Latest news with #StanisławTyszka
Euronews
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Trump needs prison space - can Europe help him out?
The three Polish members of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group in the European Parliament are currently at odds over attitudes to Russia with other members of the group, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Poles Marcin Sypniewski, Stanisław Tyszka, and Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, elected on the "Confederation" list, are reportedly unhappy with their fellow MEPs' general stance on Russia and the behaviour of some individuals in the group, according to the sources. Attendance of Bulgarian party Revival's delegates - including MEP Stanislav Stoyanov - at the Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May, was an aggravating factor according to the sources. Revival recently signed a cooperation agreement with Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, and the Renew Europe group in the Parliament has called for an investigation into whether Revival's MEPs have received financial contributions from United Russia. However, this is not the only source of discontent for the Polish MEPs. Some are also uneasy about the alliance with the German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). AfD members are already seen as being sympathetic to Russian interests, and MEP Peter Bystron is under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes to support those interests. In Poland, Confederation MEPs are being criticised for belonging to the same group as the nationalist German party, an especially sensitive issue given the strong anti-German sentiment among right-wing Polish voters. 'Tensions exist,' said an internal source within the group, 'but they are unlikely to result in a split in the short term.' The three Polish MEPs are aware that if they leave the ESN, they risk becoming non-attached members in the European Parliament. 'They could easily join the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group,' said another internal source, noting that the group already includes Anna Bryłka and Tomasz Buczek, who were also elected on the Confederation ticket. Officially, the PfE group won't comment on whether talks are ongoing, but internal sources told Euronews that the Polish members would likely be more readily accepted than larger delegations, such as the German AfD. It is highly likely that the MEPs in question will not leave the ESN group unless they receive firm assurances that they will be accepted into the PfE, according to one of the sources. MEPs lose certain powers when they are unaffiliated, including reduced speaking time during plenary sessions and less funding for staff, as some aides are employed by the group rather than individual MEPs. The situation is even more delicate for Stanisław Tyszka, one of the three, who serves as co-chairman of the ESN group and is reportedly reluctant to give up the position. Nevertheless, this "marriage of convenience" is also advantageous for the other parties: without the Polish delegation, the ESN group risks falling below the basic threshold required for any group. Each political group in the European Parliament must include at least 23 MEPs from at least seven Member States. The ESN currently has 27 members from eight countries, but Lithuanian lawmaker Petras Gražulis is also reportedly in conflict with other members of the group. The Confederation's MEPs must now decide whether to swallow the views on Russia of their colleagues and take the advantages of group membership. All three Polish MEPs were not immediately available for comment. Donald Trump has recently stepped up his threats to send Americans to foreign jails, saying he would 'love' to deport 'homegrown' US citizens who commit violent crimes to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador. 'I would love to do that if it were permissible by law,' Trump said in an interview with Time magazine last month. 'We're looking into that.' Apparently, that legal research hasn't brought a clear answer yet, as Trump has also been on the lookout for more domestic space to house America's top criminals. 'I'm talking about violent people. I'm talking about really bad people. Really bad people,' Trump said, seated beside Salvadorian president Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office a few weeks ago. Bukele's government runs the Terrorism Confinement Center, the megaprison often referred to by its Spanish acronym, CECOT, which has the reputation of being the most brutal jailhouse in the western hemisphere. Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration and respect for the maximum security institution to which his administration has so far deported hundreds of undocumented migrants. But CECOT seems to be becoming too small for the visionary Trump. He wants more prison capacity. That's why, two weeks ago, Trump doubled down on his stunning proposal to re-open and expand Alcatraz, the infamous prison island in San Francisco Bay. Experts are doubtful of the practicability and funding required to expand Alcatraz, a series of buildings that are literally falling apart. If it's island prisons Trump's looking for – the EU has plenty to offer, however, including storied properties that can hold their own beside Alcatraz and which appeal Trump's sense of history and culture. Here are three for starters to trade-off with Trump - no pun intended. Let's start with the most famous prison island: the Château d'If, off the Mediterranean coast near Marseille. Even if its best-known prisoner, the Count of Monte Cristo, was a fictional character in Alexandre Dumas' bestselling novel, the Château d'If has held many real – mostly religious - prisoners from the mid1600s to the end of the 19th century. It's also pretty secure: although the book features one of the main characters escaping the islet, it's believed nobody actually managed this. Trump appeal: The US president could deal directly with his pal Emmanuel Macron and side-step Brussels bureaucrats and the obnoxious Germans. Next is Devil's Island, also on French territory, albeit located off the coast of French Guiana, the largest of the country's overseas departments, situated off the north east coast of South America. The penal colony, in operation between 1852 to 1952, was notorious for its harsh treatment of detainees and the tropical climate and diseases that contributed to a death rate of 75% at its worst. Devil's Island was immortalised by author Henri Charriere, a former inmate, who penned the 1969 bestseller 'Papillon' about his successful escape. Trump appeal: See Château d'If. Next is Goli Otok, an uninhabited island off the Adriatic coast of Croatia that was used as a top secret prison and labour camp when the country was part of Yugoslavia. It was operated as a high-security institution between 1949 and 1989 and sequestered anti-Tito communists and Stalinists. Earlier during World War I, the Austro-Hungarian empire sent Russian POWs to Goli Otok. The name means 'barren island' in Croatian, because the surface is almost completely devoid of vegetation. The prison became famous after Tito's death in 1980, when Serbian writer Antonije Isakovic released his novel Tren (Moment) about the penal conditions there. The book was an instant bestseller. Trump appeal: The prison has lain abandoned since 1989 giving strong Alcatraz vibes that might chime with the US president. If potential prisons-for-tariffs pitch fails, Europe could point Trump to the criminal justice system in the Netherlands where the prison population shrank from 94 per 100,00 citizens to 51 between 2005 and 2016 – due largely to rehabilitation efforts. The results: Some empty prisons have now been repurposed as hotels or cultural centres. This might appeal to the real estate mogul in Trump. Radio Schuman spoke with outgoing Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt about Brussels being without rule for almost a year. She told us how this damages Brussels' reputation, hurts locals and why it is so difficult to come to an agreement. Van den Brandt also touched on the uncertain future of the Metro 3 project, aimed at connecting the city's northern and southern neighbourhoods, and the criticism of her vision to make Brussels liveable. We also head to the Western Balkans for the start of European Council President's four-day tour as part of diplomatic efforts to keep candidate countries on an EU path. And finally, Europe's rapidly ageing population is posing an existential threat to the continent's healthcare system. Which countries are worst affected? This episode of Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Lauren Walker. Audio editing by David Brodheim. Music by Alexandre Jas.
Euronews
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Polish far-right MEPs uncomfortable in Sovereign Nations group
The three Polish members of the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN) group in the European Parliament are currently at odds over attitudes to Russia with other members of the group, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Poles Marcin Sypniewski, Stanisław Tyszka, and Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, elected on the "Confederation" list, are reportedly unhappy with their fellow MEPs' general stance on Russia and the behaviour of some individuals in the group, according to the sources. Attendance of Bulgarian party Revival's delegates - including MEP Stanislav Stoyanov - at the Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May, was an aggravating factor according to the sources. Revival recently signed a cooperation agreement with Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, and the Renew Europe group in the Parliament has calledfor an investigation into whether Revival's MEPs have received financial contributions from United Russia. However, this is not the only source of discontent for the Polish MEPs. Some are also uneasy about the alliance with the German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). AfD members are already seen as being sympathetic to Russian interests, and MEP Peter Bystron is under investigation for allegedly accepting bribes to support those interests. In Poland, Confederation MEPs are being criticised for belonging to the same group as the nationalist German party, an especially sensitive issue given the strong anti-German sentiment among right-wing Polish voters. 'Tensions exist,' said an internal source within the group, 'but they are unlikely to result in a split in the short term.' The three Polish MEPs are aware that if they leave the ESN, they risk becoming non-attached members in the European Parliament. 'They could easily join the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group,' said another internal source, noting that the group already includes Anna Bryłka and Tomasz Buczek, who were also elected on the Confederation ticket. Officially, the PfE group won't comment on whether talks are ongoing, but internal sources told Euronews that the Polish members would likely be more readily accepted than larger delegations, such as the German AfD. It is highly likely that the MEPs in question will not leave the ESN group unless they receive firm assurances that they will be accepted into the PfE, according to one of the sources. MEPs lose certain powers when they are unaffiliated, including reduced speaking time during plenary sessions and less funding for staff, as some aides are employed by the group rather than individual MEPs. The situation is even more delicate for Stanisław Tyszka, one of the three, who serves as co-chairman of the ESN group and is reportedly reluctant to give up the position. Nevertheless, this "marriage of convenience" is also advantageous for the other parties: without the Polish delegation, the ESN group risks falling below the basic threshold required for any group. Each political group in the European Parliament must include at least 23 MEPs from at least seven Member States. The ESN currently has 27 members from eight countries, but Lithuanian lawmaker Petras Gražulis is also reportedly in conflict with other members of the group. The Confederation's MEPs must now decide whether to swallow the views on Russia of their colleagues and take the advantages of group membership. All three Polish MEPs were not immediately available for comment. Radio Schuman spoke with outgoing Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt about Brussels being without rule for almost a year. She told us how this damages Brussels' reputation, hurts locals and why it is so difficult to come to an agreement. Van den Brandt also touched on the uncertain future of the Metro 3 project, aimed at connecting the city's northern and southern neighbourhoods, and the criticism of her vision to make Brussels liveable. We also head to the Western Balkans for the start of European Council President's four-day tour as part of diplomatic efforts to keep candidate countries on an EU path. And finally, Europe's rapidly ageing population is posing an existential threat to the continent's healthcare system. Which countries are worst affected? This episode of Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Lauren Walker. Audio editing by David Brodheim. Music by Alexandre Jas.
