The Dispatch

Seven dead after boat capsizes in Danube river in Budapest

At least seven people have died and 19 are missing after a boat capsized on the Danube river in Hungary's capital Budapest. Thirty-three people, mostly tourists from South Korea, were…

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Photo Story: Final farewell to Niki Lauda

Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to the Formula One legend Niki Lauda during his funeral today in St. Stephen's Cathedral in his home city of Vienna. Hundreds…

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Austrian government crumbles as Chancellor Kurz loses no-confidence motion

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has lost a no-confidence motion, forcing his government from office, despite his party's victory in the European elections. It came after his former coalition partners in…

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Hungary rejects Weber for EU’s top job

Hungary's foreign minister has shut down the idea of supporting German MEP Manfred Weber as the next EU commission president. In an interview with Euronews the day after the…

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Romania’s most powerful politician, sentenced to jail for corruption

Liviu Dragnea, Romania’s de facto leader was sent to prison for three-and-a-half years for corruption. The guilty verdict against ruling-party leader Dragnea for abuse of office was upheld Monday by…

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Europe Votes: Poland, ExitPolls, the projections

Exit Polls indicate that Law and Justice are set to win 42.4% of the vote in Poland. This is a summary of Politico’s projections for the voting today in Poland:…

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Europe Votes: Slovenia, the projections

This is a summary of Politico’s projections for the voting today in Slovenia: Slovenia – The Projections If turnout of 24.55% is maintained in this vote, Politico predicts SDS-SLS will beat…

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Europe Votes: Romania, the projections

This is a summary of Politico’s projections for the voting today in Romania: Romania – The Projections If turnout of 33.67% is maintained in this vote, Politico predicts PNL will…

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Europe Votes: Hungary, the projections

This is a summary of Politico’s projections of the voting today in Hungary: Hungary – The Projections If turnout of 28.97% is maintained in this vote, Politico predicts Fidesz&KDNP will…

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Romania’s Social Democrats hire prominent Brussels lobbyists to clean up image

The ruling Social Democrat party (PSD) in Romania has hired Brussels lobbyists to clean up its battered image in the EU press. Poltico reports that the PSD in April…

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Work permits for foreign workers hits record high in Poland

According to the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS), the country is experiencing a surge in the registration of foreign workers in the country. Last year, Poland issued over 300,000 work…

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PhotoStory: Floods in Poland

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SlideShow: A Tribute to Niki Lauda

A series of photos of three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda who died this week at the age of 70. Lauda, who underwent a lung transplant in August,…

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Austria heading for September election

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on Sunday recommended a new election be held in early September. He said he wanted to restore trust in the government after a…

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Poland’s pro-EU opposition with a 10-point lead

The European Coalition, Poland's pro-EU opposition has a 10-point lead over the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) ahead of European Parliament elections. According to a survey issued on Friday,…

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EU warns Romania it will act ‘without delay’ over ‘major’ rule of law concerns

Politico reports that the European Commission will “trigger the rule of law framework without delay” over “major concerns” about the state of rule of law in Romania, according to a…

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Polish Cardinal defies Italian police to restore electricity to homeless shelter

Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Pope Francis' almoner - the person is in charge of the pope's charities and helping the poor- on Sunday lowered himself into a manhole to restore…

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Poland to introduce harsher sentences for child abuse

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Poland's Ruling party promised harsher sentences for child abuse, as the release of a documentary about paedophile priests created a fresh battleground in an election…

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Photostory: Fatal stabbing at Polish school

A teenager died at a Warsaw primary school after being stabbed with a sharp tool during a quarrel with another student, Polish police said Friday. Warsaw police spokesman Tomasz Oleszczuk…

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Germans prefer living in Austria and the UK

The Germany's Federal Statistics Office released its annual report on the number of German citizens living abroad within the EU. According to the new report, almost 200,000 Germans have moved…

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EU heads meet in Romania to chart bloc’s next steps

European Union leaders meet in Romania today to try chart a way forward after the historic setback of Brexit and to have their first go at picking people to…

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Poland salutes Malta on the anniversary of it’s EU membership

On the 15th anniversary of the EU enlargement that amongst others saw Malta become a member State, the Polish National Foundation issued a cute video saluting Malta on this historic…

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Juncker sceptical Poland will leave the EU

Out-going EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Poland is unlikely to leave the European Union, even if the ruling euro sceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party wins re-election this year,…

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Polish leader describes LGBT rights as a threat to the nation

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the chairman of Poland's conservative ruling party and considered the de facto leader in Poland, has called the LGBT rights movement a foreign import that threatens the Polish…

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Slideshow: Easter in Gdynia for NATO-SNMG1

Six ships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (NATO-SNMG1) entering the Polish port of Gdynia for a working visit. The NATO-SNMG1 vessels include a US destroyer, four frigates…

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Czech police recommend charges against Prime Minister

Police in the Czech Republic have recommended that charges be filed against Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and several others in a case involving the alleged misuse of EU funds. A…

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Slideshow: The Arts on Eggs Museum in Hungary

Photos from The Arts on Eggs Museum in Zengovarkony, 188 kms south of Budapest, Hungary. The decoration of eggs is an integral part of folk traditions related to Easter…

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Poland unlikely to exclude all Huawei equipment from its mobile networks

Poland is unlikely to exclude all Huawei equipment from its next generation mobile networks, a government minister told Reuters, in part to avoid increased costs for mobile operators. Huawei,…

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Poland accused of breaking EU law

Poland was accused of breaking EU law after it lowered the judges' retirement age and failed to uphold the independence of its Supreme Court. Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS)…

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Austria to extend border controls

Austria will extend its border controls for Hungary and Slovenia until at least November. In a letter written by the Austrian Interior, Minister Herbert Kickl, to the European Commission, he…

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Romania laments brain drain

Eugen Teodorovici, Romanian Finance Minister, said the country's brain drain is undermining Romania's ability to compete on a European level and called on the European Union to do more to…

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Poland’s ‘Most Wanted’ arrested in Spain

Spanish police arrested a man identified only by the initials of M.A.F. and who is believed to be the most-wanted man in Poland. Spanish authorities described the man as a…

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After Brexit will it be Polexit’s turn

Leaders of the opposition European Coalition (KE) have warned that the ruling Eurosceptic PiS party could be planning a Polexit, Poland’s departure from the European Union. The warning was given…

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Romania’s President calls for ban on the use of an amnesty for corruption offences

The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has proposed two main themes for the referendum on national justice reform that the country will hold on May 26. Iohannis proposed a ban on…

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Caruana Galizia family and of Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak urge EU to support Kovesi for Chief European Prosecutor role

The Romanian website Business Review reported that in a letter published by Romanian MEP Cristian Preda on the social media, the families of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and Slovakian…

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Polish priest apologizes for burning of ‘Harry Potter’ books

A priest in northern Poland who led a public burning of books that included titles from the "Harry Potter" series and other items has apologized, saying the ritual was not…

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EU takes legal action against Poland

The EU has launched fresh legal action against Poland over controversial reforms to its legal system which it said represent a serious setback for legal freedoms. The European Commission…

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Slovakia’s first female president says her victory is a win for progressive values

Zuzana Caputova was elected as Slovakia’s first female President, after fighting a positive campaign based on progressive values and political reform, and providing a rare moment of hope for…

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Poland hints that it will not fully apply EU copyright law

The Polish ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said Saturday that a copyright directive adopted by EU lawmakers this week, to be implemented by the 28 member nations, threatens freedom.…

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Slovakia goes to the polls

Slovakia Saturday is set to vote for a new president, with front-runner, Zuzana Caputova facing European Union Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. The two candidates got the most votes in the first…

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Link between Christchurch attacker and European far-right group

Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, responsible for the Christchurch massacre in two mosques, had a financial link to the European far-right movement Generation Identity.…

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Syrian Islamic State member detained in Hungary

Hungarian police detained a Syrian man accused of taking part in beheadings in Syria as a member of Islamic State, Budapest prosecutors said in a statement. The man, who was…

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LGBT rights set to be Poland’s electoral battlefront

Poland's ruling The Law and Justice Party (PiS) has condemned a new school sex education programme planned in Poland's opposition-ruled capital Warsaw, calling it an infringement of traditional Catholic values…

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Orban indicates Fidesz may leave the EPP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban revealed that his ruling nationalist Fidesz party may drop out of the European People's Party (EPP), the center-right grouping in the European Parliament. In…

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Indications of a landslide for Dulkiewicz in Gdańsk mayoral ballot

The Polish media is reporting that early indications from Gdańsk, are showing that Aleksandra Dulkiewicz (photo above), acting mayor of Gdańsk, has gained 82-percent support in Sunday’s elections for the…

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Viktor Orbán calls EPP antagonists ‘useful idiots’

Politico reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán labelled those in the European People's Party (EPP) critical of his party, "useful idiots". Orbán was quoted by Politico as saying this…

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Gdańsk votes to replace murdered mayor

Radio Poland reported that the northern Polish city of Gdańsk is holding an early election Sunday for the post of mayor. The ballot had to be organised after former city…

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Iranian President meets Austrian Chancellor

DW: Hassan Rouhani has met with Austrian Chancellor Kurz and President Van der Bellen in a bid to save the Iran nuclear deal. But his trip has been overshadowed by an…

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Merkel’s meeting with Orban described as a sign of ‘new winds blowing in Europe’ though evident differences on views on issue of migration

Euronews/ AFP: In a joint press conference following the talks, divisions between the pair were clear. Orban argued that closing borders was the only way to deal with migration. "If the…

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Austrian Chancellor calls for stronger borders with Germany

DW: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has warned that Germany's new migration deal could force the Alpine country to impose stronger border checks on Italy and Slovenia. The deal ended a bitter…

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France 24: Europe’s Orphans – Since Romania joined EU, 15% of population left their country. Between 100,000 and 300,000 children left behind

France 24: Since Romania joined the EU in 2007, an estimated 15% of the adult population has left the country to work in Western Europe. That situation has created a vacuum…

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EU opens fresh legal case against Poland on Rule of Law

European Commission / Reuters: The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure by sending a Letter of Formal Notice to Poland regarding the Polish law on the Supreme Court, which critics says…

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Romania’s ruling party leader sentenced to prison

The leader of Romania’s ruling party, Liviu Dragnea, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for instigating abuse of office. The ruling came from the High…

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Hungary is to step up its anti-immigration measures with a new 25 percent special tax on aid groups which support migration

Euronews: Hungary is to step up its anti-immigration measures with a new 25 percent special tax on aid groups which support migration. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has been among…

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