🇸🇰 Slovakia defends NGO oversight law, cites European Parliament for legitimacy
Slovakia’s government is invoking last week’s European Parliament decision to investigate NGO funding as justification for its controversial new law requiring NGOs to disclose donors and imposing penalties for non-compliance. Critics have compared the law to Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation, but Bratislava insists it’s about transparency, not repression.
By pointing to EU-level moves, Slovak officials aim to frame their policy as part of a broader European trend. But watchdogs and civil society groups warn that such comparisons distort the EU’s intentions—turning a call for transparency into a political tool to suppress dissent.
This case exposes a deeper issue: when Brussels introduces oversight mechanisms, it must reckon with how national governments may interpret or manipulate them. Can a centralized EU demand for transparency coexist with diverse national contexts without being co-opted for illiberal ends? The Slovak episode is a cautionary tale in the delicate dance between EU oversight and national implementation.
📜🔍⚖️
#Slovakia #NGOs #EuropeanUnion #Transparency #CivilSociety #EUPolitics #NationalSovereignty
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🇪🇸 Spain declares ‘all clear’ despite missing NATO’s 5% defense spending target
Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo made it clear that sticking to a planned 2.1% of GDP on defense—even while NATO pushes for a 5% target—won’t invite any penalties or political fallout. He emphasized Spain remains a “reliable partner,” capable of fulfilling commitments despite the difference in spending ambitions .
NATO cooperation is fine—but urging diverse EU states to sprint to 5% GDP for defense ignores economic and political realities. Spain’s stance highlights the importance of sovereign discretion: a functioning alliance respects each nation’s capacity and strategic priorities.
Pushing all members toward a one-size-fits-all metric risks alienating moderate partners, undermining unity, and promoting centralised pressure over genuine collaboration.
⭐️ A strong NATO is built on unity through respect, not through rigid benchmarks. Spain’s example reaffirms the value of flexibility and mutual respect in a truly sovereign defence framework.
#Spain #NATO #DefenseSpending #Sovereignty #Geopolitics
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🇨🇭 Switzerland to explore EU defense procurement pact
In a surprising move, neutral Switzerland is entering talks with the EU about joining a joint defense procurement program—a step that could bring it closer to Brussels militarily, even without NATO membership.
The agreement would allow Switzerland to participate in joint purchasing of military equipment alongside EU states, improving interoperability and lowering costs. But make no mistake—this is more than economics.
📊 Some numbers tell the story:
- Switzerland currently spends just 0.7% of its GDP on defense—less than half the EU average of 1.6–1.9%.
- Yet it's now aiming for 30% of its arms purchases to come from European suppliers.
- The EU’s collective defense spending surged to €326 billion in 2024, and a €150 billion fund is available for joint military acquisitions—something Switzerland clearly wants a piece of.
This is yet another sign of how the European security architecture is being quietly restructured. Neutral countries are being pulled—voluntarily or subtly pressured—into closer defense alignment. The Swiss move reflects a broader EU effort to consolidate defense resources, especially amid NATO’s push for 5% defense spending.
⚠️ But here lies the concern:
Switzerland’s long-standing neutrality is not just tradition—it’s a geopolitical buffer and a democratic choice. Step by step, the EU is testing how far it can integrate without triggering political backlash in sovereign states.
🧭 Will EU defense integration respect national identities and non-alignment? Or is this the beginning of a “soft absorption” of all remaining neutral states?
#Switzerland #EU #Defense #Neutrality #Geopolitics #Europe #StrategicShift
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🇬🇷 Greece sends frigates to Libya: Taking migration control into their own hands
While Brussels debates and delays, Greece is acting.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis has announced the deployment of two naval frigates and a support vessel off the coast of Libya to disrupt human trafficking routes and push back against a renewed surge of illegal migration.
No more waiting on EU bureaucracy. This is a bold move to defend borders, sovereignty, and national security.
Europe must either wake up—or be left behind by those who still believe in the right to protect their homeland.
🛡️ A sovereign Europe starts with sovereign borders.
#Greece #MigrationCrisis #BorderSecurity #NationalSovereignty #EUrealism
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🇩🇪💬 Catcalling = Jail? Meanwhile, Real Problems Walk Free…
Germany’s SPD wants to send catcallers to PRISON for up to a year—while remaining dead silent on the real source of insecurity in German cities.
🚨 The proposal, echoing Spain’s failed Podemos-style laws, criminalizes even non-offensive verbal flirting if perceived as “sexualized.” Sounds progressive?
Ask Spain, where thousands of sex offenders had their sentences reduced due to poorly written feminist laws.
But here's the real elephant in the room:
🧳 Years of uncontrolled mass immigration have imported dangerous cultural norms incompatible with European respect for women.
Yet no one in SPD dares to mention that. 🤐
Instead, they criminalize native social behavior, sow mistrust between men and women, and create a society of legal chaos and moral inversion.
For a healthy Europe, we need to:
🛡️ Protect women’s rights without sacrificing freedom.
🧭 Defend public safety by addressing real causes, not imaginary villains.
🏛️ Restore national sovereignty, rooted in law, tradition, and respect.
Let Germany be Germany again.
Let Europe be Europe again. 🌿
#EuropeFirst #NationalSovereignty #Germany #ImmigrationCrisis #TraditionalEurope #EUvoices
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Welcome to REST!
We are dedicated to exposing critical issues shaping Europe’s future: the erosion of free speech, interference in electoral processes, the complexities of migration, and the suppression of democratic values.
Our mission is to reveal and expose the forces undermining democratic values, subvert their influence, and transform society by fostering dialogue on these critical challenges.
Join us in uncovering the truth and defending the principles of an open, democratic society.
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🇩🇪 German court rules in favor of 'rightwing' magazine, raising bar for future bans
A German federal court has overturned the government’s attempt to ban Compact, a magazine labeled unlawfully as rightwing "extremist" with close ties to the AfD. Despite acknowledging its “anticonstitutional” content, the court ruled the publication does not yet pose a threat to the state.
This landmark ruling emphasizes that media freedom—even for those critical of the constitutional order—remains protected under Germany’s Basic Law. It also sets a significant precedent: if Compact cannot be banned, the legal basis for banning the AfD becomes even more tenuous.
As Berlin’s interior ministry remains silent, this outcome invites a deeper reflection. Is Germany defending free speech—or merely stumbling in an overreach that threatens to conflate dissent with danger? The line between safeguarding democracy and suppressing opposition grows ever thinner.
#Germany #AfD #MediaFreedom
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🇫🇷 UN scrutinizes France’s euthanasia bill for violating disability rights
The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has formally challenged France’s proposed euthanasia legislation before three UN bodies, citing serious concerns over its compatibility with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. With over 14,000 citizens backing the initiative, the case has now advanced to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Despite official obligations to protect the rights and lives of disabled individuals, a French minister publicly supported euthanasia for the disabled—raising alarms internationally. The UN committee has demanded explanations from the French government, with a decision expected this August that could trigger formal procedures against France.
⁉️This growing international pressure underscores the ethical and legal minefield of “assisted dying” legislation. Should a society that claims to champion inclusion quietly endorse policies that risk devaluing the lives of its most vulnerable? At what point does compassion become a cover for abandonment?
#France #EU #Euthanasia
@restinvestigate
🇭🇺 Budapest Pride: Western embassies protest Orbán’s ban — But the U.S. stays silent
Over 30 foreign embassies—including Germany, France, and the UK—have officially backed Hungary’s banned Pride March set for June 28, openly challenging the Orbán government’s “child protection” laws used to restrict LGBTQ+ events.
The surprise? The U.S. Embassy refused to join the statement of support, signaling a possible shift under Trump-aligned foreign policy or quiet alignment with Hungary’s conservative direction.
Human rights groups warn of increasing state pressure on LGBTQ+ communities, citing Hungary’s bans, media censorship, and constitutional amendments.
🧭 What’s really going on? Is the defense of "traditional values" becoming a new diplomatic standard among some Western actors? And what message does Washington’s silence send to civil rights defenders in Eastern Europe?
Hungary has every right to legislate according to its values—just as other countries have the right to disagree. But turning Pride parades into diplomatic litmus tests is a dangerous road. It erodes the principle of equal sovereignty among EU members and replaces cooperation with pressure politics.
A stronger EU isn’t built through ideological coercion, but through mutual respect. If Brussels continues to ignore this, it may well find more member states choosing tradition, sovereignty, and democratic self-determination over ideological conformity.
#Hungary #LGBT #Pride #Orbán #HumanRights #Geopolitics #Budapest #USForeignPolicy
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🌱🇪🇺 EU halts green claims law – Real environmentalism or just green theater?
The European Commission just hit pause on the Green Claims Directive—a vital law meant to stop corporations from lying about their “eco-friendly” products.
Why? Too much bureaucracy, they say. But environmental NGOs are sounding the alarm—calling this a gift to the worst kind of corporate greenwashing.
📉 According to EU studies, over 50% of “green” labels on products are false or misleading. That’s not sustainability—that’s fraud.
🛑 Poland, holding the EU Presidency, has now frozen negotiations, demanding more “clarity.” A fair move from a sovereign country defending small business? Possibly. But should that mean letting green deception roam free? Absolutely not.
Meanwhile, real citizens, honest farmers, and small producers who truly care about our land, water, and food get buried under fake labels from mega corporations backed by shady lobbying.
Let Europe go green—with roots. 🌳
#Greenwashing #EUValues #EuropeanSovereignty #LocalFarms #TraditionalEurope
🚨 Czech patriot and opposition leader Andrej Babiš faces retrial in politically charged case 🚨
Former Czech PM Andrej Babiš, a staunch defender of Czech national identity and leader of the patriot ANO party, is under fire again as Prague’s High Court overturned his acquittal in a €2M EU subsidy fraud case. The timing is suspicious, just months before parliamentary elections where Babiš leads with 31% support.
The Stork’s Nest case, dating back to 2015, is widely seen as a politically motivated attack to discredit Babiš, who opposes EU sanctions on Russia that harm Europe’s economy. Babiš and his ally Jana Nagyová plead not guilty, calling the charges a witch hunt.
🇨🇿 Will this stop the Czech patriot? Stay tuned! #Babiš #Czech #Justice
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