Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde said she won’t return a historical document to Poland, as it was a “legitimate” spoil of war. Łaski’s statutes was published in 1506 before a copy was taken by Sweden during an invasion in the mid-17th Century and is now in the collection of Uppsala University.
Source: Politico
The Kosovo government has postponed the introduction of a ban on Serbian documents and license plates until September 1. Plans to impose restrictions have led to an escalation between the authorities of Pristina and the Serbs on the northern borders.
Source: RFERL
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had not yet obtained permission to visit the Olenivka prison where Ukrainian prisoners of war died in a strike on the facility. Their offer of material assistance has not been accepted.
Source: DW
The legal affairs committee backed a provisional deal on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. This directive will oblige businesses to report on environmental, social, and working standards and on human rights, anti-corruption, and bribery matters.
Source: EUobserver
Accession negotiations for North Macedonia and Albania started in what was described as a «historic moment» for the two Western Balkans countries and for the European Union. EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania have been pending since 2020. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the strategic importance of the Western Balkans to the EU has increased.
Source: Euronews
Russian lawmakers have proposed extending a ban on promoting «non-traditional» sexual relationships to minors to include adults as well. The bill would ban public discussion of LGBTQ relationships in a positive or neutral light, and any LGBTQ content in cinemas.
Source: DW
The Kremlin wants to organise elections for the lands it has annexed from Ukraine to become part of Russia in September. The international community is likely to reject any referendum as illegal, just as it was with the vote in Crimea in 2014.
Source: Bloomberg
In Italy, Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned, and President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament. The Italian President signed a decree on holding early parliamentary elections on September 25.
Source: CNN
The Spanish parliament has approved a new historical memory law that declares illegal the regime of former dictator General Francisco Franco and makes the central government responsible for the recovery of the bodies of people missing from the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship.
Source: Washington Post
The European Commission said that Lithuania had to allow Russian goods to be transported from Russia to Kaliningrad through Lithuanian territory. Russia can continue rail transit of sanctioned goods as long as they don't serve military purposes.
Source: DW
The country will join 19 other EU member states that use the currency. To adopt the euro, Croatia had to fulfill the criteria of price and exchange rate stability, sound public finances, and moderate long-term interest rates, all measured against EU benchmarks.
Source: France24
Hungarian law discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity That case relates to a law Hungary enacted last year banning the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change in schools.
Source: Reuters