United with Israel, Germany and France look at middle east for mediation

The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.

Today’s edition is powered by META

Rezzil was key to my training

Marcus Rashford trained in the metaverse while rehabilitating from a shoulder injury. While using a virtual reality training tool developed by Rezzil, Marcus was able to work on his mobility, speed, and muscle memory.

Find out more

In today’s news from the Capitals:

BERLIN | PARIS

As German parties from the left to the far-right assure Israel of their support in a rare joint declaration, Macron said on Thursday Israel is fully entitled to respond militarily in a “firm and just” manner to Hamas’ terrorist attack and that those who justify terrorism in the name of defending Palestinian rights are “making a moral, political and strategic mistake”. Read more.

///

EU INSTITUTIONS

Don’t touch my money: Rich regions concerned by perspective of EU enlargement. Wealthier European Union member states are concerned that enlargement could result in a reduction in cohesion funds, but the European Commission said it is still too early to start talking about money. Read more.

///

PARIS

France to ban all ‘pro-Palestinian demonstrations’ amid rising anti-Semitic threat. France has banned all pro-Palestinian demonstrations and deployed 10,000 police officers to better protect Jewish communities amid rising tensions and intensified threats against Jews. Read more.

French liberal MPs want hate incitement removed from Palestinian school textbooks. Members of French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party have tabled a motion calling for education aid to Palestine to be made conditional on the removal of alleged references to violence, incitement to hatred, anti-Semitism and the cult of martyrdom from Palestinian school textbooks – something EU lawmakers in the European Parliament have called for several times but to no avail. Read more.

///

BERLIN

German left party facing existential crisis ahead of EU election. German left-wing party Die Linke (GUE/NGL) is on the verge of a split, with the charismatic former group leader Sahra Wagenknecht threatening to run with her own party in the European elections. Read more.

///

VIENNA

Austria’s longest-serving EU conservative to leave Brussels behind. European Parliament Vice-President Othmar Karas has announced his intention to retire from EU politics after 25 years in service, citing his party’s rightward drift and Austria’s lack of constructive engagement in the bloc. Read more.

///

THE HAGUE

Dutch parliament divided over Palestine aid review. The Dutch parliament is struggling to agree on a response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with several parties refusing to sign a motion calling for a thorough review of future humanitarian aid to Palestine. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Swedish party leaders agree to speed up gang violence fight. Sweden’s party leaders have decided to speed up legislation to tackle the country’s rising gang violence issue following an invitation from Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Meloni’s government hopes for Morawiecki’s third term. The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, hopes that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will be reappointed for a third term despite the opposing positions on immigration taken at recent EU summits. Read more.

///

MADRID

Catalan president announces ‘offensive’ to promote language in the EU. Catalonia’s regional executive will launch a major campaign in Madrid and Brussels next week to promote and defend the use of Catalan as an official language in the European Union, Catalan Regional President Pere Aragonès announced on Thursday. Read more.

///

VALLETTA

Valletta’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status at risk following government inaction. Malta’s capital city, Valletta, is at risk of losing its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the government and particularly the Culture Ministry’s inaction on implementing recommendations from the international cultural heritage body, some dating back over a decade. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

BRATISLAVA

European Socialists suspend Slovak members Smer, Hlas. The Party of European Socialists suspended Slovakian members Smer and Hlas following mounting criticism of their pro-Russian views, far-right cosying and a marked departure from socialist values. Read more.

///

WARSAW

Polish elections key for EU integration efforts, expert says. The victory of the current ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party in Sunday’s parliamentary elections would translate into Warsaw continuing to block deeper EU integration, while little would change from a policy perspective if the opposition came to power, Spasimir Domaradzki, a political analyst at Warsaw University, told Euractiv Poland. Read more.

///

PRAGUE

Czechia behind push to delay combustion engine phase out. On Thursday, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) adopted the Czech rapporteur’s watered-down version of the Commission’s Euro 7 proposal, giving industry more time to prepare for the phase-out of combustion engines and echoing the Czech government’s push at the Council level. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

ZAGREB

Croatian president defies PM over planned ‘anti-leaks’ law. Croatian President Zoran Milanović vehemently opposed the draft changes to the criminal code whereby media leaks from investigations would be treated as a crime, saying he would personally pardon anyone who breaks the law. Read more.

///

SOFIA

Civil rights activist sues Bulgarian prosecutors for illegal wiretapping. A civil rights activist leading a movement to expose malpractice and corruption is suing the Public Prosecutor’s Office for €15,000 for four months of illegal wiretapping, already confirmed by the National Intelligence Directorate. Read more.

///

BUCHAREST

Romanian government mulls extending price cap on essential foods. Romania’s recent decision to introduce a price cap on basic foods has resulted in inflation dropping to 8.8% in September and should, therefore, be extended, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said. Read more.

///

SARAJEVO

Israel-Hamas war challenges Bosnia-Herzegovina’s stability. The start of a new war in the Middle East has triggered a new round of divisions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, like reactions to the war in Ukraine, is playing out along ethnic and religious lines, with Croats and Serbs supporting Israel and Bosniaks focusing on the Palestinians. Read more.

///

LJUBLJANA

Slovenia’s former anti-money laundering czar suspected of abuse of office. Slovenian police have charged former Anti-Money Laundering Agency director Damjan Žugelj and his closest associates with abuse of office in what some media are calling an unjustified crackdown on opponents of former prime minister Janez Janša. Read more.

///

BELGRADE

Serbian economist not convinced citizens will feel inflation reduction. The fall in inflation in Serbia, which began at the end of the summer and now stands at 10.2%, is not really palpable to citizens, economist Ljubodrag Savić told Euractiv. Read more.

///

TIRANA

Albanian parliament passes resolution on terrorist attack in Kosovo. Albania’s ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party reached a rare agreement in parliament on Thursday over a resolution condemning the terrorist attack in north Serbia, carried out on 24 September. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: High Representative of the EU Josep Borrell co-chairs 12th EU-China Strategic Dialogue, together with Minister for Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi;
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson visits Huadian Haijin Solar, Salt and Shrimp power station, in China;
Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson meets with eu-LISA Executive Director Agnès Diallo;
Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness holds meetings with Minister of Treasury and Finance of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Şimşek, Federal Councillor for Finance of the Swiss Confederation Keller-Sutter, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank Group Axel van Trotsenburg, in Marrakech, Morocco;
Germany: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets Peru’s President Dina Boluarte;
France: President Emmanuel Macron holds meetings with Irish PM Leo Varadkar, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah;
Greece: South Korea PM Han Duck-soo on official visit;
Israel: German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock on official visit;
Lebanon: Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visits to discuss border escalation with Israel;
Qatar: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits to discuss Hamas;
Mozambique: Italian PM Giorgia Meloni visits Mozambique, and Congo;
UN: Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East; FAO publishes report on impact of disasters on agriculture and food sovereignty;