At the meeting of 23 April 2025, JURI Members will exchange views with the Executive Vice-President Prosperity and Industrial Strategy Stéphane Séjourné. A further exchange of views on the amending Directives 2006/43/EC, 2013/34/EU, (EU) 2022/2464 and (EU) 2024/1760 as regards certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements will take place.
The JURI Committee will also consider the amendments tabled on the opinion Establishing harmonised requirements in the internal market on transparency of interest representation carried out on behalf of third countries and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937.
The Committee on Constitutional Affairs held a hearing aiming to identify the constitutional hurdles Member States came across on the reforms of European electoral law and to find possible solutions.
Question for written answer E-001448/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Letizia Moratti (PPE)
In the area of scientific research, considerable strides have been made in the development of innovative cancer therapies that offer patients new treatment options. The most notable include: immunotherapy, which attacks cancer cells by means of the patient’s immune system; targeted therapies, which targets the specific genetic mutations in cancer cells; nanomedicine, which delivers drugs directly to cancer cells via nanoparticles; liquid biopsies, which detects circulating tumour cells; advanced therapies with modified cells that accurately combat cancer, also by means of the patient’s immune system.
Those therapies’ success has significantly increased survival rates, but it is difficult for patients to identify and access the most effective treatment, as they lack comparable and best practice data.
In the light of the above:
1.Will the Commission build up, coordinate and collect data for a systematic assessment of the effectiveness of innovative cancer therapies, comparing best practices with regard to their outcomes on patient survival and quality of life?
2.Will it foster patient access to treatment and related data, possibly through the establishment of a European database, including within the framework of the European Health Data Space?
3.Will it support research and the deployment of new technologies to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments?
Question for written answer E-001416/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Michalis Hadjipantela (PPE)
Faulty electrical appliances, imported primarily from non-EU countries and particularly from the People’s Republic of China, have caused multiple fatal accidents in Cyprus. The faulty devices caused fires on account of their hazardous and sub-standard specifications.
Despite existing EU regulations such as the Low Voltage Directive and the Market Surveillance Regulation, enforcement gaps remain, allowing unsafe products to reach the European market. The problem is exacerbated in Member States such as Cyprus owing to the limited sampling capabilities and the absence of a national certification test centre.
What measures can the Commission take to:
1.provide additional financial and technical support to Cyprus for market surveillance improvements and testing capabilities?
2.strengthen customs controls at EU borders to prevent the entry of high-risk electrical appliances?
3.increase the penalties for non-compliance, particularly for repeat offenders, to a level that truly deters importers from bringing faulty and sub-standard high-risk electrical products into the single market?
Question for written answer E-001417/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Giorgos Georgiou (The Left)
Under the European directive establishing the EU’s greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system, Member States must use revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances for climate-related purposes with a positive environmental impact. Furthermore, as is highlighted, Member States should report annually on the use of auctioning revenues in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council, specifying which revenues are used and the actions that are taken to implement their integrated national energy and climate plans and their territorial just transition plans.
Cyprus generates millions from the auctioning of pollution allowances. However, there is no transparency as to how the revenues generated by the state from this pollution are used, and compliance with the rules of the EU directive – which has also been transposed into national legislation – cannot be confirmed.
Can the Commission therefore answer the following:
1.To ensure transparency, should the Member State publish detailed information on the revenues it generates from pollution and how these are re-invested?
2.Is Cyprus fulfilling its obligation to use the total amount of the revenues generated from pollution for climate and just transition purposes?
1. Under the current customs legal framework, the consumers are the importers of goods that they have ordered from third countries via platforms. The Customs Reform proposal[1] introduces the concept of deemed importer, by which the platforms that have registered for the VAT Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) are considered responsible for the financial and non-financial requirements applicable on these e-commerce imports. The proposal to amend the VAT Directive now includes the provisions on the mandatory IOSS, which will be further discussed in Council and which may require a further adjustment in the definition of the deemed importer. Both proposals are likely to evolve during the negotiation process. They are now both in the Council but the customs reform is subject to ordinary legislative procedure so both co-legislators will still have a say.
2. Subject to the negotiations of the co-legislators, the deemed importer will provide data regarding their distance sales of imported goods to the customs authorities at the moment of the sale. The deemed importer will have the same information requirements as any other importer.
3. The proposed customs reform aims indeed at reinforcing the customs supervision of all goods entering and leaving the Union, including e-commerce. A new EU Customs Authority and an EU Customs Data Hub will centralise data to improve targeting of unsafe products entering the Union. The customs reform will therefore contribute to reducing the number of unsafe products entering the EU, in synergy with other EU legislation, such as the Digital Service Act[2] and the General Product Safety Regulation[3].
[2] Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) (Text with EEA relevance) PE/30/2022/REV/1. OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1-102.
[3] Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC (Text with EEA relevance). PE/79/2022/REV/1. OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1-51.
The Commission’s proposed measure[1] is designed to gradually phase out the EU’s dependence on Russian nitrogen-based fertilisers through a transitional approach.
This involves measured annual duty increases on Russian imports over an extended period, minimising potential price impacts. Alternative supplies are available, with market data indicating that these alternatives enter the EU market at price levels comparable to Russian fertilisers[2].
Therefore, if adopted in its current form, the Commission expects the measure to result into a gradual and orderly replacement of Russian nitrogen-based fertilisers with alternatives, including domestically produced ones, under similar market conditions and in comparable volumes and quality, not changing present environmental impacts.
As a result, the Commission does not anticipate the need to compensate EU farmers or grant derogations under the Nitrates Directive[3] in connection with this proposal.
However, the proposal mandates that the Commission monitor nitrogen-based fertiliser prices for four years following the regulation’s implementation.
If prices rise substantially, which is not expected to be the case, as explained above, the Commission will assess the situation and take appropriate measures to address the increase.
These measures may include proposing the temporary suspension of tariffs on affected goods imported from sources other than Russia and Belarus, among other possible actions.
[2] Difference of around 1% during the year of 2024 after considering that the latter supplies a EU’s Common Customs Tariff of 6.5%, to which EU domestic production and preferential trade suppliers are not subject.
The Commission will not comment about statements made by former Commissioners in their private capacity.
The Commission has no powers to intervene in national elections. The conduct and the organisation of elections, and any decisions related to the electoral process, are the competence and responsibility of the Member States, in accordance with their national legislation, international obligations and applicable EU law. National authorities and courts are primarily responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable rules.
Free and fair elections are at the core of democracy. The Commission supports Member States on electoral matters, notably through the framework of the European Cooperation Network on Elections, which brings together national authorities with competences in electoral matters and facilitates the exchanges of information and best practices.
The Commission is also working with Member States to support the application of EU law provisions which are relevant in national electoral contexts in the EU, such as the Digital Services Act[1], Regulation 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising[2] (which will apply in full from October 2025), the General Data Protection Regulation[3] and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act[4] (if AI is used to influence the outcome of an election).
In 2023, the Commission published a recommendation on inclusive and resilient electoral processes in the Union[5].
[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022R2065 In 2024, the Commission issued Guidelines for providers of Very Large Online Platforms and Very Large Online Search Engines on the mitigation of systemic risks for electoral processes, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52024XC03014&qid=1714466886277
The EU’s relationship with Algeria is multifaceted. The EU remains Algeria’s largest trade partner. Algeria is the EU’s third-largest gas supplier, and its vast renewable energy potential makes it a key partner in the green transition. Both also share a strategic interest in stabilising the Sahel.
Algeria is a country of origin, transit and destination for migration. While many Algerians migrate legally to Europe, Algeria has also become a hub for sub-Saharan migrants — some settling, others transiting.
It seeks closer cooperation with the EU on the voluntary return of sub-Saharan migrants, facilitated through the International Organisation for Migration. EU efforts to engage Algeria on the readmission of its nationals illegally staying in the EU remain challenging for several Member States.
EU financial support is primarily channelled through international partners rather than the Algerian government. No financing instruments used for Algeria directly link funding to specific policy measures. As a result, political dialogue remains the primary tool for advancing cooperation on migration and security.
EU development cooperation supports Algeria’s economic diversification, critical given its high hydrocarbon dependency and youth unemployment.
Funds are allocated through pillar-assessed partners (e.g. United Nations agencies, Member State development agencies) to ensure effective implementation.
1. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission approved several state aid measures covering various forms of support. The Commission adopted a series of decisions, covering state aid, either in the form of damage compensation under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) or under the ‘Temporary Framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak’.[1] Those decisions covered both individual measures and schemes.
Where Commission decisions relate to individual aid measures aimed at supporting air carriers those decisions identify the beneficiaries. Where the Commission approved schemes, it does not necessarily have knowledge of which airlines ultimately received state aid. All Commission decisions approving such measures are accessible at the webpage for Competition Policy of the Commission[2].
2. Commission state aid decisions describe in detail the form and duration of the financial assistance to be offered by the Member State in question. They also describe the conditions for repayment or exit of the Member State in question, where such conditions are applicable. Furthermore, they describe any applicable monitoring and reporting obligations to be complied with by the Member State in question. The Commission has no information as to what proportion of loans or other financial instruments has already been repaid to date.
[1] Communication from the Commission — Temporary framework for state aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak (OJ C 91I, 20.3.2020, p. 1), as subsequently amended.
Directive 94/33/EC[1] lays down minimum standards to protect children and adolescents performing work to ensure that young people have working conditions which suit their age.
The directive sets out the employer’s general obligations to protect and monitor young workers’ health and safety by laying down minimum standards for working hours, night work, rest period and breaks for young people.
Member States must ensure that young people are protected against any specific risk to their safety, health and development which are a consequence of their lack of experience, or of the fact that young people have not yet matured.
The recital also stipulates that Member States should take the appropriate measures to ensure that the working time of children receiving school education does not adversely affect their ability to benefit from that education.
This is why the directive limits the employment of underage workers so that they cannot perform work that is beyond their physical or mental capacity.
Member States may allow children of at least 13 years to perform light work for two hours on a school day and 12 hours a week performed during term-time and seven hours a day and 35 hours a week for work performed when school is not operating.
The Commission has no plans to amend the directive with the aim to liberalise the protection of children and young workers. The restrictions on working time and other health and safety aspects of the work life of children are there to protect young workers from risks arising from their lack of experience and physical and mental development.
The Commission is continuously following the rule of law situation in all Member States, including in Slovenia, and is monitoring developments in its annual Rule of Law Report.
The 2024 Rule of Law Report, country chapter on Slovenia[1] provides an assessment of the situation of the rule of law in Slovenia in four key areas: the justice system, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and freedom, and other institutional issues related to checks and balances.
As part of the preparation of the 2025 Rule of Law Report, the Commission carries out virtual country meetings with key stakeholders in all Member States, including Slovenia. For Slovenia, these country meetings took place in the second half of March 2025.
[1] 2024 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Slovenia, SWD(2024) 824 final, accessible at: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/b76a7422-b03a-4104-9f61-9d9be3c34e44_en?filename=54_1_58081_coun_chap_slovenia_en.pdf
The Commission does not have detailed information on the case, thus, a reply can be only general. Direct awards of public contracts or concessions, without a public call for tender, might infringe EU competition law or other applicable provisions of EU legislation, namely Directive 2014/23/EU[1], Directive 2014/24/EU[2] or Directive 2014/25/EU[3], depending on the nature, the subject matter and the value of the contract.
Port services are subject to Regulation (EU) 2017/352[4], which applies to all maritime ports of the trans-European transport network. Under Article 6(4) of the Port Services Regulation, where the managing body of the port, or the competent authority, decides to limit the number of providers of a port service, it shall follow a selection procedure which shall be open to all interested parties, non-discriminatory and transparent.
Under EU competition law, a case-by-case assessment is required. Failure to comply with a legislation adopted by a Member State cannot constitute a per se violation of Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
However, the behaviour arising out of such failure to comply with a national legislation might also cause an infringement of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.
If a State measure causes an infringement of EU competition law, the Commission may start proceedings pursuant to Article 106 TFEU in conjunction with Articles 101 and/or 102 TFEU.
Similarly, in case of finding of a breach of the applicable EU rules on the award of public contracts or concessions, the Commission may initiate an infringement procedure against a Member State under Article 258 TFEU for failure to comply with its obligations under EU law.
[1] Directive 2014/23/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the award of concession contracts, OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 1-64.
[2] Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC, OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65-242.
[3] Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and repealing Directive 2004/17/EC, OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 243-374.
[4] Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2017 establishing a framework for the provision of port services and common rules on the financial transparency of ports, OJ L 57, 3.3.2017, p. 1-18.
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 15.04.2025, 14-16 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the price corridor (up to 70.68) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 426.48 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 22.5%) of the RU000A105LN3 security (IADOM 1P27) were changed.
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In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 15.04.2025, 14-16 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the price corridor (up to 65.96) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 291.33 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 30.0%) of the security RU000A103YK7 (IADOM 1P12) were changed.
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In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 15.04.2025, 14-16 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the price corridor (up to 71.31) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 360.99 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 21.25%) of the RU000A104AM1 security (IADOM 1P17) were changed.
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In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of PJSC Moscow Exchange by NCO NCC (JSC) on 15.04.2025, 14-26 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 79.6) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 621.13 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 22.5%) of the security RU000A1065R7 (IADOM 1P33) were changed.
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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 58 “Organization of the system for handling municipal solid waste”. It was attended by heads of relevant departments and heads of regions.
Special attention in the context of the incident was paid to the law that came into force in March of this year. It introduces a three-year moratorium on fines for exceeding the axle load for garbage trucks. Dmitry Patrushev emphasized that the task is not only to develop domestic trucks, but also to launch their serial production. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Russian Ecological Operator will also be involved in the design process.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the new model must comply with the law, be environmentally friendly, maneuverable, universal for all climate zones of the country and affordable. Dmitry Patrushev noted that the Ministry of Industry and Trade should speed up the implementation of the project.
Dmitry Patrushev reported that the Government’s order approved a list of organizations with which individual regions can conclude concession agreements without a tender for the construction of waste management infrastructure. The Russian Ecological Operator will be included in the authorized capital of the organizations. This will allow monitoring the timely implementation of infrastructure projects. Dmitry Patrushev drew the attention of the heads of these 19 regions to the need to carefully monitor the implementation of “road maps” for the implementation of investment projects.
Thanks to this mechanism, 5 million tons of capacity will be created for processing solid municipal waste, 2.3 million tons for its disposal, and 3.5 million tons for burial.
The meeting also discussed regional provision of infrastructure for waste collection – containers, sites, special equipment. The heads of regions where the implementation of the waste management reform is causing the greatest difficulties spoke.
Incident No. 58 “Organization of a system for handling municipal solid waste” was created on the instructions of the Chairman of the Government to ensure the implementation of reform in the area of waste management.
When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.
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First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Denis Manturov and Minister Coordinating for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Airlangga Hartarto held the 13th meeting of the Russian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation. Its participants considered a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, investment, transport and energy, as well as science, education and culture.
Despite global challenges, bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia is showing positive dynamics. Over the past five years, mutual trade turnover has grown by more than 80% (to $4.3 billion by the end of 2024), and last year Indonesia was among Russia’s three leading foreign trade partners in ASEAN. “At the same time, the potential for economic cooperation is much broader. This was confirmed, among other things, by the Russian-Indonesian business forum held yesterday in Jakarta. Business circles are demonstrating practical interest in developing mutually beneficial cooperation. Given the success of the format, I propose to continue the practice of combining such business events with commission meetings. I also consider it necessary to encourage the participation of Russian and Indonesian companies in major congress and exhibition events held in our countries,” Denis Manturov noted.
The business dialogue between Russia and Indonesia contributes to the diversification of the trade structure. Thus, along with fuel and energy products, the export of food and mineral fertilizers is growing. In 2023, deliveries of Russian wheat resumed. “We expect to begin shipping meat products that will meet halal standards in the near future. We see opportunities for developing the export of forestry and metallurgy products,” the First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
The conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between the EAEU and Indonesia, as well as the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters will allow further increase in trade turnover and simplify procedures for mutual access of goods to markets. Denis Manturov also emphasized the importance of ensuring uninterrupted mutual settlements.
Special attention at the meeting was paid to the development of cooperation in the field of digital technologies. Domestic companies are ready to implement their own developments in the field of information security, artificial intelligence and smart city technologies in Indonesia. The First Deputy Prime Minister also confirmed readiness for dialogue on projects in the space industry, including technologies for remote sensing of the Earth, satellite navigation, manned spaceflight and personnel training.
Cooperation in the spheres of culture, education, tourism and sports is developing successfully. Speaking about strengthening partnership relations in the media, Denis Manturov welcomed the plans of the Russia Today TV channel to jointly produce news content in Indonesian for local channels, which will allow objective coverage of both the Russian-Indonesian agenda and global events in the interests of the audience of our countries.
Following the event, a final protocol was signed, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between Rosakcreditatsiya and the Indonesian Halal Product Quality Assurance Agency, which is aimed at improving the conditions for access of halal products to the Indonesian market. In addition, an Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Improving Quality and Business Excellence was signed between Roskachestvo and the Indonesian Association for Quality and Productivity Management, as well as an Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Sports between the Russian National Badminton Federation and the Indonesian Badminton Association.
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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
As part of a working visit to Kamchatka Krai, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev familiarized himself with the progress of construction of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital, which is being created within the framework of the state program “Healthcare Development”, and visited the year-round greenhouse complex “Kamchatsky” in the priority development area “Kamchatka”.
“We talked with the Governor of Kamchatka Krai Vladimir Viktorovich Solodov, he said that the main period of construction of the hospital, when the work was actually underway, was four years. As for impressions of the services, it is not my impressions that are important, but the assessment of patients, the quality of services that will be provided to them, and the opinion of doctors. It seems to me that the doctors are in a good mood. You can see it in their eyes. This is not the last inspection of this facility. The hospital will be launched in the middle of next month. We will definitely come to see the work of the hospital,” said Yuri Trutnev.
Despite the sanctions, the best medical equipment has been purchased for the medical center – more than 700 units of equipment, many of which were produced in 2024 and have no analogues in the Far East. Thanks to the unique, state-of-the-art equipment, the range of high-tech operations that will be carried out in Kamchatka is expanding.
Among them is a unique MRI machine, one of four in Russia. This equipment will allow the introduction of advanced treatment methods and will provide the highest level of medical care for decades to come.
For the first time in Kamchatka, a single operating block has been created with nine operating rooms equipped with advanced equipment, including navigation systems for joint prosthetics and modern operating microscopes. Operations will be integrated into a single medical information system, which will simplify doctors’ access to patient data directly during surgery and telemedicine consultations with leading Russian medical institutes.
This year, departments such as neurosurgery, general surgery, ENT department, urology center, traumatology and orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, anesthesiology and resuscitation, hemodialysis and gravitational blood surgery, as well as departments of radiation and functional diagnostics together with a clinical diagnostic laboratory will move to the new Kamchatka hospital.
The new Kamchatka Regional Hospital is the most long-awaited facility for residents of the region. Completion of its construction has become a key area of the people’s program for the development of Kamchatka Krai, formed on the basis of proposals from residents in 2020 at the initiative of Governor Vladimir Solodov.
The new hospital is designed for 150 visits per shift and 450 beds. The area of the complex will be more than 63 thousand square meters, and the total area of the hospital territory provides for further development of treatment areas and will be more than 41 hectares.
The construction of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital is being carried out in two stages. The first stage includes a treatment and diagnostic building, a ward building with 175 beds and engineering structures. The second stage includes an administrative and outpatient clinic building, a ward building with 275 beds, a pathology department and a block of auxiliary departments. Additionally, a children’s regional hospital will be created.
Yuri Trutnev also visited the year-round greenhouse complex “Kamchatsky”, created on the initiative of the head of the region Vladimir Solodov and within the framework of the people’s program. The new production was created on the territory of the priority development area “Kamchatka”, within the boundaries of the agro-industrial park “Zelenovskie ozerki”, located in the village of Razdolny, Yelizovsky district. The opening of the complex took place in early February 2025.
The launch of the facility will allow growing fresh vegetables at affordable prices and covering up to 60% of the population’s needs. In particular, this will make it possible to reduce the region’s dependence on external supplies. Industrial production of this scale has not been carried out in Kamchatka since Soviet times, and the level of automation and modern approaches to production are unprecedented for the region.
The greenhouse’s production area is 3.6 hectares. Three varieties of tomatoes are grown here: round medium-fruited tomatoes of the “Merlis” variety, plum-shaped tomatoes of the “Prunax” variety and cherry tomatoes of the “Confetto” variety, as well as cucumbers of two varieties: medium-fruited “Meva” and short-fruited “Valigora” with a flower.
Since the sowing of the main crops in December 2024, more than 490 tons of vegetable products have already been grown and shipped to retail chains. After reaching the production capacity of 2.8 thousand tons per year, the production will be able to meet up to 75% of the Kamchatka Territory’s need for fresh and affordable vegetables.
On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister awarded the winners of the seventh public and business award “Star of the Far East”, who are implementing investment and public projects in Kamchatka Krai.
The winner of the Strategic Development nomination was Highland Gold, a company engaged in the extraction of precious and non-ferrous metals. The group’s projects are concentrated in the Far East, and in the Kamchatka Territory it is represented by three operating enterprises. As one of the largest investors in the region, Highland Gold initiates and supports environmental, social, infrastructure and other projects in the region that contribute to the development of the socio-economic sphere, including in remote areas of the peninsula.
The winner of the Hectare of Victory nomination was Nadezhda Tikhonova, Chairperson of the Kamchatka Regional Public Organization “Kalmyk Community “Bumbin Orn” (“Country of Happiness”), Director of the Delo Pobedy Charitable Foundation. She built an ethnosports complex on her property. The Delo Pobedy Foundation provides advisory and explanatory work for SVO participants and their families. In November-December 2022, the leaders of national associations of the Kamchatka Territory raised funds and directed them to create a project for the production of unmanned radio-controlled systems, and volunteers of the Delo Pobedy Charitable Foundation established the production and supply of multifunctional unmanned radio-controlled systems for evacuating the wounded, delivering everything necessary, mining and firing at the front lines.
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We inform you that, based on the letter of the Bank of Russia and in accordance with Part I. General Part and Part II. Stock Market Section of the Rules for Conducting Trading on the Stock Market, Deposit Market and Credit Market of Moscow Exchange PJSC, the order establishes the form, time, term and procedure for holding auctions for the placement and trading of the following federal loan bonds:
1.
Name of the Issuer
Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation
Name of security
federal loan bonds with constant coupon income
State registration number of the issue
26242RMFS from 01/19/2023
Date of the auction
April 16, 2025
Information about the placement (trading mode, placement form)
The placement of Bonds will be carried out in the Trading Mode “Placement: Auction” by holding an Auction to determine the placement price. BoardId: PACT (Settlements: Ruble)
Trade code
CO26242RMFSB
ISIN code
RO000A105RV3
Calculation code
B01
Additional conditions of placement
The share of non-competitive bids in relation to the total volume of bids submitted by the Bidder may not exceed 90%.
Information about the placement (trading mode, placement form)
The placement of Bonds will be carried out in the Trading Mode “Placement: Auction” by holding an Auction to determine the placement price. BoardId: PACT (Settlements: Ruble)
Trade code
CO26248RMFS3
ISIN code
RO000A108EH4
Calculation code
B01
Additional conditions of placement
The share of non-competitive bids in relation to the total volume of bids submitted by the Bidder may not exceed 90%.
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom
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Parameters: Date of the deposit auction 04/16/2025. Placement currency RUB. Maximum amount of funds placed (in the placement currency) 1,511,000,000.00. Placement term, days 7. Date of depositing funds 04/16/2025. Date of return of funds 04/23/2025. Minimum placement interest rate, % per annum 21.00. Terms of the conclusion, urgent or special (Urgent). Minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in the placement currency) 1,511,000,000.00. Maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1. Auction form, open or closed (Open).
The basis of the Agreement is the General Agreement. Schedule (Moscow time). Applications in preliminary mode from 10:30 to 10:40. Applications in competitive mode from 10:40 to 10:45. Setting the cutoff percentage rate or declaring the auction invalid before 10:55.
Additional terms
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From April 21, 2025, the Foreign Exchange Market will expand the time for concluding transactions in the OTC Clearing mode with the Central Bank (CPCL): concluding transactions will become available from 7:00.
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But what followed was one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. During a brutal four-year rule, the communist-nationalist ideologues of the Khmer Rouge killed between 1.6 million and 3 million people through executions, forced labor and starvation. It represented a quarter of the country’s population at the time.
Fifty years on, the Khmer Rouge’s legacy continues to shape Cambodia – politically, socially, economically and emotionally. It’s etched into every Cambodian’s bones – including mine.
Photo of author’s parents in Cambodia, taken in late 1960s. Sophal Ear, CC BY
I write this not just as an academic or observer but as a survivor. My father died under the Khmer Rouge, succumbing to dysentery and malnutrition after being forced to work in a labor camp. My mother pretended to be Vietnamese to save our family. She escaped Cambodia with five children in 1976, crossing through Vietnam before reaching France in 1978 and finally the United States in 1985. We were among the lucky ones.
Today, Cambodia is physically unrecognizable from the bombed-out fields and empty cities of the 1970s. Phnom Penh gleams with high-rises and luxury malls. And yet beneath the glitter, the past endures – often in silence, sometimes in cynical exploitation.
Legacy of fear and control
The Khmer Rouge came to power on a wave of disillusionment, corruption, civil war and rural resentment. Years of American bombing, the 1970 U.S.-backed coup that ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and the subsequent deeply unpopular U.S.-aligned military regime set the stage for the Khmer Rouge’s rise.
Many Cambodians, particularly in the countryside, welcomed the Khmer Rouge, with its mix of hard-line communist ideology and extreme Cambodian nationalism, as liberators who promised to restore order and dignity. But for the next four years, the Khmer Rouge, under feared leader Pol Pot, brought terror to the nation through ideological purges, forced labor, racial genocide of minority groups and policies that brought widespread famine.
People digging a water canal under the guard of an armed Khmer Rouge soldier in 1976. AFP via Getty Images
This political culture of fear draws directly from the Khmer Rouge playbook – minus the overt violence. The trauma inflicted by that regime taught people to distrust one another, to keep quiet, to survive by keeping their heads down. That impulse still shapes public life.
But it took decades to begin, cost over US$300 million and convicted only three senior Khmer Rouge leaders over the 1975–79 genocide. Many mid- and lower-level perpetrators walk free, some are still in government positions, some neighbors to survivors.
For a nation where the majority of the population was born after 1979, there remains a glaring gap in education and public reckoning over the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities.
Cambodia’s school curriculum still struggles to teach this period adequately. For many young people, it’s something their parents don’t talk about and the state prefers to frame selectively.
Economic growth − uneven and fragile
In raw numbers, Cambodia’s economic progress over the past two decades has been impressive.
Instead of building a resilient, diversified economy, Cambodia has relied on relationships – with China for investment, with the U.S. for markets – without investing enough in its own human capital. That, too, I believe, is a legacy of the Khmer Rouge, which destroyed the country’s intellectual and professional classes.
Trauma passed down
The psychological toll of genocide doesn’t disappear with time. Survivors carry the scars in their bodies and minds.
But so do their children and grandchildren. Studies in postgenocide Cambodia have shown elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among survivorsand their descendants, resulting in intergenerational trauma.
There are not nearly enough mental health services in the country. Trauma is often dealt with privately, through silence or resilience rather than therapy. Buddhism, the country’s dominant religion, offers rituals for healing, reincarnation and forgiveness. But this isn’t a substitute for systemic mental health infrastructure.
Worse, in recent years, even the memory of the genocide has been politicized.
Some leaders use it as a tool to silence dissent. Others co-opt it for nationalist narratives. There’s little room for honest, critical reflection. Some independent initiatives, such as intergenerational dialogue programs and digital archives, have tried to fill the gap but face limited support.
This is, I believe, a second tragedy. A country cannot truly move forward if it cannot speak freely about its past.
A tourist looks at portraits of victims of the Khmer Rouge at the Tuol Sleng genocide museum in Phnom Penh, formerly a Khmer Rouge torture center known as S-21. Tang Chhin Southy/AFP via Getty Images)
The danger of forgetting
April 17 is not a national holiday in Cambodia. There are no official commemorations. The government doesn’t encourage remembrance of the day Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge. But to my mind, it should. Not to reopen wounds, but to remind Cambodians why justice, democracy and dignity matter.
The danger isn’t that Cambodia will return to the days of the Khmer Rouge. The danger is that it becomes a place where history is manipulated, where authoritarianism is justified as stability and where development is allowed to paper over injustice.
As the world marks the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge’s rise, Cambodia must, I believe, reckon with this uncomfortable truth: The regime may be long gone, but its legacy lives on in the institutions, behaviors and fears that continue to shape Cambodia today.
A personal reckoning
When I look back, I think of my father – whom I never knew. I think of my mother, who risked everything to save us. And I think of the millions of Cambodians who live with memories they cannot forget, and the young Cambodians who deserve to know the full truth.
My life has been shaped by what happened on April 17, 1975. But that story isn’t mine alone. It belongs to Cambodia – and it’s still being written.
Sophal Ear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Russian president Vladimir Putin does not seem interested in peace: Sunday’s missile strike on Sumy, the worst civilian attack this year, proves he is determined to expand into Ukraine at any cost.
This is a war of ideas, narratives and myths – one that can be traced to the mid-1500s, when Ivan the Terrible, Grand Duke of Muscovy declared himself the first “tsar” of all Russia.
As part of his quest for power, Ivan the Terrible challenged King Sigismund I of Poland, who as Duke of Rus, ruled over territories that now comprise parts of modern-day Ukraine.
Russian rulers have often repurposed history to build their power, according to historian Orlando Figes. Putin wrote a well known essay in 2021 that called Russians and Ukrainians “one people”. He was relying on old beliefs that Russia has the right to “restore” or reunite lands it once ruled.
Ukraine has survived bans on its language, forced assimilation policies, and famines like the Holodomor, orchestrated by Stalin in the 1930s. The country declared independence from Russia in 1991. Now, teachers, artists and local leaders have joined soldiers in resisting Russia.
Empire and a holy mission
A broad expanse of the former medieval kingdom of Kyivan Rus incorporated territories in present-day Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, including Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. From 1386 until 1772, the majority of these lands came under the rule of Poland-Lithuania, governed by the Lithuanian Jagiellon dynasty, and their successors.
Today, Russia often points to Kyivan Rus (which lasted from the 9th to the 13th century), claiming it is reuniting these ancient lands, as Ivan the Terrible claimed in the mid-1500s.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania, ruled by the Jagiellon dynasty in the 13th to 15th centuries. Wikipedia, CC BY
In 1547, Ivan declared Muscovy a tsardom and Moscow to be the “Third Rome” – in other words, the latest centre of true Christianity, after Rome and Constantinople. This idea made conquest seem like a holy mission. By the late 1700s, the Russian Empire had destroyed Poland-Lithuania in a series of territorial annexations and wars. It had spread far to the south and east, and now bordered with Prussia and Austria.
Ukraine, with its rich farmland and cultural connection to Kyivan Rus, was a top prize. Russian leaders called Ukraine “Malorossiya”, or “Little Russia”, to claim it was just a small part of a larger, Russian whole. They banned Ukrainian-language publications, forced the Orthodox Church of Ukraine to answer to Moscow, and tried to stamp out any sense of a separate Ukrainian identity.
However, Ukraine developed its own cultural identity, shaped by its Cossack traditions, its history under Polish–Lithuanian rule, and its separate experiences. Many Ukrainians argue their culture existed long before Muscovy evolved into an empire.
Meanwhile, Russia had expanded into its next-door neighbours, then pretended these lands had always been part of Russia. Historian Alexander Etkind calls this process “internal colonisation”. This strategy helped Russia become a vast empire. But it also built lasting resentment, particularly in Ukraine.
Famine and ‘fascists’
The Soviet Union (USSR), established in 1922 in the wake of the successful Bolshevik Coup in 1917, claimed to be a union of equal republics. But in practice, Moscow stayed firmly in control.
Ukraine had the label of “Soviet Republic”, but had little genuine independence. Soviet leaders demanded enormous amounts of grain, coal, and labour from Ukraine to support the rest of the USSR.
A postcard printed in Germany by Ukrainian Youth Association for the 15th anniversary of Holodomor, 1933. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
One of the darkest periods in Ukrainian history was the Holodomor, an orchestrated famine that spanned 1932–33, in which millions of Ukrainians died of hunger, after Stalin’s government seized huge amounts of grain from farmers. These policies aimed to break Ukrainian resistance and nationalist feelings.
After World War II, the Soviet Union took over the Baltic states and parts of Poland, including regions now in western Ukraine. Although Ukraine became one of the more industrialised parts of the USSR, genuine displays of Ukrainian culture or independent thought were often met with harsh punishment. People who spoke out were labelled “fascists”, a term still used in Russia’s modern propaganda.
The USSR fell apart in 1991. Ukraine, along with other former Soviet republics, became independent nations. This was a major blow to Russia’s idea of itself as a world empire. For centuries, Moscow had seen Ukraine as central to its identity.
The 1990s brought tough economic reforms and political changes in Russia. Then Vladimir Putin rose to power in the early 2000s, promising to restore Russia’s influence. He described the former Soviet states as the “near abroad”, suggesting Moscow still had special rights over these regions.
In 2008, Russia went to war with Georgia. After winning, it recognised two breakaway provinces in Georgia, effectively keeping troops there.
In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, claiming it was protecting Russian speakers. It also backed separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 68/262 in March 2014, declaring Russia’s annexation of Crimea illegal. The Kremlin continued its policies regardless.
‘Denazifying’ Ukraine?
In February 2022, Russia expanded the conflict by launching an invasion of Ukraine. It described its actions as a mission to “denazify” the country, accusing Ukraine’s government of being controlled by Nazis – although president Zelenskyy has Jewish heritage.
There was no evidence to support these claims. Still, Russian leaders used these slogans to justify their aggressive push. They also spoke of “traditional values” and “Orthodox unity”, painting themselves as defenders of a shared Slavic culture.
The military objective was to capture the Donbas completely, create a land bridge to Crimea, and maybe advance further to Transnistria in Moldova, a pro-Russian separatist region.
What Russia hoped would be a quick victory has become a long, brutal conflict. For many Ukrainians, independence is more than just avoiding control by Moscow. It is about creating a society built on democracy, human rights and ties to Europe.
These values inspired the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv in 2013–14, where demonstrators demanded less corruption and closer links to the European Union. Russia used these protests to justify seizing Crimea in 2014.
A message of self-determination
The Kremlin’s insistence that Ukrainians and Russians are the same mirrors the older imperial model: expand, absorb and claim these territories were always part of Russia. Breaking free from this “mental empire” demands a deep shift in how Russians, Ukrainians, and the world view Eastern Europe’s past and present.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, many hoped for a new era of cooperation in Eastern Europe. Instead, authoritarian politics and old beliefs about empire have led to a devastating conflict.
By refusing to be pulled back into Russia’s orbit, Ukrainians send a message about self-determination. They reject the claim bigger nations can absorb smaller ones simply by invoking a shared past.
Darius von Guttner Sporzynski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Capitalised terms used herein shall have the meaning specified for such terms in the Caisse Française de Financement Local base prospectus to the €75,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme dated 8 July 2024 (the “Base Prospectus”).
Caisse Française de Financement Local has decided to issue on 17 April 2025 – Euro 1,000,000,000 Fixed Rate Obligations Foncières due 17 April 2035.
The net proceeds of this issue will be used to finance and/or refinance, in whole or in part, the Eligible Green Loans as defined in the Sfil Group Green, Social and Sustainability Bond Framework which is available on the website of the Issuer.
A Stabilisation Manager has been named in the applicable Final Terms.
The Base Prospectus dated 8 July 2024 and the supplements to the Base Prospectus dated 13 September 2024, 30 September 2024, 26 December 2024, 27 February 2025 and 2 April 2025 approved by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers are available on the website of the Issuer (https://www.caissefrancaisedefinancementlocal.fr/), at the registered office of the Issuer: 112-114, avenue Emile Zola, 75015 Paris, France, and at the office of the Paying Agent indicated in the Base Prospectus.
The Final Terms relating to the issue will be available on the website of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (www.bourse.lu), at the office of the Issuer and at the office of the Paying Agent.
SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems, is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for the seventh year in a row. This award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at RTI. This year, 93% of US-based employees said RTI is a great place to work – 36 points higher than the average U.S. company.
“This recognition is a testament to the individuals who make RTI what it is,” said Stan Schneider, CEO of RTI. “Nobody understands a company better than its employees. This certification validates our unwavering commitment to a collaborative culture, unwavering ethics, and excellent execution. I’m incredibly proud of the RTI team and the collective spirit that shapes our exceptional workplace.”
The Great Place to Work survey highlights key factors that make RTI a great place to work. An impressive 97% of employees agree that when they join the company, they are made to feel welcome. Additionally, 96% believe they have equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of background, and feel that management is honest and ethical in its business practices, fostering a strong sense of trust across the organization.
“Great Place To Work Certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the Vice President of Global Recognition at Great Place To Work. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that RTI stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees.”
RTI’s “1RTI” culture fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment, where team members, regardless of location, feel connected and valued. In fact, 96% of employees agreed that people at RTI care about each other, and that management is approachable and easy to talk with. Flexibility and personal growth are also prioritized, with opportunities for professional development at every stage. By embracing different perspectives, RTI empowers employees to contribute to shared success, creating a culture where every talent is recognized and respected.
According to Great Place To Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and are twice as likely to be paid fairly, earn a fair share of the company’s profits and have a fair chance at promotion.
WE’RE HIRING! Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: rti.com/company/careers
Don’t meet every single requirement? At RTI, we are dedicated to building an inclusive and authentic workplace so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t perfectly align with all qualifications in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or another one of our open roles.
About RTI
Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems. RTI Connext® is the world’s leading software framework for intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext users can build systems that combine advanced sensing, fast control, and AI algorithms.
With 2,000 customer designs, RTI excels at getting customers to production. RTI software runs over 300 autonomous vehicle programs, supports dozens of automotive ADAS and software-defined architectures, controls the largest power plants in North America, integrates over 500 major defense programs, drives a new generation of MedTech systems and robotics, and underlies Canada’s air traffic control and NASA’s launch control systems.
RTI runs a smarter world.
RTI is the market leader in products compliant with the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Silicon Valley with regional offices in Colorado, Spain, and Singapore.
Download a free trial of the latest, fully-functional Connext software today: www.rti.com/downloads
About Great Place to Work Certification™
Great Place To Work® Certification™ is the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified.
About Great Place To Work®
As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List.
ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, accompanied by First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, Mayor Andre Dickens, Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens, state and local leaders, and law enforcement officers, hosted a ceremony today at the Governor’s Mansion celebrating the opening of the new State Patrol Post located on the mansion grounds that will serve the broader Buckhead community and surrounding parts of Atlanta. The 1,750-square-foot facility and garage bay, designed by Houser Walker Architecture, sits adjacent to the entrance of the Governor’s Mansion on Woodhaven Road NW and maintains the historical integrity of the surrounding grounds.
“Keeping our communities safe is my top priority and today’s milestone would not have been possible without the leadership and support of our partners in the General Assembly,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Thanks to the General Assembly, Mayor Dickens, and the brave and dedicated work of state and local law enforcement, we are witnessing a historic reduction in violent crime in our capital city. With the opening of this new post, we’re furthering our collaborative approach to taking criminals off our streets and bringing them to justice.”
This new GSP facility was made possible by the addition of $1.3 million in the FY24 budget by the Georgia House of Representatives and approved by the entire General Assembly.
“It was a great day to celebrate the opening of the new Georgia State Patrol Post in Buckhead, which will serve the greater Atlanta community and contribute to the safety of our entire state for generations to come,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Atlanta is stronger when Buckhead is safer, and that’s why the House was proud to invest over $1 million to support this new Georgia State Patrol post. We will continue leading efforts to crack down on crime, bolster public safety, and support our law enforcement heroes and their families every step of the way.”
“Effective public safety involves partnerships, coordination, and collaboration,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “I believe I can speak for Chief Schierbaum when I say that the Atlanta Police Department and the City of Atlanta look forward to working hand-in-hand with our State Patrol colleagues. This new post represents our shared commitment to fostering trust in all our communities as we continue to Move Atlanta Forward.”
Approximately 35 Troopers will be able to utilize the post, with 13 Troopers directly assigned to the facility, providing increased accessibility to and around-the-clock security for the Buckhead community and surrounding areas.
“We are happy to open a new POST that will allow our Troopers to better serve their community while enforcing Georgia’s traffic laws and holding criminals accountable,” said DPS Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens. “The new POST, along with our partnership with the Atlanta Police Department, gives us a tremendous advantage against those who choose to break the law, and the crime rates will continue to lower.”
Construction of the new Georgia State Patrol post was completed in March 2025.
ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, members of the Georgia General Assembly, and state and local leaders signed legislation today at a ceremony in Cobb County delivering more than $1 billion in significant tax relief to hardworking Georgians through an acceleration of the largest tax cut in state history and a third, one-time tax refund.
“Here in Georgia, we safeguard every dollar of taxpayer money, because we know it belongs to the people, not the government,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “While other states are running up budget deficits and raising taxes on their citizens, we’re investing in the priorities of our state while further cutting taxes and returning more than a billion dollars to hardworking Georgians! That’s on top of the tax relief we’ve given in prior years and is a direct result of our conservative budgeting. “As families fight through the impacts of high prices over the last several years, I want to thank our partners in the legislature for helping to make this possible and for supporting their fellow Georgians in this way.”
Governor Kemp signed the following two bills today. HB 111 – sponsored by Representative Soo Hong, co-sponsored by Representatives Matthew Gambill, Lauren McDonald III, Will Wade, Bruce Williamson, and Shaw Blackmon, and carried in the Senate by Senator Bo Hatchett – accelerates the largest state income tax cut in Georgia history initiated by the signing ofHB 1437 in 2022. HB 112 – sponsored by Representative Lauren McDonald III, co-sponsored by Representatives Soo Hong, Matthew Gambill, Will Wade, Alan Powell, and Shaw Blackmon, and carried in the Senate by Senator Drew Echols – authorizes the delivery of $1 billion in one-time special tax refunds of up to $500 per Georgia tax-payer household.
With the governor’s signature, HB 111 doubles down on the efforts of prior years to reduce the tax burden on Georgians and job creators. With this second acceleration cutting the state income tax rate by another 20 basis points, the total income tax rate will now be down to just 5.19 percent – a decrease of 56 basis points from the original rate of 5.75 percent. This expedited cut will save Georgians another 880 million dollars on their tax returns next year.
“Putting money back in taxpayer pockets and delivering on our promise to further cut the state income tax is a priority I am glad we all can agree on,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “With Governor Kemp’s leadership, Georgia continues to serve as an example for the rest of the nation on how to reduce taxes and give more than a billion dollars back to our citizens, while having a healthy reserve and fiscally sound budget. These bills becoming law today bring us one step closer to eliminating the state income tax, a priority I have always been a proponent of. We are able to do this because we are focused on a stable and prosperous future for all Georgians, while making financial choices that will ensure Georgia’s ongoing viability and financial stability. We will continue to make this a priority, and I look forward to seeing more of this great work in the future.”
After today, through a one-time special tax refund, Georgians who file jointly will receive $500, single filers will receive $250, and heads of household will get $375.
“The Georgia House was proud to champion HB 111 and HB 112 that further reduce the tax burden on hardworking Georgians and put over $1 billion back in the pockets of our state’s taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “These historic measures reiterate our commitment to providing much-needed financial relief to families across the state and delivering on the policies that matter most to our citizens.”
Governor Kemp also made note of the General Assembly’s ratification of his suspension of the state gas tax in the days following Hurricane Helene to provide direct relief to families, farmers, and businesses as they began to recover from the devastating storm. He is thankful to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, OPB Director Rick Dunn, and the members of the General Assembly who worked to pass these important pieces of legislation.
Clickhere for more information on the one-time special tax refund.
The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, met today with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajić, at Palazzo Chigi.
The two leaders confirmed the intention to further strengthen the historical ties between Italy and Montenegro, with particular regard to the sectors of energy, interconnections and infrastructure, as well as defence, security and the fight against transnational crime.
President Meloni reaffirmed Italy’s strong support for Montenegro’s EU accession path, praising the journey of reform it has undertaken, as well as the importance of the Western Balkans’ ‘reunification’ process with Europe. Lastly, the meeting provided an opportunity for an in-depth discussion on the main international issues, reiterating the shared commitment to the stability and security of the region, which represents a strategic priority for Italy.
