Bulgarian far-right visit Moscow at invitation of Putin’s party

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

SOFIA

Bulgarian far-right visit Moscow at invitation of Putin’s party. Bulgaria’s pro-Russian far-right Vazrazhdane (Revival) party sent a delegation to Moscow at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, according to an announcement by the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Read more.

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BERLIN

Leading liberal breaks ranks with government, sides with opposition over Taurus missile delivery delay. Dissatisfied with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s reluctance to deliver Taurus missiles to Ukraine, the EU lead candidate for the German liberals will side with the conservative opposition party in an upcoming motion, putting another strain on the coalition’s fragile bond. Read more.

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PARIS

French right opposes von der Leyen’s re-run for EU Commission. France’s conservative party Les Républicains (LR, EPP) will not support Ursula von der Leyen’s bid to get a second term as European Commission president, François Xavier-Bellamy, head of the LR list for the EU elections, told France Inter radio on Tuesday. Read more.

Beware – far right still wants out of the EU, Brexit negotiator Barnier warns. Leaving the EU remains the far right’s ultimate goal, even if they stay quiet about it ahead of election time, former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told Euractiv in an interview on Tuesday, warning that the far right has not learned the lessons of Brexit. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Sweden’s PM Kristersson to visit Hungary with NATO bid ratification expected next week. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will travel to Budapest on Friday to meet his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán before Hungary’s parliament takes a long-delayed vote on Sweden’s bid for NATO membership next Monday. Read more.

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COPENHAGEN

State aid should be ‘stopped’, Danish industry minister warns. The current loosening of EU state aid rules should not be prolonged further, Danish Industry Minister Morten Bødskov warned on Tuesday while in Berlin to meet his German counterpart, Robert Habeck, a fierce proponent of relaxation of the EU framework. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Salvini under pressure to show cancelled deal with Putin’s party after Navalny remarks. Liberal Action party (Renew Europe) leader Carlo Calenda slammed far-right Lega party leader Matteo Salvini on social media on Tuesday, demanding an account of the 2017 agreement with Putin’s United Russia party and evidence that the deal between both parties has been cancelled. Read more.

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MADRID

Madrid braces as farmers extend protests. Madrid is bracing for traffic chaos on Wednesday as thousands of farmers are expected to protest against the latest government proposals, which they say are insufficient to maintain the economic viability of their farms and reduce the bureaucratic burden of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) processing aid, among other demands. Read more.

Russian emigres in Spain call for protection after pilot defector shot dead. Russian emigres in Spain critical of the Kremlin called on the Spanish authorities on Tuesday (20 February) to better protect them, after a Russian pilot who had defected to Ukraine was found shot dead in a garage in a town on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Read more.

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LISBON

EU not prepared to include country at war in EU, says former Commission chief Barroso. The European Union is not ready to accept the inclusion of a country at war, Former EU Commission President and former Portuguese Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso warned on Tuesday, calling instead for an eventual understanding that would prevent the conflict in Ukraine from spreading. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Poland takes first step to withdraw Article 7 procedure. Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar presented EU ministers with an action plan to restore the country’s rule of law, which EU Commissioner Věra Jourová described as a first step for the Commission to withdraw the Article 7 procedure against Warsaw. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Special EU fund for coal regions looks good but is costly, warns Czech study. Creating a new European fund to support coal regions – the Just Transition Fund – may look like a positive step for disadvantaged areas, but its administration is complex, costly and threatens its effective use, warns a new Czech study based on interviews with officials. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BUCHAREST | CHISINAU

Romanian far-right party leader wants to destabilise Chişinău, warns Moldovan PM. AUR party leader George Simion is involved in “destabilising efforts in Moldova”, accused Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean, which resulted in Moldovan authorities extending the party leader’s ban from entering the country. Read more.

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ZAGREB

Croatia working to limit foreign labour, may result in higher imports, warns analyst. The Croatian Interior Ministry (MUP) is working on changes to the laws that should limit the import of labour into Croatia, a move that could result in a significantly larger import of labour ‘in the grey zone’ than now, independent labour market analyst Predrag Bejaković warned Euractiv. Read more.

Croatian president slams PM Plenkovic as ‘liar and faker’. Croatian President Zoran Milanović launched his strongest invective to date against conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Tuesday, calling him a “liar and a political faker who deceives Croatian citizens”. Read more. ///

BELGRADE

Vučić reiterates refusal to sanction Russia: ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will continue to refrain from imposing sanctions on Russia despite pressure from the West, he told the TASS agency, adding that when it comes to relations between Serbian and Russian citizens, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College of Commissioners meeting;
Commission Vice President Dubravka Suica delivers keynote speech for World Economic Forum workshop “Longevity Economy: Principles and Actions to Define the Next Era in an Aging World”; Delivers keynote speech at EPP Group Conference panel “A social market economy that cares”;
Vice President Maroš Šefčovič delivers keynote speech at Solar Impulse Foundation event on “Europe 3.0 – Modernise to Thrive”;
Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis participates in fireside chat organised by DigitalEurope on “Trans-Atlantic digital cooperation and challenges for the period of 2024 – 2029”;
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders hosts Norwegian State Secretary in charge of consumer policy Trine Fagervik;
Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit gives keynote speech at Official opening of Skills Summit 2024; Meets with Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development of Canada Paul Thompson;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides receives US Commissioner of Food and Drugs Robert M. Califf;
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner hosts Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of Moldova Cristina Gherasimov, Ambassador of Israel Haim Regev,Egyptian Ambassador to the EU Badr Abdelatty;
Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness participates in fireside chat at World Economic Forum workshop “Longevity Economy: Principles and Actions to Define the Next Era in an Aging World”;
Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova delivers keynote speech at “Europe 2030: A Digital Powerhouse”;
Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze;