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In today’s news from The Capitals:
BERLIN
The German liberal FDP and social democrat SPD gathered on Sunday to pass their programmes for the upcoming EU election, as both parties struggle to mobilise voters amidst declining poll ratings. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Patience wears thin with Hungary as EU leaders look towards tough Ukraine summit. As EU leaders prepare to push ahead with a €50 billion Ukraine support package this week, with or without Hungary, many in Brussels realise the step could come with a high cost. Read more.
Meloni, von der Leyen walk tightrope ahead of EU elections. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Italy again this weekend for an Italy-Africa summit, just a few weeks after her trip to flood-hit Forlì in Emilia-Romagna together with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Read more.
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PARIS
France suspends UNRWA funding over Hamas allegations. France will freeze all funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for at least the first half of 2024 after Israel accused some of the organisation’s members of being involved in the 7 October Hamas terrorist attacks, the French Foreign Ministry announced in a press release. Read more.
Farmers plan ‘siege of Paris’. France’s main farming unions called to blockade the capital and strategic points in the region on Monday, following the prime minister’s latest proposals, which they deemed insufficient, leading to an emergency meeting at the Interior Ministry on Sunday evening to prevent a possible ‘siege of Paris’. Read more.
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VIENNA
Vienna appoints third-ranked candidate as president of top court. The Austrian government has appointed the president of the country’s federal administrative court, a candidate ranked third by an expert selection committee, following 400 days of political back-and-forth. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Farmers’ protests slowly spread to Belgium. German, Polish, Romanian, and French farmers were joined in their protests by Belgian farmers on Friday and throughout the weekend, with demands similar to those of their European peers. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finnish elections head to second round as EU commissioner crashes in the results. The two favourites in the Finnish presidential elections, former centre-right prime minister Alexander Stubbs and former Green foreign minister Pekka Haavisto will go to a second round on 11 February, while EU commissioner Jutta Urpilainen crashed out with just 4.4%, blaming her defeat in part on the European Commission’s rules on the candidacy of commissioners. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
Greece to get 40 F-35 fighter jets from US, opposition asks for clarifications. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter over the weekend to the Greek government greenlighting the purchase of up to 40 F-35 fighter jets as well as some “gifts” of military equipment no longer needed by US armed forces. Read more.
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ROME
Italy’s PD announces protest against Meloni’s use of state TV ahead of EU elections. Italian left-wing opposition party PD will hold a ‘pro-press freedom’ sit-in outside the headquarters of national public broadcaster RAI, announced party leader Elly Schlein, over Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s alleged monopolisation of state TV for campaigning ahead of June’s EU elections. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
Polish opposition leader likens Tusk to Hitler at PiS rally. The leader of the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS, ECR) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, compared the actions of Donald Tusk’s new government to those of Hitler at a party rally in the central Polish city of Lublin. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czechia’s Istanbul Convention vote influenced by ultraconservatives, analysts warn. International ultraconservative organisations influenced the Czech lawmakers’ decision to reject the Istanbul Convention on Wednesday, Czech law analysts warned, adding that the decision was accompanied by a disinformation campaign. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovakia sends controversial mission to defend criminal law reforms in Brussels. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government is sending a specially commissioned envoy to explain the government’s actions in the area of the rule of law to the EU institutions, but the envoy, who in past claimed vaccines against COVID-19 were biological weapons, is sparking controversy. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian National Bank considers tightening loans amid eurozone preparations. Household loans may need to be tightened based on this year’s first-quarter results, Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev said on Sunday as his country tries to curb inflation to meet its last remaining condition to join the eurozone in 2025. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Croatian MEP: Bosnia must open EU negotiations in March or might never get another chance. If Bosnia and Herzegovina does not open accession negotiations in March, not only will it lose the whole of 2024 on the way to the EU, but it may also never get the chance to negotiate membership again, Croatian MEP Željana Zovko warned in an interview with Euractiv. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbian opposition calls for international investigation into last election. The opposition, who marched on Friday in protest of the election results, is calling to annul last month’s national elections, claiming numerous irregularities, and calling for an independent investigation by relevant authorities. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: General Affairs Council convenes to discuss Belgian presidency priorities, “Defence of European Democracy” package, and more;
- Accession Conference with Montenegro at ministerial level expected to evaluate overall accession process, provide political steer for future work;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in Italy-Africa Summit, in Rome;
- Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič delivers keynote speech at 17th European Railway Award ceremony;
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas hosts President of the Basque Government Iñigo Urkullu Renteria;
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers keynote speech to the Belgian Presidency event “Call to Care for Animal Welfare”; Receives representatives of EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe;
- Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič visits humanitarian facilities in eastern and western Chad; Meets local representatives, EU humanitarian partner organisations;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with Euractiv
Greece to get 40 F-35 fighter jets from US, opposition asks for clarificationsUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter over the weekend to the Greek government greenlighting the purchase of up to 40 F-35 fighter jets as well as some “gifts” of military equipment no longer needed by US armed forces.
Source: euractiv.com
