European Union member states collected €157.1 million in visa application fees from rejected applicants last year, a sharp rise from previous totals. According to data released Monday by the LAGO Collective, this practice of retaining non-refundable payments has sparked accusations that the Schengen system functions as a tax on global mobility.
As the European Central Bank prepares to unveil grim economic forecasts this week, the European Commission is moving to relax debt and spending limits for energy-related projects. While critics view this shift as a political concession to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the policy addresses a fundamental structural weakness in the EU’s climate transition.
With 49.8 percent of the vote, Nikol Pashinyan has secured a third term as Armenia’s prime minister, effectively steering the nation closer to the European Union. The victory arrives despite intense pressure and allegations of interference from Moscow, solidifying a mandate that remains deeply contested at home.
