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Liberalisation is a way to increase the use of rail transport
The maximum use of the planned CPK’s HSR network will allow Poland to build a sustainable transport system in line with the EC’s Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy. As a step in this direction, CPK published a Report summarizing the best practices of EU countries in liberalising their railway markets.
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In today’s news from the Capitals:
SOFIA
The pro-European coalition Continuing the change-Democratic Bulgaria, which ranked second in the last parliamentary elections, announced that it would not support the government proposed by GERB because it had promised voters that it would not vote for former prime minister and current GERB leader Boyko Borissov. Read more.
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EDITOR’S TAKE
Austrian conservatives’ continued far-right flirt. On Easter, a holy day for conservatives, the political ballet in Vienna started a new chapter as conservative ÖVP grandee, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, felt obligated to retract comments that indicated his openness to governing with the far-right. Read more.
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BERLIN
Eat less meat, we need space for biofuels, German producer says. In an ongoing dispute over biofuels made from crops such as rapeseed and wheat, Germany’s biggest biofuel producer argues that reducing meat consumption would be a much better way to free up agricultural space for food production, rather than phasing out crop-based biofuels. Read more.
German debt rules proposal fuels new austerity fear. A German non-paper on the reform of European debt rules has been met with strong reactions from economists, who fear that the mistakes of the euro crisis could be repeated if the proposal is implemented strictly. Read more.
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PARIS
Two dead, six missing in Marseille blast. Two bodies have been found and six people remain unaccounted for at the time of writing after a building collapsed in Marseille early on Sunday following an explosion likely caused by a gas leak. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s centre-left wants to tackle child poverty. Measures are needed to tackle Austria’s rampant child poverty problem, where more than 20% of youth are at risk, according to the social democrat SPÖ which has already received backing from the liberal NEOS. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
LONDON
UK PM to announce investment summit before Good Friday Agreement anniversary. The UK will host an Investment Summit for Northern Ireland in September as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s ambition to bring more inward investment into Northern Ireland’s ‘thriving economy’. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finns demand closure of Russian consulate in Åland. A citizen’s initiative demanding the closure of the Russian consulate in Mariehamn, the capital of the Autonomous and demilitarised region of Åland that was launched at the start of last week has already gathered more than 16,120 signatures of the 50,000 needed within six months for parliament to consider the initiative. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy prepares measures to face declining birth rates. Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s government is preparing new measures to increase birthrates despite deaths exceeding the number of births which have have hit a new all-time low. Read more.
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MADRID
Catalan president urges Sanchez government to keep bilateral dialogue ‘alive’. Spain’s central government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D) should not “lower the flag of dialogue” with Catalonia, the region´s president, Pere Aragonès, stressed in an exclusive interview with EFE. Read more.
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ATHENS
Qatargate: Jailed MEP Kaili fumes after Panzeri’s release. Jailed Greek MEP Eva Kaili has reacted negatively to the temporary release with an electronic bracelet of the alleged mastermind of the Qatargate scandal, Pier Antonio Panzeri, saying she will not admit guilt no matter how much pressure the Belgian authorities put on her. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Hands off our children, Hungary tells Czech FM amid anti-LGBT law dispute. Keep your hands off the Hungarian children, Hungarian State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Tamás Menczer told Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates, Greens/EFA) who expressed his regrets that the Czech government will not join the European Commission’s lawsuit against Hungary’s anti-LGBT law. Read more.
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WARSAW
Poland to send Ukraine infantry vehicles, MiGs, mortars and missiles. Poland will deliver more MiG-29 fighter jets, self-propelled mortars, additional missiles, and 200 Polish-produced Rosomak infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), of which half will be delivered soon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE
Vucic: Kosovo will ‘remain in Serbia’ until mandate end. Kosovo will remain in Serbia until the end of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s mandate, Vučić stated on live TV where he also said his country would implement parts of the European proposal regarding the normalisation of relations with Pristina. Read more.
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ANKARA
Turkish election in 4 weeks: Does İnce ruin the opposition victory? With only a month to go until the Turkish election, officials released the list of candidates: incumbent right-wing Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will face three opponents in the first round on 14 May. Read more.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
