Talk to NBC News After the victory on March 18Putin said that deaths in prisons were not uncommon. He retorted: “Has it never happened in the United States?” “It happens. There's nothing you can do about it. That's life.”
Navalny, 47, Russia's best-known opposition politician, died in February after serving a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges. He strongly denounced the sentence as political persecution. His allies, family members and Western officials have blamed his death on the Kremlin, a charge it denies.
While this was the first time Putin had commented on Navalny's sudden death – in which he has been accused of malicious involvement – it was one of the very few times the media recorded him mentioning Navalny by name. Putin has reportedly always referred to his political opponents as “that gentleman” or “that character.”
Meanwhile, Navalny's supporters dismissed Putin's comments as cynical, while Navalny's team blamed Putin for the Russian politician's death.
in a video release onlineNavalny’s political aide, Maria Pevchikh, claimed that the two sides were discussing a prisoner exchange, which, if reached, would see Navalny released to the West.
To avoid this exchange and prevent Navalny Get rid of freedomhe was killed by Putin's government, Pevchikh claimed. Meanwhile, After Navalny's death, his supporters took to the streets in Russia and abroad to protest.
March 18Putin confirmed in an interview with the media that he had agreed to the idea of a prison swap. “But unfortunately, it happened,” he added.
Although Putin won with 87.8% of the vote – the highest in Russia’s post-Soviet history, according to exit polls by pollster the Foundation for Public Opinion (FOM) – he remains notorious for his alleged crackdown on dissent and stifling of any form of opposition, including harassment and imprisonment of opposition leaders.
Although the Kremlin claimed that turnout was high (up 10% from the previous one), international commentators (especially Western ones) called the election “managed.”
Amidst these events, the world also witnessed other major developments. ThePrint brings you weekly updates on global news that you might have missed.
Also read: The crisis in Haiti, Ukraine and Russia's war in Sudan, and other global news you may have missed
Vietnam loses its second president
Vietnam's political landscape, traditionally characterized by stability, has been shaken by the abrupt resignation of its second president in just a few years. Just over a year —marking a period of sustained political turmoil.
According to Vietnamese media reports, Vu Van Thang has resigned as Vietnam's president. His predecessor, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, was forced to resign in 2023 due to corruption allegations.
According to Vietnam's National Assembly, the parliament has appointed Vice Chairman Vu Thi Anh Xuan as acting president, a position she briefly held after the former president resigned last year. Reuters “The election is likely to be held when Parliament holds its next regular plenary session in May, unless a special session is called earlier,” the report added.
oftenResign The move comes amid a massive anti-corruption campaign by the ruling Communist Party that has swept up thousands of officials, bureaucrats and ministers, according to media reports.
The party believes that the 53-year-old politician “violated party rules” and that his “shortcomings had a negative impact on public opinion.”
Although Thuong is the country's youngest president, he will also be remembered for having served the shortest term.
At the same time, the resignation of two presidents in such a short period of time has aroused the vigilance of political analysts..
Nguyen Hac Giang, a visiting fellow at the Vietnam Studies Program at the Yusof Ishak Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said this was not a good sign. protector, This suggests that this pattern is a troubling indicator for the country’s political stability.
Vietnam has become one of the top destinations for international investment thanks to its “bamboo diplomacy”. Reuters In order to consolidate his position, one of Vietnam's powerful figures, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, used the image of bamboo with “deep roots, strong trunks and soft branches” to describe Vietnam's foreign policy approach of “more friends and fewer enemies” in 2021, the report said.
Meanwhile, upcoming visits by the World Bank president and the Dutch royal family have also been postponed due to the political turmoil.
EU commissioner welcomes Bosnia
The European Union has launched accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking an important step towards enlargement.
European Council President Charles Michel Social Media Posts On Thursday, he hailed the development as a critical moment for Bosnia.
The European Council has just decided to start accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Congratulations!
You have a place in our European family.
Today's decision is a crucial step on your path to the European Union. Now it is time to continue working so that Bosnia and Herzegovina… pic.twitter.com/LyotNa5gGc
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) March 21, 2024
Bosnia's journey to join the EU began with a formal application in 2016, followed by years of preparatory support from the EU, including the appointment of a special envoy and pre-accession funding for Bosnia. Bosnia did not receive formal candidate status until 2022.
In order to join the EU, countries must carry out various reforms to meet the standards set by the EU, while also developing laws and policies that are conducive to EU values.
Joining the EU is a transformative prospect for Bosnia, a country still recovering from the ethnic conflict caused by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Ethnic divisions in Bosnian society have delayed constitutional, judicial and electoral reforms, which in turn have delayed EU accession. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Bosnian elections were undemocratic and unfair to certain ethnic groups.
While the EU’s decision was unanimous, it also had certain Regulation.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said there was “much work to be done”, while Lithuania stressed that Bosnia must follow the rules and meet all standards.
The Netherlands was one of the countries that opposed Bosnia's EU membership and wants all demands to be met.. In line with the cautiously optimistic mood, Austrian Chancellor Karl Niehammer reportedly said that despite some unresolved issues, dialogue must continue as it did with Ukraine.
After the Ukrainian conflict, the EU's strategic interest in the integration of the Balkans, including Eastern Europe, has increased. Other countries – Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia – are at various stages of joining the EU.
Cuba protests
Cuba is experiencing its largest anti-government demonstrations yet, with large crowds in at least four cities expressing discontent over severe food and electricity shortages.
The country’s economic woes have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and further compounded by the communist government’s food rationing of every household and U.S. sanctions.
While President Miguel Díaz-Canel insisted the government was ready to talk to protesters, “pay attention” to their complaints and engage in “dialogue,” he also hinted at the role of Miami-based “terrorists” in fomenting the protests, according to media reports.
Political experts believe the crisis stems from Cuba's difficulty financing basic imports, especially fuel, which is essential for the country's oil-dependent electricity production.
“About 95 percent of Cuba's electricity is produced by oil-fired power plants,” Ricardo Torres, a Cuban economist at the American University in Washington, D.C., told reporters. NPR News.
Cuba is facing widespread power outages, sometimes lasting more than 14 hours, and widespread food shortages.
According to local news media, this dire situation has forced many Cubans to emigrate, while others have taken to the streets to protest, chanting slogans such as “We want food,” “We want electricity,” and “We want hunger.” Cuban social media has also been flooded with pictures and videos of the protests.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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