In today’s news from the Capitals
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TALLINN
Estonia is “seriously” considering granting Russian opposition leader and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny asylum in case he is either banished or voluntarily leaves Russia, Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets said on Tuesday.
The anti-corruption campaigner, who is on hunger strike and whose allies say his life is in danger, is being treated at a prison hospital about 180km east of Moscow, amid reports of mistreatment and deteriorating health. Read more.
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EU PRESIDENCY
Portuguese presidency to give MEPs a new eco-scheme offer in CAP talks. The Portuguese presidency of the EU Council aims to meet the European Parliament halfway by increasing up to 25% the eco-scheme ring-fencing, in a bid to break the deadlock on the green architecture of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform. Read the full story.
More than 20,000 people signed a Slovak petition calling for the “greening” of the agriculture sector, which was delivered to Agriculture Minister Ján Mičovský on Wednesday. The petition organised by environmental group SOS/Birdlife Slovakia calls for more support for farmers in transitioning towards more sustainable use of fields, meadows and forests.
One of the petition’s objectives is to divide Slovakia’s fields, the average of which is the largest in the EU. The smaller fields, according to the petition, would not be allowed to surpass a maximum area of 20 hectares.
“We can’t change the past, but we can influence the future and that is what should be held dear to each and every one of us. I can promise that with my colleagues, I will do everything to bring diversity to our country,” said Mičovský, who supported the petition.
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