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In today’s news from The Capitals:
PRAGUE | VIENNA
Czech Railways, the major state-owned railway operator in Czechia, strongly opposes the European Commission’s decision to fine the company €31.9 million for allegedly forming a cartel with Austria’s ÖBB. Read more.
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PARIS
Emmanuel Macron tries international credibility stunt with Lebanon conference. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to organise an International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s Population and Sovereignty in Paris on Thursday (24 October) to address the humanitarian crisis and push for a ceasefire in Lebanon while Israeli strikes on the country continue. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Swedish government stunned by ECR vice president’s remarks on killing a criminal. The Swedish government has disowned its coalition partner, the hard-right Swedish Democrats, after their member and Vice-President of the conservative ECR group, Charlie Weimers, called on Tuesday for the killing of an international criminal. Read more.
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OSLO
Norwegian government to set 15-year age limit for using social media. The Norwegian government wants to introduce a 15-year minimum age threshold for using social media to protect children from harmful content and “big tech giants”. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Fitto brushes aside ECR party affiliation, backs shift to conditional EU funding. Italian commissioner-designate Raffaele Fitto has sidestepped references to his political party while outlining his commitment to introducing conditionalities in the distribution of cohesion funds if confirmed as the Commission’s next vice-president for cohesion and reforms. Read more.
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MADRID
Spanish far-left increases pressure on Sánchez to implement ‘full arms embargo’ on Israel. The Spanish far-left is stepping up its pressure on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for Madrid to suspend all arms deals with Israel that are currently in force and urgently implement a ‘full arms embargo’ on Tel Aviv. Read more.
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LISBON | MADRID
Portugal and Spain agree on minimum monthly water flow for River Guardiana. The Guadiana will now have a minimum monthly flow following an agreement on Wednesday between the Portuguese and Spanish governments, which also formalised their commitment to a daily flow in the Tagus. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
“It was a rational and wise decision of Tusk not to run for president,” one expert said.
Donald Tusk won’t run for Polish president in 2025. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk dispelled the reports that he is going to run in next year’s presidential election, stating he is not suited for the role and would be unlikely to win. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Hungarian expert: EU intervention may keep Fico’s rule on a moderate path. Hungary is teetering on the brink of full-blown autocracy, while Slovakia is experiencing a populist turn, though it remains doubtful that a single government can inflict the kind of institutional damage seen in Hungary, said Péter Krekó, director of the Political Capital Institute in Budapest, told Euractiv Slovakia. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets with Albanian President Bajram Begaj, in Tirana; Holds meetings with Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, in Skopje;
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, in Rome;
- High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell participates in International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty;
- Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in Enlargement high level forum, in Brussels;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson participates in the G20 Anti-Corruption ministerial meeting, in Natal, Brazil; Meets with Controller General of the Union of Brazil Vinícius Marques de Carvalho;
- Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira delivers keynote speech at “The importance of water resources management” conference, in Faro, Portugal;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
