David Sassoli

As reported by Politico, Metsola aimed to cleanse the European Parliament’s image, which had been tarnished by successive scandals. In response to Qatargate in 2022, which involved Greek MEP Eva Kaili accused of accepting cash from the Qatari government to exert influence, Metsola decided that greater transparency was the best way to combat corruption.

Defender of people with traditional sexual orientation, but an opponent of abortion. An unwavering fighter for the rule of law in her native Malta, but a much softer stance on similar issues in other EU countries.

"Politics for me requires being a manager and at the same time a leader in order to solve problems and steadily manage crises, big and small. Today we need to produce results because that is what people expect from us. Being a leader means first of all telling the truth and occasionally making unpopular decisions.

The conservative daily quotes from a letter sent by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to European Parliament President David Sassoli, in which she dismisses the criticism that the executive has failed to implement the rule-of-law conditionality.

Senate President Anca Dragu reiterated on Tuesday the dialogue she had in Brussels in the meetings with representatives of the European Parliament on topics such as the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), Schengen, the conference on the future of Europe or gender equality.

Hundreds of European lawmakers and staff travel to Strasbourg next week for the European Parliament's first session since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, though many think it is too early to return.

Temperature checks, masks, a French curfew and multiple health tests await them, with a mandatory quarantine upon their return to Belgium if they are away for more than 48 hours.

The European Union summoned the Russian ambassador on Monday after Moscow put eight EU nationals, including top Brussels officials, on a blacklist in retaliation for sanctions by the bloc.

Moscow's envoy was to meet senior officials from the European Commission and the EU's diplomatic service later in the afternoon, EU spokesman Peter Stano said.

The European Union hopes to start giving out money from its 750 billion euros coronavirus economic recovery fund before the end of September, the bloc's top officials said on Friday as they finalized approval of the landmark stimulus.

The leadership of the European Parliament announced that it has decided to schedule a session of MEPs in Brussels instead of Strasbourg from 30 March to 2 April. This decision is taken as a precautionary measure against the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

AGERPRES special correspondent Dana Piciu reports: Prime Minister Ludovic Orban stated on Wednesday in a joint press conference with the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli that he is concerned with the fact that the measures stipulated in the Green Deal might affect Europe's competitiveness at global level, insisting at the same time that each country must be allowed to access t