Новости за 04.03.2016

An Istanbul court ordered the takeover of the management of opposition daily Zaman. The EU is urged to react, three days of Monday's migration talks.

Europe's largest business organisation pledges to present a plan for an advanced European border system within a week to safe the Schengen area.

Ahead of Strasbourg sessions, EP spokespersons perform press release recitals. Journalists should make better use of the opportunity to question their policies.

The EU commission on Friday announced over a dozen deadlines to lift internal border checks by the end of year.

"For the first time since the beginning of the migration crisis, I can see a European consensus emerging," European Council president Donald Tusk wrote in his letters to EU leaders ahead of Monday's EU informal summit. A "comprehensive strategy" could reduce the flow of migrants "if loyally implemented", he wrote.

A UN official criticised EU leaders for telling migrants not to come to Europe, even though 91 percent of them are fleeing wars and not just looking for work.

Germany's finance minister Schauble said in London on Thursday Berlin's pro-asylum seeker policy was designed to save Europe's honour and not motivated by WWII guilt, reports The Guardian: “We simply have a duty to help not because of our history, but because of the hardships that these people are experiencing."

The EU's €3 billion deal with Turkey to stem refugee flows is flawed, said Human Rights Watch on Thursday. The watchdog says Turkey cannot be considered a safe country of asylum because it does not "provide effective protection for refugees and has repeatedly pushed asylum seekers back to Syria."

MEPs delayed a vote to adopt the EU passenger names record (PNR). The bill was set for adoption next week but left-wing parties opposed putting the the vote on the agenda. EU PNR will sweep up personal details of commercial airline passengers in an effort to fight terrorism and crime.

Disgraced princess Cristina of Spain has denied any role in fraud allegations, reports El Pais newspaper. The princess on Thursday was cross-examined in a criminal trial in a case that involves embezzlement and misuse of public funds. Her brother, King Felipe, has stripped her Duchess of Palma aristocratic title.

EU ministers will discuss on Friday an EU Commission paper which was criticised by NGOs for not containing new climate measures.

French president Francois Hollande at a meeting with UK prime minister David Cameron Thursday warned migrant camps in Calais may end up in the UK should Britain vote in favour of leaving the European Union. The camp residents are currently being re-housed and the camp partly destroyed.

The EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos imposed a 12 May deadline for Greece to register all incoming asylum seekers. In an interview with German Die Welt newspaper, Avramopoulos said Greece would "have to protect its external borders" at the risk of extending EU internal border control checks.

Outgoing social-democratic PM Fico expected to win new mandate Saturday, but might be forced into coalition with right-wingers after a campaign marked by anti-migrant rhetoric and corruption deja vu.

Paris talks saw France and Russia put pressure on Ukraine on ceasefire compliance despite US reports of Russian "violence". Separately, Ukraine was told it will not join the EU for at least 20 years.

Young refugees in Algeria camps who feel betrayed by EU over Western Sahara, threaten attacks on Morocco, as UN chief Ban Ki-moon makes rare trip to "forgotten" conflict.