Latest news with #EuropeanPoliticalCommunity
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Gaza truce fails over unexpected Israeli Obstacles
ALBAWABA - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with a playful and theatrical gesture on Friday as she arrived in the Albanian capital to attend the sixth summit of the European Political Community, an informal forum that brings together 47 European states. Rama put down his umbrella and knelt down in front of Meloni as she exited her vehicle, his hands joined together in a gesture reminiscent of prayer. Meloni responded with a lighthearted remark after seeing the scenario on video: "You need to stop that, Edi." Later, she joked with reporters, "He only does it to be as tall as me," mocking their obvious height difference—Meloni is 1.63 meters tall, while Rama is over two meters. This is not the first time that Rama has greeted Meloni in this way. As a birthday gift, Rama knelt down in front of her in Abu Dhabi a few months ago and handed her a scarf. The two presidents' close political and personal ties are shown by their recent bilateral cooperation. With support from the Italian government, two controversial migrant processing facilities have been constructed in Albania: a repatriation facility in Gjader and an unutilized facility in Shengjin. Meloni has said that during her visit, she will not be visiting either place. بعد أسابيع من التفاوض الجاد والمسؤول مع الموفد الأميركي، توصلنا إلى صيغة ورقة مقبولة تتماشى مع الحد الأدنى من الأهداف الوطنية ومتطلبات حماية شعبنا، ووافق الموفد الأميركي على عرضها على الجانب الإسرائيلي. إلا أن الاحتلال رفض الورقة، وطلب من الأميركي عرضها علينا كمقترح نهائي — محمود مرداوي (@AAlmrdawy21173) June 1, 2025 The visit comes only days after Albania hosted the 2025 Giro d'Italia, Italy's premier cycling event, sparking media speculation about a political favor between the two nations. Even while no official link has been confirmed, the symbolic move highlights the expanding political and cultural relations between Tirana and Rome.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Even the French think Macron is becoming a laughing stock
Every marriage has its ups and downs, but few marital tiffs go viral the way the Macrons did on Monday. Brigitte was filmed appearing to shove Emmanuel in the face at the moment the door of the presidential jet swung open at Hanoi airport in Vietnam. It is the second time this month that Emmanuel Macron has been humiliated on camera. At the recent European Political Community summit in Albania, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan turned a handshake with his French counterpart into a gesture of subjugation by holding onto Macron's middle finger for several seconds while offering some words of wisdom. As one French broadcaster remarked, it was ' reminiscent of a parent imposing his authority on a child. ' Image is very important to the French electorate. When Macron's predecessor, Francois Hollande, was photographed heading to an assignation with his mistress on the back of a moped his presidency never recovered; it wasn't the infidelity that upset the French but the lack of elan. If you're going to stray, do it in style. Macron's presidency won't recover from his barney with Brigitte. A recent poll found that his approval rating had slumped to 26 per cent; one might marvel at the continued loyalty of that minority. What exactly is there to cheer about in Macron's France? On his watch legal and illegal immigration has reached record levels and France has become the most popular EU destination for asylum-seekers. All types of crime are on the up, and of particular concern is the growing influence of the powerful drug cartels. Even the interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, has resorted to talking about the 'Mexicanisation' of France. Violence is spreading, and so too is corruption among police and civil servants. The influence of the Muslim Brotherhood is also increasing, and last week Retailleau declassified a 73-page report about the shadowy Islamist organisation. It was subsequently revealed that Macron had sat on the report for months, despite its alarming contents. Only last year Macron called a snap parliamentary election, a decision that resulted in a divided and dysfunctional parliament incapable of working together for the good of the country. But perhaps Macron's greatest failure in the eight years since he became president has been the economy. He was the former Rothschild banker, nicknamed the 'Mozart of Finance', who was going to transform France into an economic powerhouse. On Monday France's National Audit Office released a damning report in which it warned the country could run out of money for social spending by 2027. 'We have lost control of our public finances,' said Pierre Moscovici, the Office's chief. Under Macron, government debt ratio to GDP has soared from 98.5 per cent in 2017 to a forecast 118.4 per cent in 2026. The economy has stagnated but unemployment is rising. In a recent television interview, Macron chided the French for being 'pessimistic' about the state of the country. 'My goodness,' he exclaimed. 'We are the most beautiful country in the world'. France is indeed a beautiful country with a wonderful culture. It's a shame about the economy, the insecurity and the chaotic immigration. The tragedy for France is that Macron's presidency still has two years to run before the 2027 election. That's plenty of time for French pessimism to plumb new depths.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Even the French think Macron is becoming a laughing stock
Every marriage has its ups and downs, but few marital tiffs go viral the way the Macrons did on Monday. Brigitte was filmed shoving Emmanuel in the face at the moment the door of the presidential jet swung open at Hanoi airport in Vietnam. It is the second time this month that Emmanuel Macron has been humiliated on camera. At the recent European Political Community summit in Albania, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan turned a handshake with his French counterpart into a gesture of subjugation by holding onto Macron's middle finger for several seconds while offering some words of wisdom. As one French broadcaster remarked, it was 'reminiscent of a parent imposing his authority on a child.' Image is very important to the French electorate. When Macron's predecessor, Francois Hollande, was photographed heading to an assignation with his mistress on the back of a moped his presidency never recovered; it wasn't the infidelity that upset the French but the lack of elan. If you're going to stray, do it in style. Macron's presidency won't recover from his barney with Brigitte. A recent poll found that his approval rating had slumped to 26 per cent; one might marvel at the continued loyalty of that minority. What exactly is there to cheer about in Macron's France? On his watch legal and illegal immigration has reached record levels and France has become the most popular EU destination for asylum-seekers. All types of crime are on the up, and of particular concern is the growing influence of the powerful drug cartels. Even the interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, has resorted to talking about the 'Mexicanisation' of France. Violence is spreading, and so too is corruption among police and civil servants. The influence of the Muslim Brotherhood is also increasing, and last week Retailleau declassified a 73-page report about the shadowy Islamist organisation. It was subsequently revealed that Macron had sat on the report for months, despite its alarming contents. Only last year Macron called a snap parliamentary election, a decision that resulted in a divided and dysfunctional parliament incapable of working together for the good of the country. But perhaps Macron's greatest failure in the eight years since he became president has been the economy. He was the former Rothschild banker, nicknamed the 'Mozart of Finance', who was going to transform France into an economic powerhouse. On Monday France's National Audit Office released a damning report in which it warned the country could run out of money for social spending by 2027. 'We have lost control of our public finances,' said Pierre Moscovici, the Office's chief. Under Macron, government debt ratio to GDP has soared from 98.5 per cent in 2017 to a forecast 118.4 per cent in 2026. The economy has stagnated but unemployment is rising. In a recent television interview, Macron chided the French for being 'pessimistic' about the state of the country. 'My goodness,' he exclaimed. 'We are the most beautiful country in the world'. France is indeed a beautiful country with a wonderful culture. It's a shame about the economy, the insecurity and the chaotic immigration. The tragedy for France is that Macron's presidency still has two years to run before the 2027 election. That's plenty of time for French pessimism to plumb new depths. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
First Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Albanian PM Kneels to Greet Italian Prime Minister Meloni Vantage with Palki Sharma
Albanian PM Kneels to Greet Italian Prime Minister Meloni | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G Albanian PM Kneels to Greet Italian Prime Minister Meloni | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama knelt on the red carpet to welcome his Italian counterpart, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a moment that stole the spotlight at the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Friday (May 16). Rama welcomed Meloni with an extraordinary gesture- kneeling on the knee on the red carpet and offering a respectful 'Namaste'. He cast aside his umbrella and knelt on one knee. 'Edi, no' Meloni said, smiling, as she approached him. See More
Budapest Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Orbán: Unprecedented for non-NATO Ukraine to carry out secret service operations against NATO member Hungary
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said it was 'unprecedented' for a non-NATO member state, Ukraine, to carry out 'secret service operations' against a NATO member state, Hungary. 'NATO cannot tolerate this either,' he said on his way to the European Political Community summit in Tirana. Asked what would be on the agenda of the meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the prime minister said 'the Ukrainians'. In a video uploaded to his social media page on Friday, he said Ukraine was carrying out 'a well-coordinated, organized, funded, disinformation smear campaign' against Hungary. 'This is unacceptable. NATO cannot tolerate this either,' he said.
