Action against criminal group that stole hundreds of cars in France using fraudulent software  

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Action against criminal group that stole hundreds of cars in France using fraudulent software  

Supported by Eurojust and Europol, French authorities, in collaboration with Latvia and Spain, have taken action against an organised crime group (OCG) that used fraudulent software to duplicate keys and steal cars in France. In a coordinated action carried out in the three countries involved, sixteen suspects were arrested and twenty-two locations were searched.

The suspects allegedly produced and used fraudulent software to steal vehicles by duplicating the vehicles’ ignition keys. Marketed as an automotive diagnostic solution, the tool was able to replace the original software of the targeted vehicles without respecting the protocol and without the original key.

The perpetrators of the scam kept updating and adapting their software, to counteract the measures implemented by companies to reinforce the security of their vehicles.

In an action day coordinated by Eurojust on 10 October, 16 suspects were arrested in France, including the managers of the company that produced the software. A total of twenty-two locations were searched in the three countries involved.

More than EUR 100 000, as well as 12 bank accounts, real estate and 3 luxury cars were seized in France, together with the domain name of the website.

The case was opened at Eurojust by the French authorities in September 2022. The Agency actively facilitated cross-border judicial cooperation between the national authorities involved, including the organisation of the joint action day.

Europol has supported the investigation since March 2022 by providing extensive analysis and the dissemination of intelligence packages to each of the affected countries. Two operational meetings were held. A Europol mobile office was also deployed to France for the action day.

The following authorities took part in the operations:

  • France: PPO JUNALCO (National jurisdiction against organised crime-Cybercrime unit) with the involvement of the PPO of Lyon, Montpellier, Lille, Douai, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Marseille, Bobigny and Grenoble; C3N (Gendarmerie Nationale) and Research Sections of the Gendarmerie from Lille, Versailles, Lyon, Marseille and Paris.
  • Latvia: International Cooperation Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police of Latvia and 3rd Unit of the 2nd Bureau of the Criminal Police Department of the Riga Region Department of the State Police of Latvia (car thefts).
  • Spain: Investigative Court num. 2 in Palma de Mallorca and International Cooperation Section at Balearic Islands PPO.

President Gatti Santana meets with the President of the United Nations General Assembly

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President Gatti Santana meets with the President of the United Nations General Assembly

Arusha, The Hague, 14 October 2022– The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, today met with the President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

President Gatti Santana congratulated President Kőrösi on his election as President of the General Assembly, welcoming his dedication to multilateralism and to the promotion of solidarity, sustainability and science. In turn, she outlined the priorities of her Presidency and her focus on the completion of the Mechanism’s activities. In this regard, she briefed His Excellency on the substantive progress made by the Mechanism, in particular with respect to its judicial caseload. President Gatti Santana highlighted the commencement of the trial in the case of Prosecutor v. Félicien Kabuga, and the anticipated conclusion of appeal proceedings in Prosecutor v. Stanišić and Simatović by the end of June 2023. She explained that these are the last two core cases before the Mechanism, as the remaining four fugitives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda are expected to be tried in Rwanda.

President Gatti Santana then emphasised the crucial importance of Member State cooperation and support in a number of key areas of the Mechanism’s work, including the enforcement of sentences, the relocation of acquitted and released persons and contempt matters, as well as in relation to the Mechanism’s budget.  

Finally, President Gatti Santana expressed her serious concern regarding the rise in genocide denial, revisionism, and glorification of war criminals in many parts of the world and discussed the need of countering such trends.

For his part, President Kőrösi thanked President Gatti Santana for the comprehensive briefing. He took note of the Mechanism’s existing challenges, including in relation to cooperation, and discussed more generally international justice and accountability.

President Gatti Santana is in New York to present the tenth Annual Report of the Mechanism to the General Assembly on Wednesday, 19 October 2022. This is the President’s first mission to United Nations Headquarters since assuming her role on 1 July 2022.

Russia’s nuclear sabre-rattling 

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<strong>Russia’s nuclear sabre-rattling </strong>

With the Russian-Ukrainian war entering its eighth month and a stalemate along the front lines, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered on September 21, 2022, the first military mobilization in the country since World War II, warning the West that if it continued what he called its “nuclear blackmail” Moscow would respond with the might of all its vast arsenal. “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all available means to protect our people – this is not a bluff,” Putin said in in his speech, which was broadcast on Russian television.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu presented the new Russian military tactics, with the partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists and the implied use of nuclear weapons during operations in Ukraine.

The escalation of menacing rhetoric started a day after the pro-Russian authorities in the four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia announced that referendums on annexation to Russia would be held from 23 to 27 September 2022. First Vice-Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Russia’s Federation Council Vladimir Dzhabarov responded to the West’ first reaction, which came from Germany, stating that the opinion of the Europeans had no value and that the unification of East and West Germany should be regarded as illegitimate, because there had been no referendum and no one had asked the citizens of East Germany for their opinion.

The “referendums” in the Russian-dominated regions of Ukraine were organized in great haste, and within three days of implementing those measures, Moscow announced that a 99% majority of the population of those regions had voted to join Russia. On September 30, 2022, three days after the referendum, Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of the four regions to Russian federation. At the ceremony Putin said the residents of annexed regions have become “Russian citizens forever”, demanding Ukrainian government (which he described as “the Kyiv regime”) “to respect the will of the people”, or else “We will defend our land with all our strength and all our means.”

Phrases such as “the will of the people” and “the right to self-determination” have no meaning when put aside the pictures of mass graves discovered in areas from where the Russian army has withdrawn and pictures of Russians fleeing mass conscription into any country that accepts them. The statements made by Russian officials have been mainly focused on threats to use nuclear weapons.

Thus, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated on several occasions during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict that Russia has nuclear weapons and will use them in a moment of extreme necessity, i.e. if the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation is threatened by the West. Putin keeps reminding the world that Russia possesses nuclear weapons, though with an emphasis on Russian nuclear doctrine. This is not a new doctrine, but goes back decades, to the period when the USSR produced its first nuclear bomb, and carried out the first testing on August 29, 1949. Moscow renewed this doctrine on March 1, 2018 when President Putin delivered a speech in which he confirmed that Russia was ready to use its nuclear weapons to defend against any aggression that threatens the existence of Russia and its allies. Among its allies there are also two Arab states: Algeria and Syria.

There were some preliminary indications, such as Russia’s intervention in Syria to prevent the collapse of Bashar al-Assad‘s regime and breakup of the country. Another goal was to provide Algeria with advanced weapons, including Iskander and Kalibr missiles, and S-400 missile systems, as a deterrent against any Western intervention in this North African country after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi‘s regime in 2011, during the “Arab Spring” period, where Russia lost its traditional ally.

In turn, the US promotes a similar nuclear doctrine as Russia: Washington would use nuclear weapons to defend not only the US but also its allies. During his visit to Tokyo in May 2022, US President Joseph Biden stated that the US would defend Japan with nuclear weapons if Japan was attacked.

The nuclear deterrence policy

Russia’s repeated threats to use nuclear weapons is regarded as a part of the deterrence policy it inherited as a result of the new world order that emerged after World War II, when the victors and wartime allies split their paths to become rivals and even potential enemies, dividing the world into the West and the East. At the end of 1940s Washington and London were analysing the possibility of waging a war against Russia in order to eliminate the communist regime. The Commander of the Strategic Air Command, the United States General Curtis LeMay[2]., designed a hellish plan to throw 300 nuclear bombs and 30 000 conventional bombs on Russia and some eastern Europe capitals, to destroy 85% of the industrial power of Russia and the countries in its orbit. The plan was frozen after Moscow carried out its first nuclear test in 1949. Thus for the West nuclear weapons were no longer offensive weapons, but became its capacity for defence and deterrence, while launching a nuclear attack on any country became a difficult, if not impossible task. The use of nuclear weapons would mean the death of millions of people in the first moments and in the following decades, and the destruction of most centres of human civilization. Therefore the use of nuclear weapons remains unfeasible and no country would dare to mobilise them unless its very existence was at stake.

The use of tactical nuclear weapons

However, there is quite high probability of using tactical nuclear arms either by the US, Russia or any other state that possesses tactical nuclear weapons. The destructive power of tactical nuclear weapons is far more limited as they are designed to be used against strong military fortifications, troop formations or large warships, unlike strategic nuclear weapons that destroy entire cities. For example, the US threatened Iran with the use of tactical nuclear arms to destroy underground nuclear laboratories should Tehran continue with its military nuclear programme.

The West believes that Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons was primarily aimed at targeting military infrastructure in Ukraine, if the West provides the Ukrainian army with ballistic missiles for targeting Russian territory. That means that Moscow would respond with dozens of times larger destructive power should those ballistic missiles be used. The US rushed to calm Kremlin that the West would not provide Ukraine with ballistic missiles. Some European countries refused to send even classic weapons to Ukraine. For example, Germany does not want to provide the Ukrainian army with Leopard tanks.

Western media have been dramatically overemphasizing the situation by talking about Kremlin’s nuclear threats, showing that Russian forces in Ukraine are surrounded and that there is no escape for them except to resort to classic nuclear or at least tactical weapons. Independent analysts believe that nuclear weapons for now remain part of the policy of showing military superiority, deterrence and intimidation (Deterrence theory)[3]. Nevertheless, the question remains whether Russia will use it.

Putin’s messages to the world

Putin has sent two messages to the West. Firstly, he called for the recognition of the referendums in four annexed regions (Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia) in order to end the war, and secondly, he mentioned the possibility of expanding this war, especially to eastern Europe. Thorough consideration should be given to the timing of Putin’s escalation of rhetoric, bearing in mind that the US is preparing for elections for the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate seats in November this year, so at this stage it is possible to put pressure on Biden’s administration. Putin’s statements also came about a week after Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping announced that they reached an agreement on certain issues during their meeting on 16 September, 2022 on the margins of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at Samarkand. Russia is aware that it lacks the capacities to use force against NATO, but it believes it can undermine the existing global balance (for example in the economy and energy fields). With winter approaching, Europe is already increasingly concerned about the upcoming energy and economic crisis.

From the grain export deal to war prisoners exchange: Can Turkish diplomacy efforts end the Russian-Ukrainian war?

A few weeks after its success in reaching the grain export deal[4] which saved the third world from starvation, Turkish diplomacy managed to implement the largest agreement on the exchange of war prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, amid continued efforts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to reach a broad ceasefire agreement, which paves the way for a political solution to end Russian war in Ukraine.  The reached agreements bring hope for a diplomatic solution of the conflict. Is it possible to make peace?

Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Türkiye has embarked on a complicated diplomatic journey which requires striking a very precise balance in relations between the two parties to the conflict. Turkish diplomats managed to avoid making a single mistake that could be regarded as biased support to one country to the detriment of another one, despite the fact that Türkiye provided Ukraine with Bayraktar unmanned combat aerial vehicles which have dealt devastating blows to the Russian army. Even though it gave aircraft to Ukraine, condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, clearly supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemned the annexation referendums in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, Türkiye at the same time took other pro-Russian stands such as “understanding Russian security needs”  and condemning “West’s provocations” against Russia as well as a balanced position on the implementation of obligations from the Montreux agreement[5]on the transit of Russian ships, and even rejection to participate in Western sanctions against Russia.

Besides its “balanced position” Türkiye has taken advantage of its strategic geopolitical position to showcase its importance for all sides, which prevented the two belligerents to enter into any conflict with Türkiye for the fear of losing the benefits they gain from maintaining the political, military and economic channels of communication with Türkiye, which are of vital importance to both Moscow and Kyiv.

After a series of limited agreements related to the opening of humanitarian corridors and ceasefire, Türkiye tried to bring the two belligerents to Istanbul to reach a major political agreement to end the war, but the differences and challenges were much too big, especially as regards the guarantees, even though Ankara stated that it was ready to be a guarantor to an agreement that would be acceptable to both sides.

On September 21, 2022 Türkiye managed to reach the largest agreement on war prisoners exchange since the beginning of the war, liberating about 55 Russian and more than 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Having succeeded in reaching agreements on grain export deal and war prisoners swap, Turkish diplomatic efforts are currently targeted at a broader ceasefire agreement which could pave the way for the major political agreement to end the war. However, recent referendums on annexation to Russia render the final solution practically impossible.

Despite Ankara’s success in proving its neutrality towards the two belligerents, and Erdoğan’s excellent relations with the leaders of the two countries, any final solution cannot be completed without the international community’s participation to find a more comprehensive formula between Russia and NATO on expansion and threats to both sides.

However, analysts believe there is a possibility of reaching bilateral agreement if Ukraine concludes that the West did not fully support it and that it lost 15% of its territory, and that the only solution would be to reach bilateral agreement with Russia, far from the wider international strategic goals, especially those of Great Britain and Poland who want to see Russia defeated for historical reasons, going back to the 18th century in the case of Great Britain and to the 16th century in the case of Poland. 

Perhaps the message from the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will bring down high ambitions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. On September 30, 2022 he stated that Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO “should be taken up at a different time.” His statement contributes to alleviating Russian fears amidst Putin’s intensifying nuclear rhetoric. 

Analysts believe that Türkiye’s diplomacy should be joined by another two non-aligned countries – Qatar and Serbia.  In the past Qatar’s diplomacy has proven capable of reaching politically impossible agreements, such as the historical Doha agreement[6] of between the US and the Taliban on the withdrawal of foreign troops concluded on February 29, 2020. With the “Open Balkan” initiative developed for the past three years Serbia has managed to bring together some of the states in the region, including some NATO members, on the road to peace, stability and economic prosperity.

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Published by IFIMES Ljubljana/Washington/Brussels/Kyiv, 13 October 2022                                                                

Footnotes:
[1] IFIMES – International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a Special Consultative status at ECOSOC/UN since 2018.
[2] Curtis Emerson LeMay (15 November 1906 – 1 October 1990) was an American Air Force general and a right-wing politician. He was one of the most prominent American military leaders during the first decades of the Cold War. LeMay commanded military operations against Japan in World War II when atomic bombs were thrown on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. He was a fierce advocate of a pre-emptive strike against the USSR, convinced of the American superiority in nuclear weapons, which was eventually rebutted.
[3] Since the consequence of a breakdown of the nuclear deterrence strategy is so catastrophic for human civilisation, it is reasonable to employ the strategy only if the chance of breakdown is zero. Schelling, T. C. (1966), “2”, The Diplomacy of Violence, New Haven: Yale University Press, pp. 1–34.
[4] The Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports, also called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, is an agreement between Russia and Ukraine with Türkiye and the United Nations made during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The documents were signed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022. Link: www.un.org/en/black-sea-grain-initiative .
[5] The Montreux Convention is an international agreement that regulates maritime traffic through the Turkish Straits of Dardanelles and Bosporus. Signed on July 20, 1936 at the Montreux Palace in Switzerland, it went into effect on November 9, 1936, addressing the long running question over who should control the strategically vital link between the Black and Mediterranean seas. Link: https://treaties.fcdo.gov.uk/data/Library2/pdf/1937-TS0030.pdf  .
[6] Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan which is not recognized by the United States as a state and is known as the Taliban-US Agreement. Link:  www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/02.29.20-US-Afghanistan-Joint-Declaration.pdf  .

Romania becomes seventh member of joint investigation team on alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine 

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Romania becomes seventh member of joint investigation team on alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine 

The Romanian judicial authorities signed an agreement today to become a member of the joint investigation team (JIT) on alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine. This makes Romania the seventh member of the JIT, which is actively supported by Eurojust. The JIT was set up on 25 March 2022 by Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine and later joined by Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia. In April of this year, the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) became a participant in the JIT.

The extension of the JIT to Romania was signed by Romanian Prosecutor General Ms Gabriela Scutea and her colleagues for the six other members at a coordination meeting at Eurojust. This meeting was held prior to the 16th Meeting of the Consultative Forum of Prosecutors General at the Agency, which will focus on the judicial response to the war in Ukraine.

The aim of the JIT is to facilitate investigations and prosecutions in the states concerned, as well as those which could be taken forward to the ICC. The membership of Romania amplifies the message that all JIT partners will take every measure possible to gather evidence on alleged core international crimes committed in Ukraine to bring those responsible to justice.

In view of this JIT, the Eurojust Regulation was amended, in order to store, preserve and analyse evidence on war crimes. Eurojust is now rolling out a programme to enable this and is setting up a dedicated database. In the meantime, the Agency has been providing essential logistical and operational support to the JIT partners, including to investigators on the ground in Ukraine.

A joint investigation team is the most advanced mechanism for long-term, cross-border judicial cooperation, which makes it possible to directly share information and keep partners up to date on a continuous basis. Also, it allows investigators to operate  in JIT partner countries, with the consent of the state involved.

Turkmenistan’s Sapar Palvanov presents credentials in Belgium

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Turkmenistan’s Sapar Palvanov presents credentials in Belgium

Thursday, 13 October 2022, Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium: At the Royal Palace of Brussels, His Majesty The King of the Belgians received the letters of credence from Turkmen Ambassador Sapar Palvanov, a first in Belgium for a top envoy having been dispatched by HE President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, who took over the Turkmen presidency on 19 March of this year. 

Ambassador Palvanov distinguishes himself for speaking fluently the English, Russian and Turkish languages. He leads the Turkmen mission located in Brussels, which is also responsible for relations vis-à-vis the European Union, The Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg as well as the OPCW. 

Palvanov joined the Turkmen foreign service back in 2013 by becoming a specialist, and subsequently a lecturer at the Institute of International Relations. From 2015, he specialised at the Americas Department of the Foreign Ministry, and became its Head in 2018. 

During his tête-à-tête with The King of the Belgians, Ambassador Palvanov assured his interlocutor of the firm position of his Government aimed at bringing bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the Kingdom of Belgium, and naturally, with the European Union, to a new high level. Sinewing trusting relations with the European Union in all possible spheres will be his main objective during his tenure in Brussels.

For further information:

Embassies of Turkmenistan: https://www.mfa.gov.tm/en/articles/63?breadcrumbs=no

Samarkand: The Tourist Gate of New Uzbekistan

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Samarkand: The Tourist Gate of New Uzbekistan

By Roy Lie Atjam

Brussels, 10 October 2022. The Embassy of Uzbekistan organized a Tourism Promotional Day featuring historical and  Iconic Samarkand.

H.E. Ambassador Dilyor Khakimov delivered a powerful address in which he communicated the view of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who deems tourism a significant factor in the economy.

H.E. Mr. Dilyor Khakimov, Ambassador de Uzbekistan,

Ambassador Khakimov related “:the tourism sector is defined by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev as one of the strategic sectors of the country’s national economy. In a short time, thanks to the open door policy in Uzbekistan, the number of visa-free countries has grown from 9 to 90 countries over the past three years, and a system for issuing electronic visas for citizens of more than 50 countries has also been introduced.

Located at the heart of Silk Road, Uzbekistan has attracted travelers from all over the world to famous cities as Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, and Termez since ancient times. But the greatest jewel amongst them is Samarkand, a truly iconic destination which amazed everyone from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan.

Samarkand is one of the world’s oldest and most influential cities. Founded in 742 BC, it has been inhabited for almost three mil­lennia. A crossroads on the Silk Road and the capital of Amir Timur’s vast Timurid Empire, Samarkand has always been the bridge between the East and West, a center of trade, science, and culture, and a forum for the exchange of ideas. “Samarkand: Crossroads of Cultures” is the jewel of Uzbekistan’s tourism sec­tor, and celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This city is the best-known and most developed tourism des­tination on the Silk Road. Its historic monuments — most notably the imposing Registan, the gilded mausoleum of Amir Timur, the tiled tombs of the Shah-i Zinda, and the holy shrine complex of Imam Al-Bukhari — have inspired artists and writers for centur­ies, and continue to enthrall millions of tourists every year.

“Registan Square” in Samarkand city, photo from Uzbekistan National News Agency – UzA.

What has changed unrecognizably, though, is the accessibility of Samarkand. Uzbekistan is visa-free for 90 nationalities, and our central location, strong air connectivi­ty, and brand new airport in Samarkand ensures a fast and has­sle-free journey. 34% of UNWTO member states are within 4 hours flying time of Uzbekistan; and a remarkable 75% are within 6 hours. Our geographical position in the world has always been our strength.

When you arrive in Samarkand, you can see 483 cultural and his­torical heritage sites. These include architectural masterpieces from every period, but it is the bejeweled mosques, madrassas, and mausoleums which are the pinnacle of achievement in the medieval renaissance and have become the city’s calling card.

Modern Uzbekistan is a secular state, where people of all faiths and none live together as one multi-cultural community. Our most ancient sites include Zoroastrian towers of silence and Buddhist monasteries; and there are historic shrines and places of worship for all three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Samarkand, the mausoleum of Imam al-Bukhari, the 9th centu­ry Sunni theologian and collector of the Hadiths, is one of the holiest places in the Islamic world. Cultural tourists and pilgrims mingle.

The master craftsmen who created Samarkand’s historic monu­ments have passed their skills down through generations. Their descendants not only restore their forefathers’ work, but also create stunning art works and handicrafts you can buy. Samarkand is famous for its silk weaving, its handmade paper, and its carpets. All products we exported along the Silk Road. You will also see woodcarving, hand printed ceramics, the fine, decorative embroidery we call suzani, and the art of miniature painting, which has UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

Visiting Samarkand, you have the opportunity to travel outside the city and experience rural life. The village of Konigil sits be­side the Siab River, shaded by tall plane trees. Here, you can meet artisans and learn firsthand about their crafts. The Meros handmade factory uses exactly the same techniques common a thousand years ago. In fact, the majority of Persian and Arabic manuscripts produced in the 9th and 10th centuries were made on Samarkand paper, and it is of such good quality that they have survived to the present day.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Photography courtesy of Henri Estramant.

Samarkand’s tourism infrastructure is already world-class, but we have ambitious expansion plans to meet future demand. This in­cludes greater attention to sustainable tourism and heritage management, as well as improved access and facilities for the tourists with disabilities.

Samarkand International Airport has been completely rebuilt to increase its capacity for handling planes and passengers and deliver a modern, comfortable experience for up to 1.5 million travelers per year. The airport is included in the Open Skies re­gime and the brand new terminal — an extraordinary structure designed to look like an open book.

Samarkand has accommodation options for every taste and budget. This already includes 160 hotels and 170 guests houses, plus 200 registered tour operators who bring their guest to the city by plane, car, or high speed train.

Demand for qualified tourism professionals is growing year on year, and we are investing in the future workforce at the Silk Road International University of Tourism — one of the best higher edu­cation institutions in Uzbekistan — which was established in Samarkand three years ago. Students come here to study from across Central Asia, and the university has education partners in China and Europe.

Prior to the pandemic, Uzbekistan was one of the world’s fastest- growing destinations. We need to build to meet future demand, and one of our key projects is the Samarkand Tourist Center, a 212 hectare complex including a congress hall, hotels, and recreation areas. This Center was launched just recently in August 2022. This will be Samarkand’s principal MICE hub.

The business cluster includes an impressive 3-storey In­ternational Congress Hall has been designed with a multi-func­tion hall, presidential and VIP halls, rooms for delegations and meetings, as well as banqueting and exhibition facilities. There are six new 4* hotels and two new 5* hotels, including there 234-room Samarkand Regency Hotel, the first and only hotel in Central Asia which is supposed to be part of the Leading Hotels of the World group. All the energy for the complex will be generated by an 80 hectare solar power plant; the integration of green technologies is a key pillar of Uzbekistan’s sustainable tourism future.

Typical architectural construction in Samarkand.

At the Samarkand Tourist Center we are also bringing the past to life with “Eternal City” a 21st century homage to ancient Samarkand. Here, guest will be able to discover aspects of Parthian, Hellenic, and Islamic cultures, and learn how they influ­enced Samarkand today.

For almost 3,000 years we have been welcoming foreign guests in Samarkand.

We are proud to inform that Samarkand is preparing to be world tourism capital and host 25th session of UNWTO General Assembly in 2023.

The 22nd annual summit of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held on 15 and 16 September 2022 in Samarkand.

Evert van Walsum appointed as new Administrative Director of Eurojust

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Evert van Walsum appointed as new Administrative Director of Eurojust

The Hague, 12 October 2022 – Mr Evert van Walsum has been appointed as the new Administrative Director of Eurojust by the College of the Agency. In his new role, Mr van Walsum will be responsible for the day-to-day administration and implementation of key organisational developments such as the recent extension of Eurojust’s mandate and comprehensive digitalisation efforts. Mr van Walsum (53) is currently serving the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) as Head of Investors and Issuers Department and will take up his duties at the beginning of 2023, serving a term of four years. 

Commenting on his appointment, Mr van Walsum  stated: ‘It is an honour and great pleasure to take up this new role,  and I look forward to working with Eurojust’s highly dedicated staff. Both the importance and acknowledgment of the Agency’s work have grown strongly over the years. I am fully committed to contribute to our common goal of getting justice done across the European Union and beyond.’

Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran said: ‘I warmly welcome Mr van Walsum and look forward to our close cooperation. The coming years will be eventful and challenging, as we are about to implement the extension of our mandate and significantly modernise our existing working methods. I am certain that Mr van Walsum’s proven managerial track record will make a positive difference while we navigate these changes. Fortunately, Mr van Walsum will be able to build on the excellent work of his predecessor, Mr Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, whom I would like to thank for all that he has done for our Agency.’

Evert van Walsum is a Dutch national who held managerial positions of increasing responsibility at National and European financial regulators. He holds a Masters in Law from the University of Amsterdam and a MBA from INSEAD Fontainebleau and Singapore. Mr van Walsum started his career in banking in the Netherlands after which he transitioned to the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) where he worked in several managerial roles in the markets area and in the field of investor protection. His last position at the AFM was Head of the Capital Markets Department. As Head of Investors and Issuers Department at the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), he was responsible for coordination and convergence of supervision by national competent authorities in the European Union.

Background on selection procedure and Administrative Director role

The new Administrative Director was appointed by the College of Eurojust, which is the highest decision making body within the Agency, following an extensive selection procedure. 

The Administrative Director of Eurojust oversees the day-to-day administration and staff management, ensuring full support to the operational work of the Agency. This includes ensuring administrative support of the President and Vice-Presidents, and implementing decisions taken by the College and Executive Board of Eurojust. The Administrative Director moreover steers the preparation of all major reporting documents, action plans, financial planning and new strategies.

 Lauching Book Chasing Windmills

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 Lauching Book Chasing Windmills

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Hague, launching the book Chasing Windmills, H.E. Ambassador Jose Eduardo Malaya, open the doors of the Kalayaan Hall at the Embassy to host the launching- and reading of Chasing Windmills.

The event was in partnership with the University of the Philippines Alumni Association – Netherlands Chapter (UPAA-NL). The date is 28 September 2022.

Ambassador Eduardo Malaya who plays the piano well, open the event by playing the Lupang Hinirang, the national anthem of the Philippines.

H.E. Ambassador Jose Eduardo Malaya, playing the Lupang Hinirang, national anthem of the Philippines.

“The inspiring story of Ms. Maya Butalid, a Filipina former political activist who became a migrant advocate and city councilor in The Netherlands, was featured in a book reading event organized by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association – Netherlands Chapter (UPAA-NL), in partnership with the Embassy of the Philippines, at the Kalayaan Hall of the Chancery.

“Chasing Windmills,” described by author Ms. Butalid as a “process of self-reflection [and] a spiritual journey,” is a collection of vignettes of her colorful life which people can relate to.

Members of UPAA-NL and Ambassador Malaya.

Ms. Butalid read excerpts from the book, particularly her reflections on her years as an activist in the underground movement in the Philippines and musings on her integration in Dutch society — learning the Dutch language, finishing her university studies, service in the City of Tilburg as City Councilor, and raising her two children.

“As I look back from 1983 when I first arrived in The Netherlands up to this day, I guess I have completed the circle of recreating my identities. I started as a Filipino political activist doing work for the Philippines in Europe and then I became a Filipino migrant, and later became part of the bigger migrant community in Europe, then I developed an affinity for the poor and disadvantaged White sector of Dutch society. I learned to understand the political and social landscape resulting in becoming a City Councilor,” said Ms. Butalid.

Dr. Chei Billedo.

“Finally, I touched base again with my roots, the Philippines. It was quite a journey but it made me realize that no matter how integrated I may be in the Dutch society, contributing and participating fully in this society does not make me less of a Filipino, and an important part of me will always be Filipino,” Ms. Butalid added.

She is currently involved with “Pasali,” a non-government organization based in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, that helps communities through enterprise, technology and community development.

Consul General, a.h. Mr. Eppo Horlings

The book reading was followed by reactions from Prof. Patricio “Jojo” Abinales, Ph.D., of the Department of Asian Studies of the University of Hawaii-Manoa, and Dr. Chei Billedo of the University of Amsterdam.

Malu Padilla, Board Member of the Centre for Migrant Advocacy Philippines”.

Well-attended by the Fillipino-Dutch community, the event commenced with the welcome remarks by Atty. Florisa Almodiel-Luteijn, President of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association – Netherlands Chapter, and was followed by the introduction of Ms. Butalid by Ms. Malu Padilla, Board Member of the Centre for Migrant Advocacy Philippines”.

The author, Maya Butalid, is a vigorous, combative, fearless, intelligent, intersectional, and beautiful Philippino woman! 

Chasing Windmills

Information:

Copies of the book are available at https://olympiapublishers.com/books/chasing-windmills. It is also available at https://www.waterstones.com/…/maya-butalid/9781800740860; https://www.barnesandnoble.com/…/chasing…/1141703698…; and https://www.bookdepository.com/Chasing…/9781800740860.//

Mechanism Prosecutor Brammertz on mission to Belgrade

Diplomat Magazine
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Mechanism Prosecutor Brammertz on mission to Belgrade

The Hague, 10 October 2022– Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Serge Brammertz is visiting Belgrade, Serbia, from 10 to 12 October 2022 to participate in the Regional Conference of War Crimes Prosecutors, focused on cooperation in processing war crimes justice, organized by the Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office and supported by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Germany and the EU.

The Prosecutor will also meet with senior Serbian representatives to discuss cooperation between the Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor and Serbia, Serbian authorities’ efforts to achieve justice for war crimes and regional judicial cooperation in war crimes cases. Prosecutor Brammertz will further meet with members of the diplomatic community.

A Farm Day for Diplomatic Kids

Diplomat Magazine
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A Farm Day for Diplomatic Kids

By August Zeidman

Sunday, September 18 was a rainy, windy day in The Hague. Nevertheless, this did not stop a group of diplomats and their families from gathering together in t‘Waaygat City Farm in Scheveningen.

Diplomat Magazine invited families with young children to come together in order to bridge new connections in the diplomatic community and for kids and parents to enjoy themselves in the fresh air. Bedecked in raincoats and with umbrellas at the ready, those who came to brave the weather were in for a lovely family-friendly morning.

For those posted here in The Hague, it is only fitting that they learn that rain can never stand in the way of a good time, c’est la vie.

Mr. Hironori Hara, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan and his family.

Attendees joined from Japan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Iran, and others, making themselves a fine crew. The children amused themselves with the playground, and with the variety of animals on the city farm. The rabbits were a favorite, and someone had even brought some carrots for the kids to feed them. Parents weren’t left out of the fun and, while supervising their children, they all managed to catch up with each other and enjoy some quality conversation.

Yekaterina Makulbekova, from Kazakhstan with her kids.

t’Waaygat on Havenkade is one of ten city farms in The Hague and, like many parks in the city, is on the site of a since-filled canal. Opening in 1978 it provides a great opportunity for city children to learn about and spend time around some animals they would not otherwise have many chances to see such as cows, rabbits, chickens, and goats.

A raining farm day for all.

Rain was no barrier to having such fun from everyone’s first arrival. Children were speaking and sharing one language with their parents, and another amongst themselves.

Everyone was offered a lunch bag and Diplomat Magazine is already looking forward to the next edition of this successful event (and maybe a drier one too!)

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