Europe at aglance NEWS 7
19 February 2022 THEWEEKParis
Pécressetacks
right:In herfirst
bigset-piecerally,
Valérie Pécresse,
the centre-right
Republican
candidatein
France’s
presidential race,
vowedto fight
immigration,
Islamismand
cancelculture. Mostcommentators
deemed thespeechanunsuccessfultackto
theright,withPécresse,thecurrentleader
of the Parisregion,seeminguneasyasshe
embracedtheagendaofherfar-rightrivals.
Pécresseis vyingwith MarineLePenand
ÉricZemmourforsecondplace inthe
polls.But inrecentweeks hercampaign
hasbeenhit byseveral defectionstothat
of the centrist President Macron,who
increasinglyappearsto have aclearpath
to victoryin April’selection.
Pokrov,Russia
NewNavalnytrial:ThejailedRussian
anti-corruptioncampaigner Alexei
Navalnyhasgoneontrialon newcharges
of embezzlementthatcouldseehim
imprisonedforanadditional15 years.
Currently,Navalnyisservingathree-and-
a-half-yearsentenceonseparatecorruption
charges.Thelatest charges–that he
embezzled donationsmadeto hisanti-
corruptionfoundation –are regardedby
Westerngovernmentsastrumpedup by
the Kremlin todiscredithim.In 2020,
Navalnysurvived anassassinationattempt
by poisoning,and wasarrested after
recoveringin Germanyandreturningto
Russia.The trialisbeingheldat the IK- 2
penalcolony inPokrov, 100kmeastof
Moscow,whereNavalnyisimprisoned.Cárceres, Spain
Demolitionjob:Aluxury resortin western
Spain dubbedthe “rural Marbella” –a
sprawling development including 185
villasand an artificialbeach–mustbe
demolished in itsentirety becauseit was
builtunlawfully in an environmentally
protected area. Thecountry’s supreme
courthas orderedthe removal of the
Marina IsladeValdecañas,which lies on
an island in areservoir near Cáceres in
Extremadura(about 100 milesfrom
Madrid),and cost more thans100 mto
build. In addition to thevillas and beach,
it boasts afour-starhotel, an 18-hole golf
course, swimming poolsand 76 moorings.
However, its construction hasbeen the
subject of adisputebetweenthe developers
andenvironmental groupsever since work
beganin2007.In2020, aregional court
ruled that the resort had been builtillegally
but should be allowedto stand. The
supreme court overturned that decision.
Paris
Copycatconvoys:Protestersagainst
Covid-19restrictions tooktothe streetsin
theNetherlandsandFrance last weekend,
inspired byCanada’s“Freedom Convoy”.
InFrance, motoristsorganisedwhatthey
called a“Convoide laLiberté”, and
convergedon the capital from all overthe
country,despiteapoliceban onentering
thecity.Policefired teargas and made
dozensofarrestsastheprotestershonked
horns,wavedtricolourflags and climbed
on topoftheircars,blockingparts ofthe
Champs-Élysées. Manywereobjectingto
alawthatrequirespeopletoshow proof
ofvaccination toenter publicplaces such
ascafés,restaurantsand museums.In the
Netherlands,aconvoy ofvehiclesarrived
at the centreof The HagueonSaturday,
bringingpartsofittoastandstill: lorries,
vansandcars blockedtheentrancetothe
parliamentarycomplexand were ordered
tomoveby police.
Warsaw
Fearsofrefugeecrisis:Poland, Romania
and other countries bordering Ukraineare
makingpreparationsfor whatsomefear
could be afloodoftens, or evenhundreds,
of thousandsofpeople fleeing thecountry
in the eventofafull-scale Russian
invasion. Poland, whichisalready hometo
betweenone and two million Ukrainians,
is likelyto be afavoured destinationinthe
eventof war.The Warsawgovernment
said it waspreparing forthe worst-case
scenario, andhad madedetailed plans.
Romania’s interiorministersaidhe
believedthat Polandwas “preparing to
take one millionmigrants”, and that his
own countrywas planning for apotential
influx in thehundreds of thousands. The
governments of Slovakia and Hungary,
whichshare shorterborders with Ukraine,
also said they werepreparing for arefugee
crisis. Several airlines suspendedflightsto
Ukraine this week.Belgrade
Noregrets:
Novak Djokovic,
theworld No. 1
men’s tennis
player,has said
he will sitout the
French Openand
Wimbledonthis
summer if his
participation is
madeconditional
on receiving aCovid vaccine.Inhis first
interview since beingdeportedfrom
Australia–after aprotracted rowoverhis
vaccinationstatus –the Serb said he was
not opposedtovaccines, but supported
“the freedomtochoosewhatyou put in
your body”. Djokovicneeds to winone
moremajortoequal therecord 21 wonby
RafaelNadal; but he said “the principles
of decision-making on my body” were
“moreimportantthan any title”.Bern
Tobaccoadvertising:VotersinSwitzerland
havebackedaban ontobacco advertising
–years after most Europeancountries–
although the Swissgovernmentand
parliamentopposedthe move. Nearly
57%ofvoters,and 16ofSwitzerland’s
26 cantons, votedin favourof anear-total
ban inSunday’sreferendum,followinga
campaignled bydoctorsand teachers.
Switzerland ishometothe headquarters
ofsomeofthe world’smajortobacco
companies,includingPhilipMorrisand
JapanTobacco.Theindustrycontributes
over£4.5bn ayeartothe Swisseconomy.
Attemptsto introducetighter curbson
advertisinghave been rejected by
parliamentonseveraloccasions.TheNo
campaign,whichwasfundedbytobacco
companies,argued that theban wouldlead
to other legal,butunhealthy, products
beingtargeted. Campaignposters
featured picturesof cakesand
sausages,with the warning:
“Thesewillbenext”.Catchupwithdailynewsat theweek.co.uk