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If you drive in Greece – the fines are cruel

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News desk
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The holiday season is approaching. And now many choose Greece for a sunny weekend by the sea. Thousands travel every week to Greece, tour operators have stepped up and vacations have begun.

Here are the rules to watch out for on the roads there:

Overspeed

– exceeding the speed limit by up to 20 km / h – 40 euros

– Exceeding by up to 30 km / h – 100 euros

– Exceeding over 30 km / h – 350 euros and revocation of the license for 60 days

– driving under the influence of alcohol (between 0.5 and 0.8 per mille in a blood test) – 200 euros

Alcohol

– driving under the influence of alcohol (0. 8 – 1. 1 per mille in a blood test) – 700 euros and withdrawal of the book for 90 days

– driving under the influence of alcohol over 1.1 ppm – a fine of 1,200 euros, confiscation of the license for 180 days and imprisonment for up to 3 years (now according to the new Penal Code)

– driving under the influence of drugs or narcotics – a minimum fine of 200 euros, revocation of the license between 90 and 180 days, and imprisonment for up to 3 years

Belts and helmets

– driving without a seat belt – 350 euros, revocation of the book for 10 days

– passenger without seat belt – 350 euros

– motorcyclist without safety helmet – 350 euros and withdrawal of the book for 10 days

Overtaking and crossing

– Unauthorized overtaking – 700 euros, confiscation of the book and confiscation of registration numbers for 20 days

– passing a red traffic light – 700 euros, confiscation of the book and numbers for 20 days

– non-stopping of the Stop sign – 700 euros, confiscation of the booklet and numbers for 20 days

– incorrect crossing of the railway crossing – 700 euros, confiscation of the book for 60 days and the numbers for 20 days

Parking

– Parking in a disabled place – 150 euros and removal of the book and numbers for 10 days

– Improper parking – 80 euros, revocation of the book for 10 days, revocation of numbers for 20 days

Phones and radars

– motorcyclist talking on the phone – 150 euros and withdrawal of the book for 30 days

– driver talking on the phone without hands-free – 100 euros, withdrawal of the book for 30 days

– use of anti-radar or radar detector – 2000 euros, revocation of the license for 30 days and confiscation of numbers for 60 days

Permissible concentration of alcohol

It is good for tourists traveling to Greece to know that the permissible alcohol concentration is 0.5 per mille. For young drivers with less than two years of experience, professional drivers and motorcyclists the limit is 0.2 ppm. Driving with more than 1.1 ppm of alcohol in the blood is considered a serious offense and is punishable by imprisonment.

US Ambassador to Russia: Do not close our embassy

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Newsdesk
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Russia should not close the US embassy despite the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, because the two largest nuclear powers in the world must continue to talk, said the US ambassador to Moscow. President Vladimir Putin has described the invasion of Ukraine as a turning point in Russian history: a revolt against the hegemony of the United States, which the Kremlin leader said humiliated Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine and its Western supporters say it is fighting for survival against the reckless seizure of land in the imperial style, which killed thousands of people, displaced more than 10 million people and turned vast parts of the country into a wasteland. In a clear attempt to send a message to the Kremlin, John J. Sullivan, the US ambassador appointed by President Donald Trump, told Russia’s state news agency TASS that Washington and Moscow should not simply sever diplomatic relations. “We must keep the opportunity to talk to each other,” Sullivan told TASS. He warned that Leo Tolstoy’s works should not be removed from Western bookstores or Tchaikovsky’s music should not be released. Despite crises, spy scandals and Cold War strife and relations between Moscow and Washington have not broken down since the United States established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1933, according to Reuters.

But now Russia says its post-Soviet relationship with the West is over and will turn east. Last month, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken joked that he would like to dedicate Taylor Swift’s song “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” to Putin. Asked about this remark, Sullivan said: “We will also never part forever.” Asked by TASS if the analogy meant the embassies could be closed, Sullivan said: “Maybe – there is such a possibility, although I think it would be a big mistake.” “I understand that the Russian government has mentioned the option of severing diplomatic relations,” he said. The refusal of Empress Catherine the Great to support the British Empire when America declared independence laid the groundwork for the first diplomatic contacts between the United States and St. Petersburg, then Russia’s imperial capital.

After the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917, President Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize the revolutionary government of Vladimir Lenin and the US Embassy was closed in 1919. Relations were not restored until 1933. “The only reason I remember the United States can to be forced to close their embassy is if it becomes dangerous to continue its work, “Sullivan said. Asked how the relationship would develop, Sullivan, a 62-year-old lawyer, said he did not know, but added that he hoped for a rapprochement one day. “If I have to bet, I’d say maybe not in my life.”

Volkswagen faces charges of slave labor in Brazil

By
Gaston de Persigny
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In 1973, Volkswagen acquired 140,000 hectares of land in Brazil, where it set up a livestock farm. According to some reports, slave labor was widely used there and human rights violations were reported everywhere, as evidenced by dozens of testimonies cited by the German publications NDR, SWR and Süddeutsche Zeitung.

On June 14, 2022, a hearing will begin in the court of the Brazilian capital in the case of the subsidiary of the Volkswagen concern – VW do Brasil. According to a former employee of the company, the guards on the farm were armed, and those who tried to escape were tied up and beaten. A fleeing man was shot in the leg, and as punishment for the attempted escape, his wife was raped.

 “Workers had to work 7 days a week, more than 10 hours a day, and that’s without pay. They were abused and strictly forbidden to leave the farm, “said Rafael Garcia, a senior prosecutor. According to a 2017 investigation by the historian of the University of Bielefeld – Christopher Koper, commissioned by Volkswagen, VW do Brasil has made no effort to improve the situation of workers. It is alleged that the then board of directors of the Volkswagen Group in Wolfsburg was aware of these incidents. The current charges against Volkswagen cover the period from 1974 to 1986.

Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil was under a military dictatorship, and Volkswagen’s farm received support from rulers who wanted to promote the development of the Amazon region. It should be noted that this is not the first time that Volkswagen has been held responsible for cooperating with the Brazilian military dictatorship. As early as 2017, studies by the same publications NRD, SWR and Süddeutsche Zeitung showed that the largest European car giant is actively involved in political repression and persecution of opponents of the military dictatorship at the Sao Paulo plant.

It came to the point that in 2020, Volkswagen paid 36 million reais (about 5.5 million euros) in compensation to family members of employees who were tortured and killed during the military dictatorship. Prior to the criminal case, investigators had been gathering evidence for three years. According to senior prosecutor Rafael Garcia, it is possible to reach an agreement on monetary compensation for the victims. Otherwise, Volkswagen could be prosecuted.

The German carmaker plans to discontinue the production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in Europe by 2035. In addition, by 2030 in Europe, the company intends to increase the share of electric vehicles with total sales to 70%. “Volkswagen announced in March that it plans to set up a network of six battery factories for electric vehicles in Europe by 2030. The companies are expected to produce batteries with a total capacity of 240 GWh per year. The first two plants will operate in Sweden and Germany, using renewable energy sources. Production at the plant in Sweden should start in 2023, and in Germany in 2025.

Milan‘s Scala opens the season with Russian opera: We are against witch hunting

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Newsdesk
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The manager of the music institution Dominique Mayer also defended the decision to continue working with Russian performers such as soprano Anna Netrebko

Milan’s La Scala Opera House will open next season with Russian opera Boris Godunov, ANSA reported, citing opera manager Dominique Mayer. He said he was against the “witch hunt” linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Modest Mussorgsky’s masterpiece will open the season on December 7, he announced.

Mayer also defended the theater’s decision to continue working with Russian performers such as soprano Anna Netrebko. “I’m not for witch hunts,” Mayer told a news conference. “I do not support the rejection of Russian works, and when I read Pushkin, I do not hide,” he said.

The choice of the opera for the opening of the season was made several years ago, added Meyer, quoted by Reuters. The main roles in the production are entrusted to the Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov and the soprano Anna Denisova.

Immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, the Milan Opera House refused to work with Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who refused to condemn the war. Asked by a journalist what the difference was with the Gergiev case, Mayer said La Scala saw the Russian conductor almost as a politician. “He is something like a Russian culture minister. The other artists are in a different position – they receive awards, but that does not make them supporters of the war,” he added.

The Scala in Milan has planned over 200 performances for the 2022-2023 season.

As early as mid-March, a petition against Russia’s cultural isolation began in Italy – a petition calling for cooperation with Russia’s cultural and scientific representatives should not be refused, launched in Italy. According to the website change.org, as of Monday, nearly 20,000 people had signed the appeal, the TASS news agency reported at the time.

The authors of the petition note that after Russia launched the “operation” in Ukraine, in Italy “there are a number of dismissals of scholars and representatives of Russian culture.”

“Our concern is that discrimination against Russians, especially the most prominent members of this country, could have irreversible consequences in the long run. uncontrolled violence, “the text reads.

The authors of the document call on the Italian government to “not allow any acts of ostracism.”

“We hope that broader academic and cultural dialogue will help avoid isolating Russia,” the petition said.

Earlier, 200 Italian officials, including journalists, writers, musicians, students and teachers, as well as cultural figures, called on President Sergio Matarella and Culture Minister Dario Francescini not to discriminate against Russian culture.

Such calls were prompted by a number of events, including the cancellation of a lecture at the University of Milan on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s work by Italian Slavist, writer and translator Paolo Nori, and social media attacks on Italian-born Russian writer Nikolai Lilin, author of the novel Siberian upbringing “, on which the Italian director Gabriele Salvatores made the film of the same name (2013). In addition, La Scala removed the world-famous conductor Valery Gergiev, and Anna Netrebko canceled her participation in an opera production at the Milan Theater. Dancer Sergei Polunin also said he would not be able to present his Rasputin in Milan at the Archimboldi Theater in April due to injury. The show has been postponed to next year, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

Foods and drinks that kill libido

By
Gaston de Persigny
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0

See which foods kill sexual desire

We know that some foods are natural aphrodisiacs, but there are some that kill sexual desire, so they should not be consumed often.

Improper nutrition can kill libido as it not only causes drowsiness but also lowers testosterone levels.

Too much red meat, which is rich in hormones, can create an imbalance in the level of natural hormones, so it will be difficult for men to “get aroused” in bed.

Bean foods

Beans contain oligosaccharides (indigestible sugar molecules that the body cannot break down completely), which more often lead to abdominal cramps and excessive gas – this is definitely not romantic.

Cruciferous vegetables

Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli – they all contain raffinose, and people do not have the enzyme to break it down. When these vegetables reach the lower intestines, they ferment and produce methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen, leading to the formation of gases.

Garlic and onions

There is no way onions or garlic can make you irresistible to your partner. These spicy vegetables, as well as coffee and spicy foods have the ability to stir your body odors and not in the most pleasant way.

Inorganic soy products

Because soy contains isoflavones that mimic estrogen, called phytoestrogens, consuming too much can upset the hormonal balance of both men and women – leading to low libido. Do not eat excessive amounts of soy milk, edamame, tofu and soy-based meat alternatives.

Beer

You may want to drink a glass or two of beer before jumping between the sheets, but this can affect your libido. This is because hops used to make beer contain phytoestrogens that disrupt hormones.

Pastries from the store

There are two great sexual saboteurs in your favorite pastries from the store or the nearby bakery: trans fats and sugar. In both men and women, this leads to decreased libido. And rest assured, sex is better than dessert.

Cheese

Apart from the fact that many commercially produced dairy products are full of hormone-disrupting antibiotics, many people are also lactose intolerant. Remember stomach discomfort is not the best motivation to make you have fun in bed.

 “Red meat is a great source of protein and zinc, which help build muscle, but eat it in smaller amounts and not every day,” advises male nutritionist Frieda Harvey.

If you thought that soy is a good substitute for meat, you are wrong because it reduces the level of testosterone in the body, which also has a bad effect on libido.

Mint is also on the list of non-recommended foods, and alcohol consumption can directly lead to sexual problems.

Macron ready to bring Sofia and Skopje together in Paris, “when the time comes”

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Newsdesk
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Its goal is for the two countries to conclude a bilateral agreement that would allow the start of negotiations for the accession of RS Macedonia to the EU.

French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed readiness to bring together in Paris, “when the time comes”, representatives of the authorities in Sofia and Skopje to conclude a bilateral agreement that would allow negotiations to begin on the accession of the Republic of Northern Macedonia (PCM) to the European Union. , reported AFP.

France, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council until the end of this month, has been supporting “for several weeks” efforts to find a solution to the dispute between the two countries, the Elysee Palace said last night after Macron’s telephone conversations with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Prime Minister RSM Dimitar Kovachevski.

The French president expressed his “full support for an agreement between the two countries that would contribute to good neighborly relations and specify the European perspective of Northern Macedonia”.

Since November 2020, Sofia has blocked the start of EU membership talks with Skopje over bilateral disputes over language and history.

Source: BTA

Bulgaria and Romania agree on the construction of five new bridges over the Danube

By
News desk
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In July, repairs began on the Bulgarian section of the bridge near Ruse

Bulgaria and Romania are launching simultaneous feasibility studies at five locations on both sides of the Danube to build new bridges. This was announced by the press center of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

For the Romanian side, dredging the Danube is a priority. The Bulgarian side will respond adequately to this, as from June 20 the Executive Agency “Research and Maintenance of the Danube” (EAPPD) begins dredging the river with its own funds, and within a week we will announce a public tender for dredging activities, said the Minister. Nikolay Sabev during a meeting today in Bucharest of the joint Bulgarian-Romanian working group on connectivity, which is under the patronage of the two prime ministers.

On the Romanian side, the working group is led by Sorin Grindianu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure. The Bulgarian delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Bucharest HE Radko Vlaykov.

Minister Sabev stated that funding has been provided for the deepening of the Danube in the amount of BGN 15 million.

“The documentation has been prepared and has already been sent to the Public Procurement Agency for preliminary control, and the funds have been distributed for a three-year period,” he explained.

Regarding the joint project Fast Danube Sabev and Grindianu agreed by the end of 2022 a joint working group to prepare a joint project for funding by the European Commission of the planned engineering measures on the river.

Sabev informed his Romanian counterpart that Bulgaria is fully prepared for the launch of the Ruse-Giurgiu ferry connection and suggested that a joint border control be carried out in Ruse, while the necessary conditions are being created in Giurgiu. Deputy Prime Minister Grindianu has pledged to help local authorities speed up action in Giurgiu.

The Bulgarian side plans to start repairing its part of the Danube Bridge I in July, which from the point of view of the Romanian delegation could create serious problems for tourist and trade flows, the ministry said in a statement. Sabev will discuss the issue with Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadzhov so that the time for repairs can be planned so that traffic between the two countries is hindered to a minimum, the ministry said.

Paychecks: “Agreement writes socio-political history in Europe,” says MEP Radtke

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Newsdesk
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Dennis Radtke Member of the European Parliament
Dennis Radtke Member of the European Parliament

Paychecks: Agreement at night – lead negotiator Dennis Radtke (CDU): “Agreement writes socio-political history in Europe”

Straßburg/Düsseldorf, 07. Juni 2022 – “With the agreement on minimum wages, we are writing socio-political history in Europe. For the first time, EU legislation will make a direct contribution in ensuring that workers are getting fairer, better paychecks”, the lead negotiator of the European Parliament, Dennis Radtke (CDU), commented the result on a statement sent to The European Times.

Until deep in the past night, the EPP-Coordinator for Employment and Social Affairs had negotiated in the Trilogue between the Parliament, the Council and the European Commission and reached a compromise on the EU Minimum Wage Directive.

With the agreement on minimum wages, we are writing socio political history in Europe. For the first time, EU legislation will make a direct contribution in ensuring that workers are getting fairer, better paychecks

MEP Dennis Radtke

According to the North Rhine-Westphalian MEP, the compromise contains the following key points:

  • The “Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the European Union” sets, among other things, EU-wide procedural standards for the setting, updating and enforcing of statutory minimum wages;
  • the framework includes provisions to promote collective bargaining on wage-setting;
  • the directive requires the Member States to establish action plans to increase collective bargaining coverage if the latter is below 80 per cent.

“It was a tough job and we wrestled with the Council and the Commission until the very last moment”, Radtke assesses the agreement. “But I may say – it was worth it! Political soapbox speeches about the dignity of work are now finally being filled with life throughout the EU. The implementation of the standards set out in this directive will make a crucial difference in the lives of millions of workers with low and sometimes even existence-threatening wages.”

Together with his Dutch MEP colleague Agnes Jongerius (S&D), Radtke led the negotiations on the side of the Parliament. Parliament, Council and Commission are now working on the technical details of this deal. The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council is expected to take a decision on June 16. After that, the European Parliament must confirm the informally agreed text.

https://twitter.com/RadtkeMdEP/status/1534060305873002497

The fight against antisemitism is a fight for Europe

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Guest Author
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The fight against antisemitism is a fight for Europe

​ With antisemitism worryingly on the rise in Europe and beyond, the European Union is beginning to implement the first ever EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. EU regions and cities have a crucial role in protecting and promoting Jewish cultural heritage as a vital part of Europe’s culture and way of life.​

Presenting the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion at the plenary session last week, rapporteur János Adam Karácsony (HU/ECR) underlined that the fight against antisemitism is about safeguarding and demonstrating European core values. The Vice-President of the Pest Megye County Council welcomed that the EU strategy “includes a reference to the much-needed support for local and regional authorities to safeguard Jewish heritage and raise awareness of local Jewish culture and traditions” and suggested, for instance, that an action plan could be developed to revitalise Jewish quarters in European cities.

The opinion highlights the importance of education in preserving memory of Holocaust, dismantling prejudices against Jews and raising awareness of Jewish culture and history. “The purpose of combatting antisemitism is not just protection of Jewish community but the community of all European nations​ whose foundation is a commitment to shared values”, Mr Karácsony concluded.

“Antisemitism is a poison to society, a threat to our EU values and everything that the EU stands for. If we fail to ensure future for Jews in Europe, European project will have failed”, stressed Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism. She regretted that security concerns have led to Jews leaving some European countries and pointed out that “if the actions at EU level don’t trigger down to cities and regions, little will change for the Jewish community”.

Ms von Schnurbein warned against increasing antisemitic hate speech and conspiracy theories online and welcomed that the Czech EU Council Presidency will address the topic in a specific conference in November. She also accused Russia for using the Holocaust and false claims of denazification to justify the brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Opening of 6-9 June plenary session in Strasbourg

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European Parliament
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Opening of 6-9 June plenary session in Strasbourg | News | European Parliament
President Metsola expressed her condolences to those injured and to the relatives of those who died in a train accident in Bavaria on 3 June, at the opening of the session.

Outgoing MEPs

Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (Renew, France) as of 19 May 2022.

Incoming MEPs

Max Orville (Renew, France) as of 20 May 2022.

Changes to the agenda

Tuesday

As Mr Borrell cannot attend this part-session in Strasbourg, the Question Time with the High Representative, scheduled for Tuesday as the third item in the afternoon, is cancelled.

Wednesday

Council and Commission statements on “The massacre of Christians in Nigeria” are added to the agenda.

Thursday

The debate on Tuesday on the Council and Commission statements on “The rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national Recovery Plan (RRF)” will be wound up with a resolution to be put to the vote on Thursday.

Information concerning the distribution of votes is available on the website of the European Parliament under the section “Priority information”.

Requests by committees to start negotiations with Council and Commission

Decisions by committees to enter into inter-institutional negotiations (Rule 72) are published on the plenary website.

If no request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations is made by Tuesday 12.00 midnight, the committees may start negotiations.

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