Thursday, October 9, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Turkish parliament approves Swedish NATO membership

Published 24 January 2024
– By Editorial Staff
The application has yet to be ratified by President Erdogan.
1 minute read

Turkey has voted to approve Sweden’s application to join the US-led military alliance NATO. The decision came after a lengthy debate and vote in the Turkish parliament on Tuesday.

Almost two years ago, Sweden and Finland jointly applied for NATO membership. Finland became a member, but Turkey and Hungary decided not to accept Sweden as a member state, partly because they believe Sweden supports terrorism due to its links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Syria-based Kurdish militia group YPG.

Since then, both countries have continued to back away, despite calls from the US and others to allow Sweden into the military alliance.

The vote came after a four-hour debate in the Turkish parliament, during which the burning of the Koran was highlighted. Out of 346 votes, 287 were in favor of Sweden’s NATO membership and 55 against, Bloomberg reports. The rest abstained.

For Turkey to accept Sweden, however, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must formally ratify the application. Even if that happens, Hungary’s approval is still needed. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán invited Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to a meeting in the country on Tuesday to discuss their “future security and defense cooperation as allies and partners”.

It is unclear whether Kristersson will travel to Hungary to meet with the prime minister.

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EU parliament approves ban on meat-related names for vegan products

Published today 13:51
– By Editorial Staff
Only meat products will be allowed to be called sausage.
2 minute read

On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted through a proposal to ban meat-related names on vegetarian and vegan products. This means that “soy sausage” and “veggie burgers” may soon be called something entirely different.

The debate over whether vegetarian and vegan products should be allowed to be called, for example, “veggie burgers” or “vegan sausages” has existed for a long time. Already in 2020, the European Parliament voted on the issue, which ended in a no.

The proposal was put back on the table, where the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in the European Parliament proposed that a series of terms, such as sausage, burger, schnitzel and steak, should not be allowed to be used on vegetarian products. The main reason put forward is that they want to protect European farmers and food production.

During the week, the European Parliament approved the proposal for such a ban, reports Göteborgs-Posten (a Swedish newspaper). The proposal was voted through with 355 votes in favor and 247 against.

“A bit silly”

All Swedish MEPs voted no to a ban, except for the Sweden Democrats (SD) who chose to abstain from voting – but instead came with their own proposal that meant only chicken products may be called chicken, and only meat products may be called meat. However, it was voted down. Dick Erixon (SD), a Swedish MEP, believes the whole issue is “a bit silly”.

We think this is all a bit silly. Lowering food prices and deregulating so that we get lower food prices is a more important issue to discuss. This is too harsh. Products should be called what they are. If you have meat, then it’s obviously meat, but if you make it from soybeans, then you must be able to call it soy sausage, he says.

The new addition means that new names such as “vegan patty” and “plant-based roll” could become reality in stores, but this will only be clear after the 27 EU countries have negotiated on the matter.

Adopted daughter suspected in knife attack on German mayor

Deteriorating safety

Published today 10:57
– By Editorial Staff
German police are currently focusing on Stalzer's 17-year-old adopted daughter as the main suspect for the knife attack.
2 minute read

Iris Stalzer is now pointing to her 17-year-old adopted daughter as the suspect in the brutal knife attack in Stalzer’s home, according to fresh information. Police say the investigation’s focus remains on some form of family conflict and not political violence.

In the city of Herdecke in western Germany, the investigation continues after newly elected mayor Iris Stalzer (SPD) was stabbed severely in her home earlier this week.

Police and Stalzer are now pointing to her 17-year-old adopted daughter as the main suspect in the attack, reports Die Welt.

Stalzer was severely injured and received 13 stab wounds, including to her torso and lungs. After the attack, she managed to reach safety in the house where she was later found and received immediate medical care.

She is still being treated in hospital but according to reports, her condition has stabilized and she is no longer in life-threatening condition.

Iris Stalzer (SPD). Photo: Iris Stalzer/FB

Police found several suspected knives in the children’s room. They also discovered bloodstains on clothing believed to belong to the adopted daughter as well as traces of blood cleaning in the residence.

The 15-year-old adopted son remains under police investigation but is not being identified as the main suspect.

In the year before the attack, several incidents of family violence have been reported and police have been called to the family’s residence on repeated occasions.

Police now rule out a political motive behind the knife attack and see family conflicts as the main lead in the investigation.

The investigation continues intensively and the murder investigation unit in Hagen is leading the work to secure evidence and clarify motives.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz quickly condemned the attack and expressed hope for Stalzer’s swift recovery.

Newly elected German mayor targeted in attempted murder – family member prime suspect

Deteriorating safety

Published yesterday 10:06
– By Editorial Staff
During the year, incidents of domestic violence have been reported in Stalzer's home, and police have previously been called to the residence due to violent incidents.
2 minute read

Iris Stalzer (SPD), newly elected mayor of the city of Herdecke in western Germany, was found yesterday in her home with life-threatening stab wounds. Police currently rule out a political motive and instead suspect the incident is connected to her family.

In Herdecke, a smaller city in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of western Germany, 57-year-old Iris Stalzer was found with multiple life-threatening stab wounds in her apartment on Tuesday.

According to information from her adoptive son, she was attacked outdoors by several men, but despite the severe injuries managed to retreat to her home. Politicians from across Germany quickly condemned the attack and expressed concern for Iris Stalzer’s health.

Police have launched a major investigation and currently rule out that the attack had a political motive, instead suspecting that the perpetrator is actually within her own family circle.

Stalzer’s two adoptive children, a 15-year-old son and a 17-year-old daughter, have been brought in for questioning and further investigation. Recent reports indicate that it is the 15-year-old adoptive son who has been arrested as the suspect for the attempted murder.

History of reported domestic violence

During the year, incidents of domestic violence have been reported at Stalzer’s home, and police have previously been called to the residence due to violent incidents.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called the act a “despicable attack” and expressed hope for Stalzer’s swift recovery. He has also directed his thoughts to her family and relatives.

Stalzer belongs to the Social Democrats (SPD) and she won the mayoral election with 52.2 percent of the votes, breaking the Christian Democrats’ long rule in Herdecke. The small city of around 23,000 inhabitants has now gathered in concern over the serious attack.

This is far from the first time German politicians have been victims of violence. Historically, similar serious attacks have shaken the country and contributed to a growing debate about the safety of public representatives.

The investigation continues with forensic analyses and the murder investigation unit in the nearby city of Hagen has reportedly taken over the investigation.

Hungary: Brussels prepares for war – and Europeans will pay the price

The new cold war

Published 2 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó sounds the alarm: EU leadership under Ursula von der Leyen is sacrificing Europe for Ukraine.
2 minute read

“Brussels is preparing for war and they want Europeans to pay the price”, writes Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó in a harsh attack against the EU’s new seven-year budget.

He warns that the union’s power holders are prioritizing Ukraine’s military over Europe’s own and very urgent problems.

In the post, published ahead of the informal EU summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, Szijjártó emphasized that Europe’s security and economic situation has deteriorated sharply as a result of failed decisions in Brussels.

“Brussels is preparing for war, and they want Europeans, including Hungarians, to pay the price. The proposed budget for the next seven years is much more about Ukraine than about the European Union itself”, wrote Szijjártó.

He described the draft as “a Ukraine budget”, focused on arming the country and keeping its state structure alive, while Europe’s own urgent needs are neglected. Instead, Brussels should address declining competitiveness, secure energy supply, and rebuild the foundations for European growth, he argued.

“But instead, the European Commission wants to send European taxpayers’ money – including Hungarians’ money – to Ukraine, to finance the Ukrainian state and military”, the minister warned.

Wants to see “patriotic shift”

Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary rejects the idea that the country’s citizens’ money should be used for war efforts.

“We don’t want Hungarian taxpayers’ money to be sent to Ukraine, we don’t want it to be spent on war, and we don’t want it to cover the arming and operation of the Ukrainian military”, Szijjártó explained further.

The minister concluded by stating that the EU can only change course if a “patriotic shift” occurs in Brussels.

“Until then, Brussels will remain committed to pro-war, pro-migration, and pro-gender policies. But we don’t want war, we don’t want migration, we don’t want gender madness, and we don’t want Hungarians’ money to be siphoned off to Ukraine”, he wrote.

The day before Szijjártó’s statement, on September 30, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán directed harsh criticism at Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a post on X.

“Dear Donald Tusk, You may think that you are at war with Russia, but Hungary is not. Neither is the European Union. You are playing a dangerous game with the lives and security of millions of Europeans. This is very bad!” Orbán emphasized.

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