European politicians on Tuesday questioned Maros Sefcovic, the proposed EU green deal chief, about his views on Russia after a pro-Kremlin candidate won a general election in his home country Slovakia.
Slovakia accused Moscow of interfering in its election at the weekend that was won by populist Robert Fico, who pledged to end military help for Ukraine.
The dispute came as a European Parliament committee on Monday postponed a decision on whether to accept former Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra as the EU's new climate change policy chief, after he sought their backing in a three-hour hearing.
The decision on Mr Hoekstra, a centre-right conservative, is now due on Tuesday afternoon following a hearing of Mr Sefcovic, a social-democrat who is the nominee to take on the job of co-ordinating the EU's overall green policies.
Some EU officials said scheduling the hearings of Mr Hoekstra and of Mr Sefcovic during the same week at the European Parliament in Strasbourg was a way for opposing political groups to make sure their rival's candidate only gets approved if their own candidate does. Each needs support from two-thirds of the committee to pass.
The hearings of the two recently appointed EU Commission climate officials reflect deep divisions within the European Parliament.
The European People's Party's attempt at blocking a flagship nature conservation law this summer caused anger among the greens and social democrats.
Mr Hoekstra, a centre-right Dutch politician, faced tough questioning on Monday night as left and centre-left politicians repeatedly raised doubts about his credibility.
If the European Parliament refuses to back Mr Hoekstra, the EU will lack a chief negotiator at the coming Cop28 UN climate negotiations in late November.
Meanwhile, some EU legislators have portrayed Mr Sefcovic as influenced by internal politics in his home country.
Mr Sefcovic, who tried but failed to become Slovakia's president in 2019, is viewed as an experienced technocrat in Brussels, where he occupied various posts as commissioner since 2009.
The recent criticism seemed to reflect the MEPs' intention to question his suitability to lead the European Commission's work on its green deal – an ambitious set of climate policies that aim to make the continent carbon neutral by 2050.
Mr Sefcovic is from the same political party as general election winner Mr Fico, who campaigned by promising to shift Slovakia, an EU and Nato member state, closer to Hungary in challenging the bloc's consensual support of Ukraine against Russia.
Mr Fico now has two weeks to try to form a coalition government.
Peter Liese, an MEP of the European People's Party, asked Mr Sefcovic about his neutrality amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's influence in Slovakia.
“I was very shocked listening to Mr Fico. He is mainly a friend of Putin as I see it,” said Mr Liese.
“How strong will you be if Mr Fico is in office again?”
Another German EPP politician, Christian Ehler, was even more aggressive in his questioning of Mr Sefcovic.
“In 2019, you took money from Robert Fico for your campaign,” he said.
"You stated: 'I don't view Russia as a threat but a strategic challenge,' added Mr Ehler, who said that his own father was "beaten half to death by the Russians."
“Do you stand for the sanctions, for the ban of gas, for European solidarity also in your home country – also if you risk that Mr Fico being in government means that you're not appointed next time as commissioner?” asked Mr Ehler.
Pointing his finger directly at Mr Ehler, a visibly exasperated Mr Sefcovic defended his track record in the European Commission, where he has overseen the EU's efforts at joint gas purchasing after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, while hinting at Germany's past support for the Nordstream gas pipelines that increased Europe's reliance on Russia.
“You know who was pushing me very hard to get it approved, and I don’t need to elaborate more because you know what I’m talking about,” he said, in a reference to Nordstream.
“When it comes to the elections in Slovakia, I can tell you that this was one of the most polarising, tough campaigns,” he said.
“I can ensure you that whatever the result of the formation of the government may be, I'll always defend the European general interest as I did since 2019.”
Mr Sefcovic added that he was a “friend” of Ukraine and pointed at a medal he received from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in October 2020. “I was there when they needed me,” he told the hearing.
A fair transition
The political tensions cast a shadow over Mr Sefcovic's attempts to steer the question and answers session towards climate policies.
In his opening statements, he said that he wanted to focus on engaging with industry and the support of European citizens for the green deal to ensure a “fair and socially just transition.”
He added that he supported Mr Hoekstra's goal to strive reach the recommended target of 90 per cent net reduction in greenhouse emissions in the EU by 2040.
The European right and far-right has said that some climate policies, including the nature restoration law, endangers food security and the livelihoods of farmers in Europe – a claim rejected as “fake news” by the left.
Conservative legislators such as Alexandr Vondra from the Czech Republic expressed distaste for Mr Sefcovic's predecessor, Dutch politician Frans Timmermans, who quit the job in August to participate in a national election.
Mr Timmermans used to be both executive vice president for the European Green Deal and was also responsible for climate action – a job that will be divided between Mr Sefcovic and Mr Hoekstra, should the European Parliament approve their appointments.
While acknowledging political polarisation on climate, Mr Sefcovic pitched himself as a safe pair of hands, saying that he “believed in dialogue, in exchange of views and in concrete projects.”
“We have to work for the people,” he said.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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On sale: Now
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,400m. Winner: Al Ajeeb W’Rsan, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Jaci Wickham (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m racing. Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Onward, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown Prep Rated Conditions (PA) Dh 125,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: AF Arrab, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
RACECARD
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
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- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Match info
Wolves 0
Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')
Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
