The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by Euractiv’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
Today’s edition is powered by European Left
Facing the State: Left Analyses and Perspectives
Explore the 9th edition of the transform! yearbook, delving into the social fabric of the modern nation-state and left strategies for transformation.
Find out more >>
In today’s news from The Capitals:
PARIS
The most significant risk to the global order is Russia’s aggression war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron told journalists in a historic, grand-scale press conference in Paris on Tuesday, claiming ‘we cannot let Russia win’.
During his speech, he also announced the delivery of an extensive arsenal of weapons to Kyiv, sending a strong message to those who relish in observing EU fatigue over the Ukraine war combined with diminishing support from some corners. Read more.
EU INSTITUTIONS
Debate over EU liberals’ leadership heats up. Renew Europe chief Stéphane Séjourné’s departure has triggered an internal quest to pick a new president for the EU Parliament’s liberals, with a meeting of the group leaders scheduled on Wednesday to agree on a course to follow for the internal electioneering. Read more.
EU to move ahead with Red Sea mission to deter Houthis. EU member states gave initial backing on Tuesday for the creation of a naval mission to protect ships from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea, according to several European diplomats. Read more.
BERLIN
German business model not fit for changing times, experts say. The 2023 bump in the German economy is not a short-term phenomenon but shows that many foundations of its business model are no longer suitable for the current rapid shifts in the economy, experts say. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
HELSINKI
Russia looks to hire asylum seekers in Finland as spies, security services say. Russia is trying to recruit asylum seekers coming to Finland as spies, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service said on Tuesday amid a recent increase in asylum seekers crossing the border Finland shares with Russia. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Meloni, von der Leyen’s support eight months after floods to be met with protests. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Forlì to decide on further aid for flood victims, eight months after the Emilia-Romagna region was struck by disaster but protests from trade unions and climate activists are also on the agenda. Read more.
///
MADRID
Spain to declassify secret documents in ‘Catalan Gate’ scandal. The Spanish government agreed on Tuesday to release secret documents on the tapping of the mobile phone of Catalan President and leader of the separatist party ERC Pere Aragonés by agents of the state-run National Intelligence Centre (CNI) using the Israeli spying software Pegasus, a scandal known as “Catalan Gate”. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
BRATISLAVA
Fico, Orbán pledge mutual support, criticise V4 inactivity. “We are destined for cooperation and, I believe, for success as well,” said Prime Minister Robert Fico following bilateral discussions – which included the topics of Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine – with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orbán, in Budapest. Read more.
///
WARSAW
Polish truckers suspend protest after reaching deal with government. Polish truckers will suspend their protests at the border with Ukraine against liberalised operation rules for their Ukrainian counterpart until 1 March, according to the deal they reached with the government. Read more.
///
PRAGUE
Czech agrarian chief: European agricultural policy should be abolished. The Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic supports the protests of German farmers against the planned cuts in subsidies and tax breaks and calls for the complete abolishment of the agricultural policy, Agrarian Chamber President Jan Doležal wrote in an official statement on Tuesday. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgaria will get new F-16 fighters in 2025. The Bulgarian army will receive eight of the 16 new F-16 Block 70 fighter jets they ordered from the US by 2025, Bulgarian Defence Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov announced on Tuesday following a five-day visit to the US. Read more.
///
BUCHAREST
Romanian family doctors threaten protests, retirement following budget cuts. Family doctors in Romania express dissatisfaction with the National Health Insurance House’s proposal to reduce the budget for family medicine by 30%, which will be in effect from 1 February, and are threatening to protest and even retire in retaliation. Read more.
///
ZAGREB
Croatia, Italy, Slovenian interior ministers to jointly combat irregular migration in region. The three interior ministers of Croatia, Italy and Slovenia agreed to expand their border control cooperation to Western Balkan countries – a popular migration route – to crack down on irregular migration.. Read more.
///
BELGRADE
Thousands protest fraud in Serbia vote, put hope in European Parliament debate. Thousands of people rallied in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Tuesday (16 January) to protest alleged fraud committed by President Aleksandar Vučić’s governing party during parliamentary and local elections last month. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in Parliament’s plenary debate on European Council’s conclusions; Participates in World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Diplomacy Dialogue on the Western Balkans in Davos, Switzerland; Meets Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, in Forli;
- Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at WEF’s Governors Policy Meeting on “Information and Communications Technology & Media, Entertainment and Sport”; Meets with President of Poland Andrzej Duda; Speeks at stakeholder dialogue on AI regulations, roundtable on “AI – How, and What, to Govern?”, and event on “event on AI and Democratic Resilience”;
- Vice President Dubravka Suica participates in WEF’s panel discussion on “Longevity: Reimagining Work, Retirement, and Society”;
- Vice President Maroš Šefčovič participates in the WEF’s event on “Building tomorrow’s Europe”;
- Climate Action Commissioner meets with Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, in Davos, Switzerland; Holds meeting with co-chairs of WEF’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers speech at WEF’s panel discussion on “Fixing Healthcare, Digitally”;
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates in WEF’s public panel “Tripling Renewables: Make It Rapid and Responsible”; Participates at WEF’s strategy session on “Building Trust in a Just, Equitable and Inclusive Energy Transition”;
- Parliament’s plenary session votes on implementation of the Treaty provisions on EU citizenship, authors’ conditions in the European music streaming market, security and defence implications of China’s influence on critical infrastructure, and more;
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with Euractiv
Fico, Orbán pledge mutual support, criticise V4 inactivity”We are destined for cooperation and, I believe, for success as well,” said Prime Minister Robert Fico following bilateral discussions – which included the topics of Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine – with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orbán, in Budapest.
Source: euractiv.com
