Italian regional council calls for a review of the EU's policies towards Russia and Crimea
The Liguria Regional Council in northern Italy has voted in favor of a resolution which calls on the government and parliament to review the EU’s policy towards Russia and Crimea. This was reported by Genova24.
The Regional Secretary of the Northern League and the author of this initiative, Edoardo Rixi, said that all members that were present at the meeting voted in favor of the resolution. These included representatives of the center-right majority.
“The unanimous approval for our …
In Transnistria, denial of Russia's 'positive role' in maintaining peace is a criminal offense
Criminal punishment for denial or distortion of Russia’s positive role in maintaining peace in Transnistria has been introduced in the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), as reported by the press service of Transnistrian president Yevgeny Shevchuk.
According to the press service, the relevant amendments to the Criminal Code have been approved by the head of PMR. Earlier in June, they were approved by the parliament on the initiative of Chairman of the Supreme Council of the …
Medvedev: Russian sanctions on Turkey should be lifted gradually
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the lifting of sanctions against Turkey should be done gradually so as not to detrimentally affect Russian manufacturers and business partners, RIA Novosti reported.
"According to the order [to lift sanctions on Turkey], we have to prepare proposals to amend the relevant decisions, that is, an adjustment of the decree and the government resolution. We will act in stages,” Medvedev said.
“Here it is necessary, on the one hand, to lift these …
Fighting erupts near Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine
The Ukrainian TSN News channel reports renewed heavy fighting on the front line in eastern Ukraine. According to the news channel, the separatists attempted to advance in the area of Debaltseve in the Donetsk region.
The separatist attacked the Ukrainian positions in the early morning on June 29. According to the reports of the Ukrainian volunteers from Pravyi Sektor (Right Sector), the separatist used heavy artillery and armored infantry vehicles. The Ukrainian forces repelled the separatist …
SOVA Center: Speaking out over the internet is becoming increasingly criminalized in Russia
The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis reported the tightening up of measures for those speaking out on the internet.
A report by the center’s expert, Natalia Yudina, released on Tuesday by Mediazona, states that in Russia, there have been 194 convictions for statements on the internet that were recognized as extremist, (84 per cent of the total number of similar sentences), whereas in 2014 there were only 138.
The Russian human rights organization, Agora, also noted the increasing …