Five Stories from Europe You May Have Missed

[rpannier]

1. Frontrunner to succeed Merkel ‘sorry’ for joking amid fresh German floods

More flash-floods have devastated towns in Austria, Bavaria and eastern Germany, as the frontrunner to replace the chancellor, Angela Merkel, was forced to apologise after seeming to make light of a catastrophic situation that has claimed the lives of more than 150 people.

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The conservative frontrunner to step into her shoes, Armin Laschet, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on Thursday interrupted a party meeting to attend flood-hit areas in NRW, the populous western state he represents as premier.

While visiting the devastated town of Erftstadt, where an eroded gravel quarry had swallowed cars, bits of road and entire buildings, Laschet was on Saturday caught sharing jokes with bystanders while the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, solemnly addressed the cameras.

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Laschet tweeted an apology on Saturday afternoon. “The fate of those affected, which we heard about in many conversations, is important to us,” he wrote. “So I regret all the more the impression that arose from a conversational situation. That was inappropriate and I am sorry.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/18/germany-floods-armin-laschet-cdu-apologises-for-joking

2. Pussy Riot Member Leaves Russia Citing 'Persecution'

Veronika Nikulshina, a member of the Pussy Riot performance-art collective, has left Russia after being released from custody following her second arrest in less than a month.

Nikulshina told Dozhd television that she left because of the ongoing state “persecution” of Pussy Riot members and her repeated arrests for failure to obey police officers.

Nikulshina said she left Russia immediately after her release from jail on July 17, adding that she believed her car to the airport was followed.

She said that she has not emigrated and plans to return to Russia, possibly after the country’s legislative elections in September.

https://www.rferl.org/a/pussy-riot-veronika-nikulshina-/31364626.html

3. 'Brutal' Chechen Leader Kadyrov The Face Of Balkan Music Festival

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The flamboyantly militant Chechen leader and his cronies famously clowned with a visiting Mike Tyson. He flew in former Brazilian soccer stars for a celebrity match against his own private team. And he hired Hollywood stars for his 35th birthday.

His critics and perceived opponents have had less reason to celebrate a regime marked by alleged political assassinations, kidnappings, and other systematic persecution.

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They're using images of Kadyrov, in full military dress, in promotional materials on- and off-line to attract visitors to the festival in Bileca, in the Serb-dominated part of the country, on July 22.

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Filipovic suggested it was even "more disturbing" that Trebjesa Brewery in neighboring Montenegro, which is owned by U.S.-based Molson Coors Beverage Company, was a sponsor.

https://www.rferl.org/a/kadyrov-balkan-music-festival/31363411.html

4. Portugal flights disrupted in second day of airports strike

A strike by airport baggage handlers and ground crews in Portugal was expected to cause a second day of disruption Sunday, with most flights into and out of Lisbon cancelled.

The 48-hour walkout forced the cancellation of around 300 flights on Saturday, mostly in Lisbon. Long lines formed as stranded passengers sought to rearrange their travel plans.

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The strike is part of an ongoing financial dispute between Portuguese handling company Groundforce and national flag carrier TAP Air Portugal, which is bearing the brunt of the cancellations.

Groundforce claims TAP owes it €12 million for services rendered and blames the debt for unpaid wages among its staff.

https://www.euronews.com/2021/07/18/portugal-flights-disrupted-in-second-day-of-airports-strike

5. Final Results In Bulgarian Vote Confirm Win For Anti-Elite Party

The final results from Bulgaria’s snap parliamentary elections released on July 13 confirm earlier preliminary results showing the anti-elite party called There Is Such a People (ITN) edging out former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's GERB-led coalition.

With 100 percent of the ballots counted, TV entertainer Slavi Trifonov's ITN finished first with 24.08 percent and GERB with 23.51, Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission said.

The parliamentary elections were held just three months after a previous, inconclusive vote. ITN’s vote total on July 11 was more than 92,000 beyond its total in the previous elections, held on April 4. GERB’s total was nearly 200,000 votes below what it received in April.

Four other parties gained enough votes to enter parliament. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) was first among them with 13.39 percent, while liberal, Western-leaning grouping Democratic Bulgaria was next with 12.64 percent.

https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-elections-borisov-gerb-trifonov/31357002.html

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Thanks for sharing. I love these short but concise clips of news from Europe, and other ...

places. There is so much to absorb, news-wise, and having a single place to go, to gain a perspective of the news from Europe, is nice. Thanks again!

[jmbar2]

2. What the prev poster said

Many thanks.

[2naSalit]

3. K&R

[malaise]

4. Nice to see you back here man