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In today’s news from the Capitals:
ATHENS
Greeks are casting their ballots on 21 May in one of the most unpredictable national elections in years, with the formation of a new government uncertain and the leading politicians bickering over the credibility of current opinion polls that favour the ruling conservatives.
The estimates of a “poll of the polls” seen by EURACTIV differ significantly from the published polls, showing a neck-and-neck race between the New Democracy and Syriza. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
No to pesticide cuts? No gene editing proposal, Commission official warns. The EU executive could reconsider the presentation of its forthcoming gene editing proposal if the European Parliament rejects plans to slash the risk and use of pesticides, a Commission official told EURACTIV. Read more.
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BERLIN
German ex-chancellor Schröder can stay in party despite Putin ties. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder cannot be excluded from the Social Democrats (SPD) on the grounds of his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the results of an exclusion procedure launched by party members. Read more.
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PARIS
France ready to train Ukrainian pilots right away. France is ready to train pilots immediately with the coordination of other European states and the US, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday evening, noting it could be the precursor to the delivery of planes. Read more.
Interest in French-led nuclear alliance gathers momentum. French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher is to meet with representatives of 15 European states interested in the so-called “nuclear alliance” – an increase compared to the 11 that had shown interest just two months ago. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria pushes for rapid EU enlargement progress during Serbia visit. The European Union is not complete without the Western Balkans, Austria’s EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler said during a press conference with her Serbian counterpart Tanja Miščević in Belgrade on Monday, while stressing that the country should not circumvent EU sanctions against Russia. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch cabinet urged to be more fiscally conservative. The Dutch cabinet should reel in its expansionary fiscal policy as it is currently too close to the guardrails, the Council of State, an advisory body to the Dutch government, wrote in its spring report published on Monday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
REYKJAVIK
Heightened cyber attacks threat before Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik. In the lead-up to the Council of Europe summit set to start Tuesday, there has been a surge in attempted cyber attacks on Icelandic infrastructure, which so far have not led to major incidents. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy looks at nuclear energy to supplement energy mix. Investing in nuclear is necessary for Italy to pursue its energy objectives and would ensure the principle of European energy sovereignty is respected, said Lega MP Luca Toccalini (ID), as the coalition agreement expresses an intention to invest in nuclear. Read more.
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MADRID
Gibraltar deal now in UK hands, Spain tells the UK. The recent proposal for a shared prosperity zone in Gibraltar, put forward by Spain and the European Commission, now needs the UK’s acceptance, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Monday. Read more.
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LISBON
EU Commission optimistic about Portugal’s economic growth. The European Commission revised its growth projection for Portugal’s GDP to 2.4% this year, a prediction that is higher than the government’s current official forecast and makes Portugal the country with the third-highest growth rate in the Eurozone.
In its spring economic forecasts, the European Commission cited strong growth in tourism in upgrading its projection for GDP growth from the previous 1.0% forecast released in February. For 2024, it kept its unchanged growth projection unchanged at 1.8%. The new forecast for this year puts Portugal joint third with Greece in the Eurozone in terms of GDP growth, only surpassed by Ireland (5.5%) and Malta (2.4%).
(Ânia Ataíde/edited by Maria de Deus Rodrigues Lusa.pt)
VISEGRAD
BRATISLAVA
President appoints first technocrat government in Slovak history. The technocrat government of former National Bank Vice-Chair Ľudovít Ódor will take over the now-ousted government of Eduard Heger in what appears to be an increasingly divided country ahead of September’s snap parliamentary elections. Read more.
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WARSAW
Poland receives its first HIMARS rockets. Poland received its first HIMARS rocket systems from the US, with prospects for 20 systems to be delivered by the end of the year, the Defence Ministry announced on Monday. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czech trade unions declare emergency strike over austerity measures. Local trade unions declared an emergency strike on Monday in response to the government’s austerity package, which includes increasing corporate taxes and lowering public sector salaries. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
EU Commissioner Gabriel resigns to form government in Bulgaria. On Monday, Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev handed over the mandate to form a government to Mariya Gabriel, who stepped down from her job as EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research and Culture on the same day. Read more.
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BUCHAREST | CHISINAU
Moldova to use Romania’s experience in EU accession. Moldova will likely call on Romanian experts on its path to joining the European Union, the Moldovan Ambassador to Romania Victor Chirila said on Monday, noting that his country aims to start access negotiations this year. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Croatia affirms commitment to assist Ukraine with war crime investigations. Croatian experts have been in Ukraine for months, helping local authorities in war crime investigations, Justice Minister Ivan Malenica said on an official visit to Kyiv on Monday. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbian real estate market stabilises as Russians, Ukrainians less interested. The real estate market is slowly stabilising after last year’s peak in renting and selling real estate following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an influx of Russian citizens to Serbia. Read more.
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PRISTINA
Kosovo: Serbia normalisation dialogue articles not conditional on each other. The European Union Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, met with Chief Negotiator of Kosovo for the dialogue, Besnik Bislimi, and Petar Petkovic from the Serbian side to discuss the controversial establishment of the Association of Serb Municipalities with Pristina insisting that each article of the agreements are independent and should not be conditional. Read more.
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TIRANA
Greek minority candidate wins Albanian mayoral race from prison. As the counting of votes in the Albanian municipal election continued on Monday, the candidate arrested for alleged vote buying, which sparked a diplomatic spat between Tirana and Athens, was informed of his victory in Himare while remaining in prison. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) convenes to discuss bank crisis management and deposit insurance framework, economic recovery in Europe, administrative cooperation in taxation, and more;
- Authorities of the 27 EU member states and nine participating states in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism hold meeting organised by the Swedish Presidency to prepare ahead of wildfire season;
- Occupational safety and health summit organised by the European Commission and the Swedish Presidency to review the progress of the Commission’s Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in Council of Europe Summit; Meets with Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir in Reykjavik;
- High Representative Josep Borrell, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson host high-level meeting with Western Balkans on the implementation of the EU Action Plan on Firearm Trafficking 2020-2025;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and Interior Minister of Montenegro Filip Adžić sign agreement on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency;
- Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in the Copenhagen Democracy Summit;
- Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean hosts International Road Transport Union (IRU) President Radu Dinescu;
- Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton participates in the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) ministerial and stakeholder meeting; Hosts Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles Piyush Goyal;
- Delegation of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs visits Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin to discuss Ukraine, Russia, China, Indo-Pacific, Iran, EU-U.S. energy security cooperation, cybersecurity, and fighting false narratives with representatives of the U.S. Department of State, House of Representatives, Senate, think tanks and non-profit organisations;
- Ukraine: Chinese special envoy Li Hui on official visit;
- United States: Senate testimony from ex-chiefs of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank;
- Qatar: German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock on official visit;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with EURACTIV
Moldova to make use of Romania’s experience for EU accession
Source: euractiv.com
