NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : AP File, Firstpost
By Lekshmi Muthu & Farhaz Rashid Ahmed
BULGARIA
Confirms to adopt the Euro
On 04 June, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Rossen Jeliazkov, stated that the EU's approval for adopting the Euro in 2025 and called the country’s progress a “remarkable day” after years of reforms and alignment with European partners. At the same time, many Bulgarians were protesting the move, with nearly half opposing euro adoption due to fears of economic hardship. They said that joining the eurozone would be like “boarding the Titanic.” While Bulgaria is the EU’s poorest member with 6.4 million people, it has been spending years preparing its economy and has been meeting nearly all eurozone criteria, along with inflation being the only hurdle until recently. Even, despite the past delays and political instability marked by seven elections in three years, the country was now moving closer to the Euro. It was seen that the EU leaders were congratulating Bulgaria, saying the euro would strengthen its economy, boost trade, attract investment, and improve jobs and income. Yet the final approval from the EU finance ministers was still pending, which is expected in July. (Richard Connor, “EU gives green light for Bulgaria to join the euro,” Deutsche Welle, 04 June 2025; “Bulgaria gets EU approval to adopt euro, PM welcomes ‘remarkable day’,” France 24, 04 June 2025)
FRANCE
Tunisian’s Murder raises concerns over anti-Muslim hate
On 04 June, France was in shock after Tunisian hairdresser, Hichem Miraoui, was murdered near the French Riviera last weekend. Miraoui, a 46-year-old, was shot near his home in Puget-sur-Argens on Saturday, while another man of Turkish background was also injured. The suspect, Christophe B, a 53-year-old, was being filmed using racist language and inciting violence against Muslims shortly before being arrested. Authorities were condemning the crime as hate-fuelled. The French officials were calling it a racist and possibly an anti-Muslim and terrorist act. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office launched its first probe into a murder believed to be driven by far-right ideology. While the muslim communities across France were expressing their fear and sadness at this incident. Even the religious leaders warned about rising Islamophobia and urged political and media figures to take responsibility for spreading hate. The communities were also linking Miraoui’s death to the earlier murder of Malian Aboubakar Cissé, who was being stabbed in a mosque while his attacker was fuelling hate against Islam. (Rory Sullivan, “Murder of Tunisian man sparks France's first far-right terrorism investigation,” Euronews, 04 June 2025)
GERMANY
Bundestag expels an MP for wearing a pro-Palestine t-shirt
On 04 June, German Left Party MP, Cansin Kokturk, was expelled from the Bundestag after wearing a T-shirt displaying the word Palestine printed on it during a parliamentary session. President of the Bundestag, Julia Klockner, removed the MP from the chamber, considering the attire a violation of parliamentary decorum. This was not the first time Kokturk has drawn attention for her attire. On her first day as an MP, she wore a scarf resembling a Palestinian keffiyeh, leading to the ban on such symbols. (Abby Chitty, "Left Party MP expelled from German parliament for wearing Palestine t-shirt," Euronews, 04 June 2025)
WWII bombs found in the Rhine, leading to the evacuation of 20,000
On 04 June, in central Cologne, some buildings were being evacuated after three WWII bombs were discovered across the Rhine. Approximately 20,000 people were ordered to leave the area as large parts of the city were being closed off. The bomb disposal process was delayed for one resident who refused to evacuate, along with the emergency teams who assisted in the evacuation. Even hotels, care homes, a hospital, and the Deutz railway station, roads were being blocked, and trains were being diverted or cancelled. The defusal operation, which involved two 2,000 lb and one 1,000 lb, US-made bombs, was coordinated by experts and marked one of the city's largest evacuations since the war. (Timothy Jones, “Germany: Cologne evacuation lifted after WWII bombs defused,” Deutsche Welle, 04 June 2025)
Chancellor Merz to meet President Trump to mend transatlantic ties amid global tensions
On 04 June, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was set to have his inaugural official meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Merz balances assertiveness with conciliation, while addressing concerns such as Germany’s military spending plans and tightened immigration. His team was prepared to showcase his knowledge of Trump’s ancestral roots in Kallstadt. The discussions would centre on Ukraine, Middle East policy, and trade. Due to the deteriorating transatlantic relations since Trump's return to office, the meeting was expected to carry significant weight. The meeting's outcome could influence relations ahead of the upcoming G7 and NATO summits. (Jessica Parker and Bernd Debusmann Jr, "What Merz wants from Trump showdown meeting," BBC, 05 June 2025; Kiera Burke and Richard Connor, "Germany updates: Merz set for inaugural trip to US," Deutsche Welle, 04 June 2025)
HUNGARY
Transparency bill ruling postponed by the Fidesz Party
On 04 June, Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party postponed a vote on the “Transparency in Public Life” bill, which was aiming to restrict foreign-funded NGOs and media from being seen as threats to national sovereignty. Erstwhile, the draft law was being compared to Russia’s “foreign agent” law, sparking protests and EU criticism. Even though Fidesz held a strong majority, internal debate and proposals from key institutions were delaying the decision until after summer. With that, the move was seen as a part of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s wider crackdown on independent voices, with the government already setting up a Sovereignty Protection Office in 2023. Critics warn that the bill could silence dissent by labeling it a national security threat. (“Hungary delays vote on 'transparency law' targeting foreign-funded NGOs and media until autumn,” Euronews, 04 June 2025)
NORTH MACEDONIA
Disputes with Bulgaria delay North Macedonia’s EU membership
On 04 June 2025, Bulgarian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) delayed the vote on a report concerning North Macedonia's progress towards the European Union (EU) accession. The delayed vote traced back to the ongoing disputes between Bulgaria and North Macedonia regarding historical and cultural issues. This delays the EU membership of North Macedonia. The membership stalled due to bilateral disagreements between the two regions. The EU expressed concern over the prolonged disputes and urged both nations to resolve their differences to facilitate the enlargement process. (Vincenzo Genovese. "Bulgarian MEPs delay vote on North Macedonia's EU accession report," Euronews, 04 June 2025)
PORTUGAL
Portuguese police reopen Madeleine McCann case after 18 years
On 03 June, Portuguese police initiated a new search operation in the Madeleine McCann case. The search focuses on areas near the Arade dam, approximately 50 kms from Praia da Luz, where British toddler Madeleine McCann disappeared in 2007. Christian Bruckner, a German national currently imprisoned, was identified as one of the major suspects in the case and was known to frequent the area around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. The search was reopened at the request of German authorities. The search would require coordination between Portuguese, German, and British police forces. Christian Bruckner, a German national currently imprisoned for unrelated crimes, is known for his involvement in the disappearance. Investigators employed various methods, such as ground-penetrating radar and search dogs, to examine the terrain and water bodies in the area. ("Portuguese police launch new search in Madeleine McCann case," France24, 03 June 2025)
REGIONAL
Deutsche Welle reports on the EU's increased imports of Russian fertilizers
On 05 June, Deutsche Welle reported that the EU looks at reducing its imports from Russia, especially in the oil and gas sector, but there have been no changes in the fertilizer sector. Russia is the major producer and exporter of fertilizer, consumed by farmers for their crops. The EU has increased its purchases of Russian fertiliser since the war against Ukraine, raising the question of the increased imports. Russia's production of nitrogen-based fertilizers is an advantage in comparison to cheap natural gas. This enables the offer of lower prices than European competitors. This creates a loss in the European market share, and it cannot compete. The rate of EU imports grew from 17 per cent in 2022 to about 30 per cent in 2024, with a rise of over 33 per cent to approximately EUR 1.75 billion. The European Parliament endorsed a proposal to introduce a 6.5 per cent tariff on fertilizers imported from Russia and Belarus. The European Parliament also plans to increase tariffs to 50 per cent by 2028. The aim was to reduce dependency and support domestic production. The EU looks at sourcing fertilizers from countries like China, Oman, Morocco, Canada, and the US. Additionally, there was a push to increase the use of organic fertilizers made from manure and composted waste, which are more sustainable and better for soil health. (Arthur Sullivan, "Why is the EU still buying Russian fertilizer?" Deutsche Welle, 05 June 2025)
European Commission announces 13 new projects on raw materials
On 04 June, the European Commission announced 13 new projects on critical raw materials outside the EU, as part of their Critical Raw Materials Act, which was coming into force in May 2024. The goal of these initiatives was to reduce their reliance on countries like China and the US, while also strengthening their economic security in the rising global tensions. Thus, the European Commission aims to develop 60 similar projects by 2030 to boost its industrial competitiveness in sectors such as electric mobility, renewable energy, defence and aerospace. Along with that, the EU Commissioner, Stéphane Séjourné, said that the selected projects would reduce dependencies and create growth and jobs globally. The projects also aimed to focus on both the extraction and processing of raw materials, as graphite was sourced from Ukraine, Norway, Greenland, Madagascar and Kazakhstan; Nickel and Cobalt from Canada, Brazil and Zambia, and Serbia’s Jadar project was targeting lithium and boron, while also, rare earths were being explored in Malawi and South Africa. Similar efforts involved copper in Norway, tungsten in the UK, and nickel processing in New Caledonia. (Eleonora Vasques, “EU Commission unveils 13 targets for overseas raw materials projects,” Euronews, 04 June 2025)
EU strategy on raw material independence by 2030
On 04 June, the EU concluded on its dependence on a few countries for receiving critical raw materials, especially during conflicts like the war in Ukraine. Thus, to to address this, it passed the Critical Raw Materials Act in 2024, setting targets for 2030, such as for mine 10 per cent, process 40 per cent and recycle 25 per cent of its annual needs, but with no more than 65 per cent of any material coming from a single third country. The EU identified 34 critical materials, including lithium, cobalt, and rare earths. For example, 63 per cent of cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 100 per cent of rare earths for magnets are refined in China. Similarly, one key project was in Cínovec, Czechia, where the company Geomet was planning to mine nearly three million tonnes of ore annually and produce 30,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate. While the effort aimed for a full in-house production chain, experts warned the EU's overall goals were likely unrealistic due to limited local supply and high costs. Despite environmental concerns, geologists argued that responsible mining in Europe was necessary, especially given global demand and the need to avoid outsourcing pollution. (Monica Pinna, “From lithium to rare earths: Europe’s strategy to power its future energy,” Euronews, 04 June 2025)