World
Number of NATO allies spending 2% of GDP on defence to jump this year
The number of NATO allies spending at least 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on military spending is expected to jump this year, according to the alliance.
Estimates released on Friday by NATO show that at least 11 allies should reach the target set by the transatlantic military alliance. Only seven are believed to have reached the target in 2022.
Joining the three Baltic countries, Greece, Poland, the UK and the US in reaching the target this year are Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and new ally Finland.
Poland is now forecast to overtake the US when spending is compared to GDP but in real terms, the scale of the investment is much different.
Washington is seen spending $860 billion (€788 billion) on defence expenditure this year, dwarfing Poland’s $29 billion (€26.6 billion) projection.
The US’s huge spending in the sector is the main reason NATO as a whole spends more than 2% of GDP on defence. When excluding Washington, defence spending for the alliance reaches just 1.74% of GDP, but when its contribution is taken into account, the share soars to 2.64% of GDP.
This uneven burden-sharing has been a source of criticism from Washington for years and took a whole new dimension on 24 February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in effect bringing full-fledged conventional war back on European soil.
The aggression spurred European allies to announce a ramp-up in military spending. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for instance, promised a Zeitenwende (‘change of era’) in defence policy and earmarked €100 billion for military investments in the country’s 2022 budget, more than double the figure from the 2021 budget.
The new figures were released just days before the leaders of the 31 members of the alliance gather in Vilnius for a two-day summit.
They are expected to make new spending pledges during their time in the Lithuanian capital as well as reaffirm their commitments to Ukraine, including the prospect of eventual membership. New regional plans to bolster the alliance’s interoperability and defence against growing global challenges should also be endorsed by the heads of state.
One topic likely to overshadow the beginning of the summit, however, is the fact that Sweden, which applied to join the alliance alongside Finland shortly after Russia launched its attack, still has its bid blocked by Turkey and Hungary. Membership in the military alliance needs unanimity.
World
Denmark turns to Kosovo to alleviate its overcrowded prison system in $217 million deal
Kosovo’s Cabinet renewed efforts with a new draft law on renting a prison in the south of the country to Denmark to help it cope with its overpopulated prison system, an official said Monday.
The first draft of the law failed to pass at the parliament last week. But on Sunday, the Cabinet approved a draft law on 300 cells at the prison in Gjilan, 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the capital Pristina, to be rented to Denmark, based on a a 10-year agreement that the two governments signed in April and May 2022, government spokesman Perparim Kryeziu said.
FORMER KOSOVO INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTER GETS 44 MONTHS FOR OVERSPENDING ON ROAD PROJECT
“The Cabinet approved it (the draft law) again yesterday (Sunday) so that it passes on to the Assembly (the parliament) to be voted on again,” he said.
Last week, the draft law got 75 votes, not reaching at least 80, or two-thirds of the 120-seat parliament as required to pass.
Kosovo will be paid 200 million euros ($217 million) that will be spent on the country’s correctional institutions and renewable energy projects.
According to the plan, Denmark won’t be able to send inmates convicted of terrorism or war crimes, or mentally ill prisoners. A Danish warden will run the 300-cell facility, accompanied by an Albanian one and other local staff.
Kosovo’s prison system has a capacity of up to 2,800. It wasn’t immediately possible to find out the current number of vacancies.
Neighboring Albania has agreed to hold thousands of asylum-seekers for Italy.
World
'The new Ursula': How von der Leyen learned to stop worrying and love Meloni
By embracing those who advocate for the erosion of democracy, VDL now aligns with figures who cloak themselves as quintessential Europeanists, ready to steer Europe through its future policy challenges. What could possibly go wrong, Giorgios Samaras writes.
World
The Apartment to Produce ‘Rosebushpruning,’ Starring Kristen Stewart, Josh O’Connor and Elle Fanning
Fremantle’s The Apartment will partner with The Match Factory, Mubi, Kavac Film and Rai Cinema to produce Karim Aïnouz’s next feature film “Rosebushpruning.”
Directed by Aïnouz, the film’s lead cast includes Kristen Stewart (“Love Lies Bleeding,” “Spencer”), Josh O’Connor (“Challengers,” “God’s Own Country”) and Elle Fanning (“Teen Spirit,” “The Great”). Aïnouz is directing from a script written by Efthimis Filippou (Kinds of Kindness, Dogtooth, The Lobster), which is an adaptation from Marco Bellocchio’s debut feature Fists in the Pocket.
Viola Fügen and Michael Weber are producing “Rosebushpruning” for The Match Factory, who are also handling worldwide sales for the film. The adaptation rights have been acquired from Kavac Film also attached at the production team with Simone Gattoni. The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, is co-producing, with Annamaria Morelli as executive producer. Rachel Dargavel for Crybaby Films is co-producing in the UK. Mubi is financing production alongside Catherine Boily and Mitch Oliver’s Metafilms and Anna Films in association with Fremantle. Film und Medienstiftung NRW, Medienboard and the German Federal Film Board also funded the film.
“We are extremely happy to be part of this important film together with exceptional partners such as The Match Factory, MUBI, Kavac and Rai Cinema,” said Annamaria Morelli, CEO, The Apartment. “We deeply appreciate Karim Aïnouz’s films and are enthusiastic of the way he and Efthymis Filippou adapted Bellocchio’s masterpiece, revisited with a strikingly bold and original vision.”
Commenting on “Rosebushpruning,” Aïnouz said: “Marco Bellocchio’s astonishing debut, ‘Fists in the Pocket,’ was released over 50 years ago and had a huge impact on Italian cinema and storytelling at the time. I’m excited to be collaborating with Efthimis Filippou to revisit this iconic work to create a contemporary parable about the explosion of the traditional patriarchal family — which I hope will be touching and provocative in equal measure. It’s a dream come true to be working with such a dynamic ensemble of actors that I have long admired to bring this explosive adaptation to audiences today.”
The film will begin production later this year.
Aïnouz is represented by Lark Management, CAA and Andre des Rochers.
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