Δευτέρα 27 Ιουλίου 2026
5 άρθρα
Athens gets €24.6 billion without a physical audit
Greece leads the European Union with a 68.5% funding absorption rate, yet the government publishes no public record of physically completed projects. As a 31 August deadline approaches, Athens is increasingly meeting Brussels' requirements by swapping construction targets for legislative reforms. This shift secures the cash but leaves the status of hospitals, irrigation networks, and energy grids largely invisible to the public.
Irish refinery sends $307 million in alumina to Russia
Aughinish Alumina exported over 540,000 tonnes of raw material to Rusal smelters last year, exposing a loophole in EU trade restrictions. A government review found no concrete proof the material enters military supply chains, but officials admit tracing the product inside Russia is impossible. The European Commission is now weighing whether to ban these exports, risking a plant closure that supplies 37% of Europe's alumina.
German power bills squeeze Eastern suppliers
German industrial electricity prices are forcing 40% of manufacturers to scale back investment or move production abroad, according to a DIHK survey. This retrenchment is triggering a secondary shock across Central and Eastern Europe, where Romanian automotive output has dropped 12.7% and thousands of parts workers have lost jobs. High grid fees and carbon costs remain the primary pressure points for the region’s integrated supply chains.
Berlin attack suspect was a convicted Islamist
Federal prosecutors have taken over the investigation into a 21-year-old suspect who killed one person and injured 29 during Saturday's Pride celebrations. The attacker was a known Islamist previously convicted of plotting violence, raising sharp questions about surveillance failures. The incident has triggered a fractured security response across Europe, with Amsterdam tightening measures while Stockholm maintains current protocols.
Guterres tests two-state rift in Cyprus
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is on the island for three days to determine if formal negotiations can resume after nearly a decade of paralysis. He arrives without a draft settlement as Turkey increasingly pushes for a two-state outcome that contradicts the UN’s federation framework. Brussels is now adding leverage by naming a special representative to link diplomatic progress to broader EU-Turkey trade and energy incentives.