As Europe boosts media freedom, Slovakia’s Fico moves to tighten grip

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

BRATISLAVA

As Europe celebrated the European Parliament’s landslide vote in favour of the European Media Freedom Act, which extends protections to journalists and the editorial independence of public broadcasters, in Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government made a move which directly contradicts some of its provisions. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany’s Scholz doubles down on opposition to Taurus missile delivery to Ukraine. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday yet again cited the need for the involvement of German soldiers as an obstacle to the delivery of long-range missiles to Ukraine, amid growing question marks about the motivation behind his objection. Read more.

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AMSTERDAM

Dutch far-right firebrand Wilders says won’t be PM. Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders said Wednesday that he would not be prime minister despite his stunning election win in November due to a lack of support across the political spectrum. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

COPENHAGEN

Denmark will push for ‘gender equality’ in military service. Copenhagen intends to pass a bill to extend and equalise conscription to have more women conscripted in the military as part of a plan to strengthen the Danish defence, the country’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Wednesday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy may only spend half of EU Recovery Fund cash, expert warns. Italy may end up using half of the funds it has been granted under the EU’s vital post-pandemic recovery plan, Milan University Economics Professor Marco Leonardi told Euractiv Italy in an interview, warning of dire repercussions if Meloni’s intends to persuade the Commission to prolong spending deadlines fail. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain’s fight against corruption efforts lacking, international watchdog warns. There are still too many “black holes” in Spain’s anti-corruption efforts, David Martínez, executive director of NGO Transparency International in the Iberian country, told Euractiv’s partner EFE in an interview on Wednesday. Read more.

Catalan president calls snap regional elections after budget failure. The president of Catalonia’s regional government, Pere Aragonès of the separatist Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) party, called for early elections to be held on Wednesday, 12 May, in the Spanish region after a majority of lawmakers in the regional parliament rejected his budget proposal for the year. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Warsaw to spend €27 million on bomb shelters, security infrastructure amid Ukraine war. Warsaw will boost its security over the next two to three years by paying more than €27 million on bomb shelters and other security measures amid the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine, Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced on Wednesday. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Criticism mounts over Czech implementation of EU cyber security. The Czech Republic’s implementation of the EU’s NIS2 cybersecurity directive has been strongly criticised by mobile operators, who claim that the Czech legislation is among the most stringent in Europe and would put their business at risk. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgarians support EU membership but express growing scepticism towards EU policies. The majority of Bulgarians like the European Union and do not question the country’s EU path, but there is increasing scepticism about certain EU policies and the EU’s management, according to a survey by the Alpha Research sociological agency published on Wednesday. Read more.

Leaked documents reveal Kremlin control over Turkish Stream pipeline construction through Bulgaria. Leaked documents from the emails of Russian politicians show that the Kremlin, through Russian and Belarusian companies, had full control over the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline through Bulgaria from 2019-2021, despite then-Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s claims that the project was under the Bulgarian government’s control, Capital reported. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania’s prosecutor offices struggle with historically low staffing levels. Following the retirement of 165 prosecutors last year, amid ongoing legislative changes and public discussions about judicial salaries, Alex Florența, Romania’s general prosecutor, revealed on Wednesday that the offices are currently facing a historically low staffing level of just over 69%. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen together with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen meets with Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands Aksel V. Johannesen, in Tórshavn, Faroes;
Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis welcomes International Monetary Fund EU Executive Directors;
Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni delivers opening remarks at 2024 Recovery and Resilience annual event, in Madrid, Spain;
Home Affairs Commissioner Yiva Johansson delivers statement on behalf of the EU at the high level Segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs;
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders participates in the Safety Gate Media event;
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski participates in “Agriculture for the Future: 20 years of Poland in the EU”, conference organised by the Executive Board of the Warmińsko-Mazurska Chamber of Agriculture, in Olsztyn, Poland;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in trilogue on the European Health Data Space;
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in trilogue on Western Balkans Facility Regulation;
Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova hosts European high level roundtable on Fostering Fusion Innovation in Brussels, Belgium;
Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts Lithuanian PM Ingrida Simonyte;
Belgium: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda give press conference;
Denmark: PM Aksel Johannesen, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hold press conference;
Italy: G7 meeting on industry, tech and digital;