety, The Independent reported.
A pre-action letter was sent to Justice Secretary David Lammy by a legal firm representing the activists.
It came as several imprisoned members of the banned organization — including one who has refused food for 51 days — were hospitalized due to their deteriorating health while on hunger strike.
They say they have sent several letters to Lammy, who is also deputy prime minister, but have received no response.
He was urged in the latest letter to respond within 24 hours as the issue is a “matter of urgency.”
The letter added: “Our clients’ health continues to deteriorate, such that the risk of their dying increases every day.”
An “urgent meeting” is needed “with the proposed defendant to discuss the deterioration of our clients’ health and to discuss attempts to resolve the situation,” it said.
Seven of the Palestine Action prisoners have been admitted to hospital since the hunger strike was launched on Nov. 2, including 30-year-old Amu Gib and Kamran Ahmed, 28.
They are being held in prisons across the country. Two members of the group have been forced to end their hunger strike due to health conditions: Jon Cink, 25, ended on day 41, while 22-year-old Umer Khalid finished on day 13.
Gib, now on day 51, was hospitalized last week and reportedly needs a wheelchair due to health concerns.
Dr. James Smith, an emergency physician, warned journalists last Thursday that some of the imprisoned activists “are dying” and need specialized medical care.
In a letter signed by more than 800 doctors, Smith said the hunger strikers were at “very high risk of serious complications, including organ failure, irreversible neurological damage, cardiac arrhythmias and death.”
The strikers are demanding that Palestine Action, which is classified as a terrorist organization, be de-proscribed.
They are also urging the government to shut down defense companies with ties to Israel, among other demands.
In response to the latest letter, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We strongly refute these claims. We want these prisoners to accept support and get better, and we will not create perverse incentives that would encourage more people to put themselves at risk through hunger strikes.”
