Europe’s enemy not only in Moscow, but also in Paris

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.

Editor’s take: The strange death of the French Republican party. After the sound and fury, the first round of the French presidential elections delivered few surprises. As expected, we have Macron vs Le Pen: round two. This year’s presidential run-off will be much closer than the 2017 version, though Macron is still a heavy favourite. His main enemy is complacency and voter fatigue. Read more.

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

With the results of the first round of the French presidential elections’ in, politicians from Spain, Germany and Italy issued strong statements against far-right Marine Le Pen, warning that the second round in two weeks will be a vote for Europe or Vladimir Putin’s protégé in the bloc.

Regarding Le Pen’s far-right fellows in Europe, just Italy’s Matteo Salvini commented, while in Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has so far said absolutely nothing. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austrian Chancellor to meet Putin in Moscow. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will travel to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, where he hopes to present his core demands for humanitarian corridors, a truce, and a complete investigation into war crimes. Read more.

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BERLIN

Bavaria wants to reconsider fracking amidst surging gas prices. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder said on Sunday that the usage of the controversial fracking technology to produce liquified natural gas (LNG) should be evaluated to boost the European attempt to phase out Russian gas imports. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch fundraising campaign raises millions for Ukraine. The national fundraising campaign, Giro555, has collected €160.8 million for Ukraine to date. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

COPENHAGEN

Denmark to bring ISIS children home but not mothers. Danish authorities have started planning the evacuation of five Danish children of ISIS fighters in the Kurdish-controlled al-Roj camp in Syria, but their mothers will be left behind, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

MADRID

Polisario Front suspends diplomatic contacts with Spain. The Polisario Front, the Sahrawi nationalist liberation movement demanding an independent Western Sahara, has suspended diplomatic contacts with the Spanish government following Madrid and Rabat’s decision to “normalise” bilateral relations. Read more.

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ROME

Italy allocates €610 million to support Ukrainian refugees. The Italian government has allocated €610 million to support Ukrainians arriving in the country and provide financial assistance to the Ukrainian government. Read more.

VISEGRAD

PRAGUE

Czechia could establish US military base on its territory. The Czech Republic could follow in Slovakia’s footsteps by signing a deal with the US to deploy American troops on Czech territory, Defence Minister Jana Černochová hinted. Read more.

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WARSAW

Warsaw-based conference raises €10.1 billion for Ukrainian refugees. Over ten billion euros was raised for Ukrainians through the global “Stand Up For Ukraine” fundraising campaign organised by European Commission, the Canadian government and the Global Citizen organisation that concluded with a donor conference in Warsaw on Saturday. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Hungarian NGOs claim referendum court fine meant to silence them. Civil society organisations that campaigned for the right to invalidate one’s vote in the referendum over LGBT-themed education for children, which they claim is homophobic, were fined by the National Election Committee (NVI) in a move they said was meant to silence them, Telex reported. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Former Slovak PM jeopardised transfer of S-300 missile to Ukraine. Slovakia’s delivery of its S-300 missile system to Ukraine last week was jeopardised by former prime minister Robert Fico (Smer), who posted a picture before its delivery was officially announced by Prime Minister Eduard Heger during his visit to Kyiv on 8 April. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BELGRADE

Only 20 per cent of Serbs view EU positively says polling expert. Just under half of Serbia’s citizens support EU accession, while only one in five has a positive opinion of the EU, Serbia’s leading polling expert, Srdjan Bogosavljević, has confirmed, citing a survey completed in March. Read more.

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SOFIA

Bulgaria to soon fight ‘online trolls’ with special institution. Bulgaria will create a special institution that will monitor and analyse the trends for fake news on social and online media pretending to be news agencies, Electronic Governance Minister Bozhidar Bojanov recently told parliament. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romanian prime minister elected president of PNL. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Sunday was elected president of the National Liberal Party (PNL) in a race where the former army general was the only candidate. Read more.

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ZAGREB | BUDAPEST

Sberbank to sell stake in Fortenova Group to Hungarian fund. Russia’s Sberbank, the minority owner of the Fortenova Group, and the European investment fund based in Hungary, Indotek, have signed an agreement with the intention of sale and purchase of the largest single stake in Croatia-based Fortenova Group, the group announced in a statement on its website on Friday. Read more.

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SARAJEVO

UK envoy condemns secession threats from BiH’s Dodik. The UK will not allow a new conflict to emerge in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Sir Stuart Peach, who condemned Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, for having threatened secession, has said. Read more.

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PRISTINA | BELGRADE

No solution in sight as Kosovo-Serbia license agreement to expire. With two weeks to go until the expiration of the temporary agreement signed by Kosovo and Serbia in October 2021 to regulate license plates, a permanent solution has yet to be found. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian prime minister could seek decoupling from North Macedonia in EU bid. Albania could seek decoupling from North Macedonia and push for solo EU membership, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: EU foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg on Ukraine, Global Gateway and current affairs, speak with ICC prosecutor /
Germany: Chancellor Scholz hosts Albanian Prime Minister Rama for talks in Berlin.
Austria: Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin / Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates in the OPEC-EU energy dialogue in Vienna, meets with OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo.
Italy: Prime Minister Mario Draghi to meet his Algerian counterpart Abdelmajid Tebboune in Algiers, the two leaders are expected to sign agreements on gas supplies.
Poland: European Parliament delegation visits the Poland-Ukraine border, led by Bulgarian MEP Sergei Stanishev / World Bank President David Malpass visits Warsaw.
Slovakia: Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo visits.
Romania: European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean visits Bucharest.
Serbia: EU Delegation head to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret and Serbia’s commissioner for refugees and migration Vladimir Cucić will visit the Asylum Center where Ukrainian refugees have taken refuge.