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.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
WARSAW
Poland will block Ukraine’s European Union accession until Kyiv solves the issue of exhuming the victims of the Volhynia massacre, which has been a contentious issue between the two countries, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday. Read more.
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BERLIN
Migration concerns drove Germans to vote in EU election ballots. Germany’s border restrictions have recently dominated political discussions within the country, triggering similar debates across the EU, however, a newly published Eurobarometer survey reveals that this issue has been on the public’s mind for some time. Read more.
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BERLIN | PARIS
France, Germany build up pressure for UK-EU migration deal at G7 meeting. French and German interior ministers are expected to push their British counterparts to open negotiations for a new UK-EU deal on irregular migration and explore legal routes for migrants reaching Britain. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Iran may be involved in Nordic Israeli embassies attacks, Swedish Security services say. Iran’s involvement in the attacks on the Israeli embassies in Stockholm and Copenhagen earlier this week is an “objective hypothesis”, the head of operations for the Swedish Security Service, Fredrik Hallström, has said. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy’s largest lobby group to push for EU policy U-turn on CO2 emission trading system. Italian industry lobby group Confindustria wants to step up pressure on European Union policymakers to reverse the bloc’s emission trading scheme (ETS), which it says will put crucial sectors at risk of extinction by 2030. Read more.
Italy warns G7 summit of rising terror risk threat due to global conflicts. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi opened the G7 Interior Ministers’ Summit by warning his G7 counterparts that international conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine, are increasing the risk of terrorist attacks. Read more.
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MADRID
Basque separatist party joins Spanish government to reform security law for citizens. Spain’s progressive government on Tuesday reached an agreement with left-wing forces to reform a controversial law on the security of citizens with changes expected to be approved in the coming months. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese president urges Israel to reconsider declaring UN’s Guterres ‘persona non grata’. Israel should reconsider its decision to declare the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, “persona non grata” in agreement with the position taken on Wednesday by the Portuguese government, Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Thursday. Read more.
European Commission sues Portugal over failure to combat industrial pollution. The European Commission is taking Portugal to the EU Court of Justice over failures to combat pollution from industrial activities, the European Commission announced in a statement published on Thursday. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
BRATISLAVA
Fico sues Aktuality.sk’s editor-in-chief outlet over bestselling book about him. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has filed a lawsuit against Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, over his bestselling book about him, prompting Reporters Without Borders to strongly condemn Fico’s move in the biggest case against a journalist in modern Slovak history. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Brussels pressures Czechia over Roma children discrimination. The European Commission has issued a formal notice to Czechia for failing to comply with EU anti-discrimination laws, citing the continued segregation of Roma children in schools. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
Hungary’s ‘Defence of Sovereignty’ law challenged in EU’s top court. A Hungarian “Defence of Sovereignty” law allowing the state to investigate foreign-funded organisations is being challenged in the European Union’s top court by the European Commission, the EU executive announced on Thursday. Read more.
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CHISINAU
Moldova alleges pro-Russian vote-buying scheme ahead of key vote. Pro-Kremlin forces are meddling in Moldova’s upcoming presidential election by paying off tens of thousands of voters in a sweeping plot to derail Chisinau’s bid for closer European Union ties, police said on Thursday. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Houses of Bulgarian commissioner-designate have MEPs intrigued. Two houses belonging to commissioner-designate Ekaterina Zaharieva and her husband Angel Zahariev in Bulgaria and Greece have aroused interest among MEPs, Euractiv Bulgaria learned from European Parliament sources. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romanian former top NATO official linked to election scandal attacks journalist. Mircea Geoană, the former deputy secretary general of NATO, has resorted to disinformation as part of his response to a journalistic investigation exposing links between a former key figure in his informal campaign and a Russian businessman. Read more.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
