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In today’s news from the Capitals:
WARSAW
Replacing Kaliningrad’s name with Królewiec, the city’s original name from the Middle Ages, is madness, the Kremlin said after the Polish geographical standard body’s decision was made public. Read more.
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SPECIAL REPORT
Poland’s health system not affected ‘yet’ by increasing doctors’ exodus. The growing migration of doctors outside Poland has not yet impacted the healthcare system, stakeholders told EURACTIV Poland, however, if trends continue, then the impact will be felt. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch entities that terminated Gazprom contracts to be compensated. Dutch entities that unnecessarily terminated their Gazprom contracts due to government pressure to comply with EU sanctions will be reimbursed entirely, Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten (D66/Renew) wrote in a letter to parliament on Wednesday. Read more.
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BERLIN
German parliament discusses cronyism allegations in ‘best man affair’. Allegations of cronyism against Economy Minister Robert Habeck’s right hand, Patrick Graichen, were debated in parliament on Wednesday after Graichen appointed his best man for a top job at the state-owned German Energy Agency. Read more.
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PARIS
Italy, France clash over immigration, again. The head of Macron’s party described Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s immigration policy as inhumane following a string of insults from the French side, which has left Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini angered while Meloni focuses on turning the page. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austrian government cracks down on energy companies to combat inflation surge. The Austrian government introduced on Wednesday a series of new measures, including the absorption of profits and tighter reporting obligations for energy companies, amid increasing inflation. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Qatargate: teary-eyed Tarabella reiterates innocence before media. Marc Tarabella, who was conditionally released from his electronic ankle bracelet on Tuesday, once again claimed his innocence before the press Wednesday and appeared visibly emotional while recounting his story. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
DUBLIN
Irish finance department warns of future changes in retirement. The long-term public saving vehicle will not be sufficient to cover in full future age-related costs, an analysis entitled ‘Future-proofing the Public Finances – the Next Steps’ published by Ireland’s Finance Minister on Wednesday reads. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Former EU commissioner quits Swedish Liberals over far-right complacency. Former Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström left the Swedish Liberal Party on Wednesday as the party has been constantly criticised in Brussels and Stockholm for its complacency with the far-right populistic Sweden Democrats. Read more.
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HELSINKI
Strasbourg court backs Finnish authorities in Jehova data collection case. Finnish authorities did not infringe the religious rights of Jehova’s witnesses by labelling their data collection practices during house visits as illegal, the Strasbourg-based human rights court ruled after a decade-long back-and-forth. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
MADRID
E-cigarettes marketed at children raise concerns. New e-cigarettes shaped like cartoon characters have caused concern in Spain, as the tobacco industry is increasingly trying to reach younger audiences with attractive flavours and designs via unevenly regulated e-cigarette products, Spain’s National Committee for Smoking Prevention warned. Read more.
Spain to adopt urgent water supply measures amidst ‘historic’ drought. The government is set to approve urgent measures to ease the severe economic impact of the historic drought in the country, Spain’s Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera confirmed ahead of an extraordinary government meeting on Thursday. Read more.
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ATHENS
Greek PM admits bugging socialist leader’s phone was wrong. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis admitted for the first time that there was no national security reason for the secret services – under his personal control – to bug the phone of socialist leader Nikos Androulakis in the so-called “Greek Watergate”. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese president: empowering youth will be the death of populism. To overcome populism, generational change must be accelerated by empowering the youth, particularly regarding political participation, Portuguese President Rebelo de Sousa told MEPs in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Fiala admits to ‘opinion closeness’ with Meloni, keeps good ties with Weber. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, showcased their strong relationship as Fiala admitted to sharing close opinions during Meloni’s first visit as prime minister to Prague. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak industry production rises following five-month slump. Industrial production rose by 2.5% in March after a 4.7% decline in February, with the increase being driven by Slovakia’s key car manufacturing sector, the Slovak Statistics Office said. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SARAJEVO
Bosnian Serb leaders back Erdogan in Turkish election. The separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has called on Turkish citizens to vote for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in next Sunday’s election, saying his persistence and patriotism have turned Turkey into ‘a progressive and modern country’. Read more.
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SOFIA
Sofia accuses Skopje of having contradictory entry rules. North Macedonia has contradictory entry rules, said Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivan Kondov in reaction to the recent refusal to let Bulgarian MEP Andrey Kovatchev (EPP) into the country. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopts bill to prevent child separations. The Chamber of Deputies adopted a draft bill to prevent the separation of children from their families on Wednesday despite the far-right party AUR falsely claiming the bill included provisions legalising child abduction. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Europe’s First Spouses gather in Zagreb to support fight against childhood obesity. Spouses of European leaders gathered in Zagreb on Wednesday to attend a summit organised by the World Health Organisation to launch an initiative to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity in Europe. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbia’s Vucic promises to hold the country’s biggest rally. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced to hold the country’s biggest political rally a day before his party takes “big and important decisions”. Read more.
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PRISTINA
World Bank gives Kosovo glowing report as EU hopes intensify. Kosovo has recorded stable economic progress while reducing the poverty rate and increasing per capita income, according to The World Bank, which approved the new Country Partnership Framework for the fiscal years 2023-2037. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanian local election campaign in last days amid vote-buying accusations. With just one day before Albanian political parties close their campaigns for crucial local elections, allegations of vote buying have surfaced, leading to sharp reactions from internationals in Tirana. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: European Union Military Committee (EUMC) chaired by General Robert Brieger meets at the level of Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) to discuss key military objectives of the Strategic Compass implementation, including rapid deployment capacity, military planning, support for Ukraine, and more; High Representative Josep Borrell gives opening remarks; Representatives of NATO, Norway, Bosnia Herzegovina, Georgia, Serbia and Vietnam attend;
- Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans gives keynote speech at World Hydrogen Summit 2023;
- Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness participates in trilogue between European Institutions on the Anti-Money Laundering package (AML);
- Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit presents proposed directive on improving working conditions in a hearing on “Uber files” at the French national assembly;
- Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elise Ferreira gives speech at 5th International Conference on Textile and Clothing;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski hosts Ambassador of Türkiye to the EU Faruk Kaymakcı;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni gives closing remarks at 5th annual conference of the European Fiscal Board (EFB);
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli on official visit in Iceland meets with Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Minister for Social Affairs and Labour Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson;
- International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen hosts Colombian Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Germán Umaña Mendoza;
- Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič hosts UN Executive Director for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Sima Sami Iskandar Bahous;
- Norway: Chairmanship of the Arctic Council rotates to Norway from Russia;
- Japan: G7 finance ministers and central bank governors meet;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with EURACTIV
Albanian local election campaign in last days amid vote-buying accusations
Source: euractiv.com
