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In today’s news from the Capitals:
The Netherland’s and Austria’s decision to block Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen has bolstered the rhetoric of pro-Russian circles, with populist party Vazrazhdane (Revival) leader Kostadin Kostadinov saying the decision proves the EU’s hypocrisy in wanting Bulgaria’s money, but not its citizens. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Leftist MEP: S&D and EPP had ‘clear alliance’ to protect Qatar. The groups of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) had a “clear alliance” in the EU House to protect Qatar, French MEP Manon Aubry told EURACTIV. Read more.
EU Parliament suspends work with Qatar as MEPs demand corruption probe. The European Parliament has suspended its work with Qatar as MEPs demanded the establishment of an independent ethics body and inquiry into the Qatargate corruption scandal. Read more.
Biomass drives wedge in EU Parliament over renewables permitting rules. A cross-party agreement over a new EU regulation to boost the deployment of renewable energies risks falling apart because of disagreements over biomass ahead of a plenary vote scheduled for Wednesday. Read more.
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BERLIN
More of the same: Germany to ship familiar arms to Ukraine. Berlin will provide more military support to Ukraine, but this will be restricted to the same kind of weapons that have already been delivered so far, a government spokesperson said on Monday. Read more.
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PARIS
France ‘concerned’ by attacks in Kosovo. France strongly condemned the attacks on EU law enforcement officers in northern Kosovo over the weekend and expressed concern over rising tensions in the country, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Monday. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austrian fiscal council urges government to reign in spending. The government should cut spending to combat current challenges which include costs relating to COVID-19 which continue to be felt and exacerbated by rising costs, states the fiscal advisory council. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch policymakers criticise executive for going to media before parliament. Policymakers are calling out the cabinet’s decision to allegedly share calculations on the proposed new pension system with the media before presenting it to the parliament. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finland may end arms embargo on Turkey for NATO’s sake. Finland may be reconsidering its decision imposed in 2019 not to sell arms to Turkey to speed up its NATO application process. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
‘Qatargate’ spat extends to EU Gulf envoy selection. “Qatargate” has caused shockwaves across Europe, and for now, several prominent members of the European socialist group have been involved mostly Italians. But there is one Italian who could gain something out of this: Luigi Di Maio. Read more.
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MADRID
Spanish left-wing party proposes 33% extra tax on supermarkets. A proposal to extend the ‘anti-crisis shield’, which includes a 33% tax on the extraordinary profits of large distributors and supermarkets, will be submitted by left-wing coalition member Unidas-Podemos to its socialist partner later this week. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese FM raises concerns over MEP Qatar corruption scandal. Allegations of corruption involving MEPs are ‘very concerning’, as they ‘call into question the institutions of the EU’, Foreign Affairs Minister João Gomes Cravinho said on Monday, adding he expects penalties to be imposed on those who acted improperly. Read more.
VISEGRAD
BRATISLAVA
Slovak government faces uncertain no-confidence vote. The minority government faces a tough no-confidence vote on Tuesday, with its future in the hands of a few undecided National Council members, with experts stating the vote is purely about survival as the government stopped governing long ago. Read more.
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WARSAW
Polish president praises Germany over Patriots deployment decision. Polish President Andrzej Duda thanked his German counterpart Frank Walter Steinmeier for the offer to deploy the Patriot anti-missile batteries in Poland – an issue that caused a minor diplomatic crisis between the two countries in recent weeks – during his visit to Berlin on Monday. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Thousands of Ukrainians to produce arms in Czechia. Several thousand Ukrainian workers will go to the Czech Republic to work in the arms industry, confirmed the Czech Defence Ministry. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
PRISTINA
As tensions continue in Kosovo, Vučić lashes out at Germany. As attacks continue in the north of Kosovo and schools remain closed, Serbian President Aleksander Vučić called the German foreign minister a hypocrite and said he will formally ask NATO to send in Serbian troops on Thursday. Read more.
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PODGORICA
Police clash with anti-government protesters in Podgorica. Montenegrin police clashed with protesters who rallied in the capital Podgorica on Monday after the government passed a controversial law limiting presidential powers and the parliament failed to appoint judges to the constitutional court. Read more.
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TIRANA
Hackers continue to leak data from Albanian intelligence services. Data on employees and suspects of Albanian intelligence services have been published by Iranian hackers in the latest leak since government systems were breached in July, leading to the severing of diplomatic relations with Tehran. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: Extraordinary Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council discusses a temporary emergency measure introducing a gas market correction mechanism;
- General Affairs Council discusses transparency and targeting of political advertising, annual rule of law dialogue, enlargement process and more;
- The College of Commissioners presents the new Security package containing the revision of the anti-trafficking Directive and the obligation of carriers to communicate advance passenger information (API);
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the Standing with the Ukrainian People conference;
- Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen attend the 10th ASEAN-EU Business Summit;
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in videoconference meeting of the G7 Health Ministers;
- Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit gives keynote speech at the “Powering the European digital transition-What can we learn from Cedefop’s second European skills and jobs survey” conference; Participates in the European Parliament Plenary session on “Council and Commission statements-A need for a dedicated budget to turn the Child Guarantee into reality – an urgency in times of energy and food crisis”;
- Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, hosted by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, under the patronage of UNESCO, aims at building an international coalition for the ethical development and use of AI worldwide;
- President of the European Parliament Roberta receives Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob;
- European Parliament Plenary votes on the social differences created by digitalisation, long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas and more;
- MEPs hold press conference on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism; Search and rescue: NGO workers on trial in Greece for helping refugees; Julian Assange’s case: publishing is not a crime, and more;
- France: President Emmanuel Macron meets Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal; Conference for civil resistance and reconstruction in Ukraine takes place;
- Finland: Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on official visit;
- Spain: Amnesty presents report on June 24 deadly incident at the Nador-Melilla border
- Slovakia: Parliament debates opposition motion of censure against government of PM Eduard Heger;
- Turkmenistan: President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold trilateral summit;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
