Photo : Picture-alliance/dpa/S.Willnow
By Shilpa Joseph
ESTONIA
PTA reports rapid mutation of H5N1 strain of bird flu from the US
On 29 April, Kärt Jaarma, chief specialist of the animal health and welfare department at the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA) expressed concern on the rapid spread of the H5N1 virus killing thousands of sea lions, seals and marine mammals across the Atlantic. The H5N1 strain of bird flu is highly pathogenic and easily jumps from one species to another. Since 2020 over 90 million domestic birds have been culled in the US alone and now the mortality rate in sea colonies is 95 per cent. After Latvia reported the virus in a dead greylag goose and Owing to the highly mutable nature of the virus, there is fear that it may affect other mammals and possibly transmission from person to person. Margus Varjak, an associate professor of virology at the University of Tartu explains that there is hope since we have the capacity to create vaccines. The virus strain has not been detected in the Baltic Sea region and therefore there is some calm in Europe in this regard.
GEORGIA
Foreign Influence Bill advanced in parliament despite heavy protests
On 01 May, the legislators in Georgia passed the second of the three readings, of the controversial "foreign influence" bill. The law would require media and non-commercial organizations to register as "pursuing the interests of a foreign power" if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad, which resonates with a Russian law that silenced free press. However, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's ruling Georgian Dream party is determined to get the bill signed into law by mid-May, leading to scuffles between legislators, and expulsion of opposition members. Intense youth-led por- EU protests began in mid-April with severe clashes with the security forces on 30 April. Levan Khabeishvili, leader of the opposition bloc was heavily bandaged when he spoke in parliament. The European Union, which gave Georgia candidate member status in December, said the bill could halt its integration into the bloc and despite President Salome Zurabishvili’s opposition, the ruling party has enough seats in parliament to override it.
GERMANY
IAB publishes study on improved Refugee employment rate
On 01 May, a recent study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) assessed the levels of employment among refugees in Germany which have improved since Angela Merkel's "open door" policy. In the largest refugee-hosting country in the EU, Germany, the refugee employment rate in 2022 was 64 per cent increasing with the length of stay, compared with 77 per cent for the wider German population and the gross hourly wage was above the low-wage threshold. However, they face certain barriers such as delay in asylum application process and language requirement. Although it funds German learning programmes until a basic level of B1, it is not sufficient for better paid jobs. Study also shows that women fall behind in employment since they are often the primary family caregivers and miss opportunities to learn the language and skills to work. Yet, benefits of the Open Door policy include, higher young labour force and improves the sense of dignity and independence, thereby overall well-being of the refugees.
THE UK
Civil servants conflicted between civil service code and Rwanda policy
On 01 May, the First Division Association (FDA), the trade union which represents the United Kingdom's senior civil servants, launched a legal appeal against the government's controversial Rwanda deportation legislation. The UK government bypassed a Supreme Court ruling, that Rwanda was not a safe place to send genuine refugees and European Court of Human Rights’ order to halt flights amid an ongoing case as senior civil servants are being ordered by ministers to breach an international law and a civil service code, argued the FDA. Dave Penman, FDA's general secretary said: "Faced with a government that is prepared to act in this cowardly, reckless way, it is left to the FDA to defend our members and the integrity of the civil service." The government argued that the code would not be breached and that this is the effective deterrent to stop these dangerous boat crossings.
Government sends the first voluntary asylum seeker to Rwanda
On 30 April, the UK media reports said that the UK sent its first asylum-seeker to Rwanda under a voluntary scheme which is separate from the government’s forced deportation program. While the controversial deportation law allowed the UK government to expel undocumented migrants to Rwanda, one unnamed man, said to be of African origin, voluntarily moved to Rwanda after being offered up to 3,000 pounds as financial aid. While the forced deportation plan has come under fire from the United Nations and rights groups, the UK sent the first voluntary asylum seeker to Rwanda. In view of the elections, the Sunak Government suspended the deportation until July this year and a government spokesperson said that they will be relocated to a safe third country where they will be supported to rebuild their lives.
Housing shortage in Ireland makes it difficult to accommodate more refugees
On 01 May, Police began dismantling about 200 tents housing asylum-seekers in Dublin in the process of removing the migrants from the tents, which appeared a year ago the International Protection Office in the capital and moving them to shelters. While Ireland accommodates the large refugee inflow, it struggles with a shortage of houses and new asylum seekers have been handed out tents, which led to clashes with the police since December. According to Irish media reports, 90 per cent more people than the same period last year has applied for asylum. Prime Minister Simon Harrishad said that people will not be allowed to return to the camp once it is cleared and plans to send irregular migrants back to the UK but the UK Prime Minister does not comply.
REGIONAL
Eurostar to take up greener projects in Europe’s rail network
On 30 April, a sustainability report released by Eurostar plans to power its trains with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 by reducing energy use, sourcing renewable power, minimizing waste and promoting train travel as a greener alternative to flying. Eurostar's high-speed rail connects France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Dutch trains have been using wind power since 2017. In the UK, 40 per cent of energy is from wind from 2023, aiming for 80 per cent with solar by 2025. Eurostar CEO, Gwendoline Cazenave in a bid to seek regulatory support, has begun negotiations with a Belgian railway company, Infrabel, on solar projects to power trains. It has also become the first rail company to join the RE100 alliance - a global corporate renewable energy initiative. Eurostar aims at making an impact by integrating circularity into its products to minimize waste and use resources more efficiently and improving connectivity with local rail networks and airports to encourage sustainable travel and transfers.