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.
Before you start reading today’s edition of the Capitals, feel free to have a look at the interview with Spanish Transport Minister Raquel Sánchez Jiménez who said “climate emergency forces us to rethink our transport model”.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
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Investors and the European Investment Bank are speaking up: they want gas and
nuclear OUT of the EU’s energy taxonomy.
They need a label that indicates real sustainability. The global green bond market excludes gas and nuclear. WeMove Europe calls upon parliamentarians to vote down the delegated act. Continue Reading >>
In today’s news from the Capitals:
VISEGRÁD
The Czech and Slovak defence ministries are unimpressed by the new Hungarian defence minister’s alleged conflict of interest and Russian business ties at a time they are considering doing business with companies he owns.
Meanwhile, experts claim that though the move may be legal, it would represent ‘moving away from original values’ in exchange of ‘pure pragmatism’. Read more.
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PARIS
Radical-left coalition shakes Macron’s absolute majority hopes. The presidential movement Ensemble is neck and neck with the left-wing alliance NUPES, with 25.75% and 25.66% of the vote, respectively, as the first round of legislative elections drew to a close on Sunday. It is now not certain that Macron’s party will secure an absolute majority after next Sunday’s second round. Read more.
French car industry calls ban on combustion engine cars ‘industrial destruction’. The French car industry has unanimously condemned the European Parliament’s vote to ban the production of combustion engine cars from 2035, arguing it amounts to “industrial destruction” and a “step into the unknown”. Read more.
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BERLIN
Scholz to visit Kyiv with French and Italian leaders. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Kyiv alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian President Mario Draghi ahead of the G7 summit on 26 June, German daily BILD reported. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s rich must be taxed, says social minister. The wealth of the richest 5% of Austrians must be taxed to help finance increased government spending caused by the pandemic and inflation, reiterated social affairs minister Johannes Rauch in an interview Saturday. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Netherlands now backs EU bids of Albania, North Macedonia. The Dutch government now backs the EU accession bids of Albania and North Macedonia despite blocking negotiations for both Balkan countries with France and Denmark in 2019. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
LONDON
Ministers play down controversies in Protocol bill. UK ministers insist that the new bill designed to allow them to override parts of the Northern Ireland protocol will not break international law ahead of its publication on Monday. Read more.
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DUBLIN
Dublin welcomes Council of Europe’s criticism of UK’s ‘Troubles’ legacy bill. Dublin has welcomed a decision by the Council of Europe to request details from the UK on how proposed legislation that would grant conditional immunity to those accused of Troubles-era offences will comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
TALLINN
Estonian populists drop government hopes, set sights on 2023 elections. The Conservative People’s Party of Estonia and the Centre Party, the country’s two populist parties, are eyeing general elections in March 2023 as progress on new government talks will likely leave them in the opposition. Read more.
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HELSINKI
NATO’s Stoltenberg calls Turkey’s security concerns on Sweden, Finland bids ‘legitimate’. Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership applications are ‘legitimate’ and talks with Ankara would continue, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
MADRID
Algiers says trade freeze with Spain does not affect EU. Algiers’ decision to suspend a bilateral friendship treaty with Spain last week is exclusively related to Madrid’s recent diplomatic shift on Western Sahara and has no direct implications on the EU’s trade policy, the Algerian government has said. Read more.
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ROME
Italy’s justice referendum flops. Not enough people went to the polls on Sunday for the five questions on judicial power to even be considered. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Macron ‘does not understand’ Russian aggression, says Czech FM. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský rejected the comments of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has said that “Russia must not be humiliated in Ukraine.” Read more.
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WARSAW
Experts doubt Polish government’s plans to have nuclear by 2033. The government’s plan to have its first nuclear plant by 2033 as part of the six reactors it aims to have in operation by 2043 is too ambitious, experts have said. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak company to repair Ukrainian military vehicles. Slovak company Konštrukta Defence will soon start repairing Ukrainian military equipment after both sides agreed on the repair of a “few dozen” unspecified vehicles damaged in the fight against Russians, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď confirmed. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
LJUBLJANA
Slovenian opposition up in arms over call to rethink Ukraine war stance. Senior members of the opposition have come out in force against an appeal signed by two former presidents that Slovenia should reconsider its position on the Ukraine war. Read more.
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SOFIA
Scholz still hopes Sofia will lift Skopje veto. There is a chance to make progress on Bulgaria’s veto on neighbouring North Macedonia’s EU accession talks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said following a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who confirmed that Sofia would only lift its veto if Skopje fulfils its proposed requirements. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Croatia optimistic about tourism but lacks 10,000 workers. Croatia is looking at a great tourist season after two years marred by the pandemic but still lacks around 10,000 workers, the head of the Croatian Tourism Association told N1 on Sunday. Read more.
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BELGRADE
EU Parliament urges Serbia to reconsider relationship with Russia. Serbia should demonstrate its commitment to the EU’s policies and standards and is expected to reconsider its relationship with Russia on the economy, defence and Kremlin disinformation, according to a report to be voted early this week by the European Parliament’s foreign policy committee (AFET). Read more.
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SARAJEVO
In Brussels, Bosnian leaders pledge commitment to Europe, democracy and stability. The leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) political parties and members of the presidency met in Brussels on Sunday (12 June) to adopt an agreement pledging commitment to preserving a peaceful, stable, and independent state and adhering to EU values. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albania’s march towards gasification continues with two new gas fields. The government has announced the approval of two new solar panel parks and an agreement on two gas fields as part of a continued bid to diversify the country’s energy sector. Read more.
Agenda
- EU: Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travels to Israe
- Vice-President Vĕra Jourová meets Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Álbares.
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger, press conference follows.
- Switzerland: 50th session of UN Human Rights Council.
- United Kingdom: The government expected to publish Northern Ireland Protocol legislation.
- Protest against plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda outside Downing Street.
- Sweden: Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hold a press conference.
- Czech Republic: The foreign ministers of Indonesia, Hungary, Lithuania and East Timor will visit Prague. The meeting will take place within the Prague Indo-Pacific Dialogue focusing on economic, territorial and digital security issues.
- Serbia: Austria’s European and International Minister Alexander Schallenberg to visit Serbia and speak with Foreign Minister Nikola Selaković, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and President Aleksandar Vučić.
- World: International Albinism Awareness Day.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Eleonora Vasques]
Source: euractiv.com
