Bulgaria ready to negotiate on Russian gas tax, angers Hungary and Serbia

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

SOFIA

The Bulgarian government will soon hold talks with its European partners about imposing a new tax on Russian gas transiting its territory, it was announced on Wednesday, a move that predictably angered Serbia and Hungary. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

EU leaders vow tighter borders, more repatriations after Brussels attack. The leaders of Belgium and Sweden and the European Union’s chief executive promised on Wednesday to tighten border security and step up repatriations after a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia shot dead two Swedish football fans in Brussels. Read more.

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PARIS

Fearing Commission reprimand, French government bypasses MPs in budget bill push. The French government pushed the first chapter of its 2024 budget bill through parliament without a vote on Wednesday amid growing fears that the European Commission could slap France with an excessive deficit procedure in the spring. Read more.

EU elections: Le Pen’s party takes poll lead. Latest polling data from France puts the nationalist Rassemblement National (RN), with MEP candidate Jordan Bardella in the lead, while President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist and pro-European Renaissance party lags as the European elections draw closer. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany urges Egypt, Jordan to help evacuate Gaza civilians as conflict escalates. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lobbied Egypt and Jordan for support in evacuating civilians from the Gaza Strip and providing aid amid growing fears that the conflict between Hamas and Israel will continue to escalate. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch take measures to reduce grid stress. The Netherlands will take “extraordinary” measures to reduce stress on the national grid caused by electricity demand and supply reaching similar levels, such as proposing incentives for large companies to use less electricity at peak times, outgoing Dutch Energy Minister Rob Jetten (D66/Renew) announced on Wednesday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ATHENS

Greek PM: Turkey avoids condemning Hamas as terrorist organisation. Turkey’s stance of not condemning Hamas as a terrorist organisation is “problematic” and unbalanced, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview, adding that Athens is on alert following terrorist attacks across the bloc.

Meanwhile, a source in Brussels told Euractiv that EU authorities remain vigilant about European countries with large Muslim communities. Read more.

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ROME

Meloni announces ‘realistic’ €24 billion budget bill. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni adopted a ‘realistic’ €24 billion budget bill at a press conference on Tuesday, as bloc countries prepare for a world where EU deficit rules, put aside since the pandemic, will likely come back to haunt them. Read more. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain’s Socialist Party predicted to tie with centre-right: poll. The Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D) of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the main opposition Partido Popular (PP/EPP) would be tied in the polls and have the same number of seats in parliament if elections were held today, according to data from a new survey by the state-owned Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) released on Wednesday. Read more.

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VALLETTA

EU funding for Melita gas pipeline in doubt despite government claims. Despite government claims that plans for a gas pipeline between Malta and the rest of the EU are underway, an EU official said its inclusion on a list of possible projects to be funded was not yet certain, and even then, question marks over whether funding would be granted remain. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Polish opposition could unlock EU recovery cash if in power. If Poland’s opposition parties unite to form the strongest coalition after their strong joint showing in the elections, they will work towards reconciliation with the EU after Poland’s PiS triggered a lengthy tug-of-war with the Commission. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech government plans coal phase-out by 2033 and oil and gas by 2050. The Czech government has approved a draft revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which aims to phase out coal by 2033 and oil and gas by 2050. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BUCHAREST

Romania signs solidarity lane agreement with Ukraine. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, signed an agreement in Kyiv on Wednesday to ensure the secure transit of Ukrainian products and the development of border crossings between Ukraine and Romania. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia initiates overhaul of judicial appointments. The Slovenian parliament initiated a procedure to transfer judicial appointments from parliament to the president and a change in the composition of the Judicial Council, which vets the candidates, on Wednesday. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Vucic has ‘friendly’ meeting with Putin in China. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had a brief conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, although there was no formal bilateral meeting between them, the Serbian leader said on Tuesday. Read more.

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TIRANA

Kosovo wants KFOR support on Serbian border. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has called for the additional KFOR forces deployed to Kosovo to ‘prioritise border security between Kosovo and Serbia, he said during a meeting with NATO’s peacekeeping mission commander in Kosovo, Özkan Ulutaş. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Justice and Home Affairs Council convenes to discuss asylum and migration, civil protection, especially in regard to forest fires, overall state of the Schengen area. combating child criminal content, and more;
Informal meeting of trade ministers expected to discuss role of trade in European economic security, review bilateral trade agenda, and more;
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell participates in the EU-US Summit, in Washington, U.S.;
Vice President Dubravka Šuica delivers keynote speech at “UNECE Regional Conference on ICPD30 – Population and Development: Ensuring Rights and Choices” event, in Geneva, Switzerland; Holds meetings with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean, UN Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for Programmes Diene Keita, Director General of Geneva Call Alain Deletroz;
Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič participates in 8th EU-Nigeria Ministerial Dialogue; Holds meetings with President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu;
Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit meets President of the government of Catalonia Pere Aragonès i Garcia; Gives keynote speech at high level conference “The European Pillar of Social Rights and new active employment policies”, in Barcelona, Spain;
Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra participates in business roundtable on “decarbonisation strategies and energy transition in the private sector” in São Paulo, Brazil; Meets with Governor of the State of Amazonas Wilson Lima;
Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius visits Kyiv, Ukraine;
Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers speech at Conference for 70th Anniversary of European School System;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]