Eurogroup issues Greece an ultimatum: Talks between Greece and eurozone finance ministers over the country’s debt crisis broke down on Monday when Athens rejected a proposal to request a six-month extension of its international bailout package. European creditors issued Greece with an ultimatum, saying the country must accept a key condition in bailout talks by Friday or face meeting its debt commitments on its own. Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Greece had the rest of the week to request an extension to the program. Greece’s Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis declared he was ready to do whatever it takes to reach agreement over its bailout after the collapse of talks with EU finance ministers.
bbc.com, abcnews.com, reuters.com
Ukraine ceasefire at risk: More than a day into a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, violence erupted once again between the military and pro-Russian separatists, casting further doubt about whether the peace plan will hold. The Ukrainian military said the rebels had attacked 112 times since early Sunday, mostly in the contested Debaltseve area, which remains in contention despite the ceasefire. The European Union added 19 more people and nine organizations to its list of sanctioned Russian entities, including two Russian deputy defense ministers. Activists gather in Moscow daily to show that another, peaceful Russia still exists.
cnn.com, reuters.com, bbc.com
Germany rejects participation in EU investment fund: The German government categorically rejects a direct participation in EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Investment Fund. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble announced that Germany will nonetheless contribute eight billion euros for European investments through the German Reconstruction Loan Corporation. The eight billion euros are not intended to flow into the European Investment Fund for Strategic Investment (Efsi), instead they should be given out in cooperation with the Efsi. The exact details still need to be finalized.
chicagotribune.com
Denmark continues fight against IS: Despite the obviously Islamic-motivated terrorist attacks in Copenhagen, the Danish air force continues to participate in the international military action against the terrorist militia Islamic State in Iraq. Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt appealed for national unity and said, Democracy and freedom of speech remain strong in Denmark and will not be threatened. Thorning-Schmidt underlines that this is not a conflict between Islam and the West, or Muslims and non-Muslims, but a conflict between the core values of society and violent extremists.
cnn.com, bbc.com, wallstreetjournal.com
UN Security Council passes resolution on Yemen: The UN security council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding that Shia rebels in Yemen immediately relinquish control of Yemen’s government. The resolution approved by all 15 council members at an emergency meeting does not act under chapter seven of the UN charter, which would allow it to be militarily enforced. It demands that the rebels withdraw forces from government institutions and engage in UN-led peace talks.
theguardian.com, time.com, abcnews.com
Ukraine could cost the West: The American agency Fitch Ratings has downgraded Ukraine’s credit rating once again. The country’s economy is not doing well. Fitch downgraded Ukraine’s rating to „CC“, which denotes that default of some kind appears probable. CC is the second-lowest credit rating before RD and D, both of which are given to nations that are failing to pay back certain loans but have not entered default or are currently in default. The probability of the state going backrupt is said to be at 84 percent. Aid pledges worth 15.5 billion euros by the International Monetary Fund could help the Ukraine a little, but won’t be able to save the ailing country’s economy completely.
bloomberg.com
Demonstration More than 1,000 Hungarians protest in Budapest against Putin’s visit yahoonews.com
OSCE Merkel and Hollande call for free access for monitors to Ukraine reuters.com
Middle East Special Representative Tony Blair warns of catastrophe in Gaza strip yahoonews.com
„He is a hero, he saved us.“
The mother of the 12-year-old girl whose Bat Mitzvah was held in the synagogue during the shooting in Copenhagen, honors security guard Dan Uzan, who was killed in the attack.
theguardian.com„Under any other circumstances, it would be unacceptable for an individual who cannot pay down a loan to insult the bank director and dictate the conditions.“
Austrian Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling has no understanding for the Greek rhetoric.
reuters.com
Denmark after the attacks: According to reports, the 22-year-old Dane with Arabic origins who killed two people in Copenhagen wanted to join the terrorist militia Islamic State in Syria. Police had put him on a list of radicalized inmates after he had expressed his plans during a sentence in prison. Two men suspected of helping the gunman were arrested by Danish police. Tens of thousands of Danes gathered at memorials around the country to commemorate the victims of the attacks.
reuters.com, bbc.com, nytimes.com
TV stations refuse to broadcast Poroshenko speech: Several television stations did not broadcast President Petro Poroshenko’s speech on the ceasefire agreed upon in Minsk. While foreign TV channels broadcast the speech live, several Ukrainian stations simply did not show the speech at all. The Minsk ceasefire agreement is apparently not being supported by influential circles in the Ukraine. Poroshenko has threatened to take action against the media should they continue to violate their information obligation. Observers believe this to be a sign of a power struggle between Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
tagesspiegel.de, nytimes.com
Teenagers defiled Jewish cemetery: French police detained five teenage boys in relation to the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in the eastern part of the country. One teen had turned himself in, which then led the police to four others who are suspected of knocking over and vandalizing about 250 out of the 400 tombstones at the cemetery. The teenagers are between the ages of 15 and 17 and claim that they thought that the cemetery was abandoned. The teenager who spoke to police denies any form of antisemitism.
wallstreetjournal.com, cnn.com
Italy fears IS attacks: An upsurge in violence in Libya has the Western nations increasingly alarmed. Italy warns that the terrorist militia IS is at Europe’s doorstep. Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Italy backed efforts by the UN to bring warring factions to the table to try to broker a ceasefire. Italy would weigh participating in any military intervention to keep forces from the Islamic State group from advancing in Libya should the diplomatic efforts fail. The situation in Libya is deteriorating, Gentiloni said, adding that Italy cannot underestimate the possibility of an attack by Islamic State militants.
reuters.com, nbcnews.com, financialtimes.com
Turkey debates death penalty after student’s murder: Three suspects have been arrested in the murder of 20-year-old Özgecan Aslan, whose body was found Friday in Mersin’s Tarsus district in southern Turkey. As an act of mourning and in part as an act of protest, women across Turkey dressed in black to honor the memory of Aslan. Aslan was stabbed and beaten to death by a bus driver as she travelled home on a bus from university. Police believe the bus driver tried to rape Aslan and then killed her when she tried to fight off the attack. The university student’s killing last week has become a flashpoint for the ongoing fight to end violence against women in Turkey.
cnn.com
Fehmarnbelt tunnel consumes billions: The costs of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel between Germany and Denmark were estimated to be 5.5. billion euros in 2008. Meanwhile, the prestige project costs nine billion euros. Many see the tunnel as an environmentally-unfriendly tomb for billions of euros. A gross misinvestment which excessively destroys nature and attacks the ocean floors in exchange for a few thousand cars daily and savings in travel time of one hour. The German railway company Deutsche Bahn has already withdrawn from the project. The refinancing through toll charges will not be enough to cover the project.
tagesspiegel.de
Greece Syria party nominates Dimitris Avramopoulos for president greekreporter.com
Moldova Parliament rejects pro-European government of former Prime Minister Leanca abcnews.com
Norway Oslo fears for Norwegian part of Arctic businessinsider.com
Around 44 percent of all direct investments in the EU come from the US. 2013 they totalled 1651.6 billion euros.
economist.com
politjobs.eu: ONE seeks Policy Officer, Agriculture and Inclusive Growth *** AEC seeks Chief Executive Officer (CEO) *** Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum seeks Communications Manager *** interel EU seeks Consultant *** European Climate Foundation seeks European Relationship Manager *** European Peacebuilding Liaison Office seeks Executive Director
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
Germany celebrates Carnival: Rose Monday celebrations went ahead in Germany’s Rhineland region despite a terror alert that saw the cancelation of a procession through the northern city of Braunschweig. The traditional celebration ahead of Lent attracted hundreds of thousands of revelers. More or less drunk and costumed Germans stood in the streets to watch scores of carnival floats, from which sweets are thrown to spectators, and celebrate Rose Monday. Many floats had political and satirical themes, with one paying tribute to the slain cartoonists of French magazine Charlie Hebdo.
dw.de