EPP boss spurns a right coalition, ‘welcomes’ socialists back to reality

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

BRUSSELS

The EU centre-right top leaders last week put an end to “dangerous” accusations suggesting that the European People’s Party (EPP) is a “climate-denier” or eyes a post-election coalition with the far right, the party’s Secretary-General Thanasis Bakolas told Euractiv in an exclusive interview, adding that pro-EU forces such as socialists should get back to reality and work on an agenda for Europe’s people. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

RSF: Malta and Poland still ‘vague’ on journalists’ safety. EU member states are still lagging regarding concrete measures to protect journalists two years after a relevant EU Commission recommendation, according to a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report seen by Euractiv. Read more.

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PARIS

Le Pen praises Salvini’s previous anti-migration efforts, tackling Meloni. By praising Matteo Salvini’s efforts to fight immigration when he was Italy’s interior minister, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is once again targeting the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, whose country has been facing a large influx of migrants in recent days. Read more.

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BERLIN

EU Buildings Directive: Germany signals readiness to stop tighter standards. German ministers have stepped up their criticism of proposed EU building regulations, as Housing Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD/S&D) made clear her opposition to mandatory renovations after Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP/Renew) made similar comments. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austria to begin conducting checks at border with Italy. In what can be viewed as a fresh blow to the EU’s visa-free Schengen zone, Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer has announced plans to begin restricting free travel into the country from Italy. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch defence ministry official arrested for evasion of Russia sanctions. The Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) arrested a Defence Ministry official accused of having evaded EU sanctions against Russia by exporting spare aircraft parts to Russia via third countries, the government agency announced on Friday. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

VILNIUS

Lithuania’s Social Democrats win by-election. Matas Skamarakas of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP, S&D) was elected MP for the Raseinių-Kėdainių constituency in the Lithuanian parliament on Sunday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ATHENS

‘Newcomer’ wins first round of Greece’s left elections. Stefanos Kasselakis, a 35-year-old businessman, the most recent addition to the race for Greek main opposition leftist Syriza party’s leadership, won the first round of the internal elections on Sunday, getting 45% of the vote. A crucial second round is due next week amid a seemingly “ideological war” within the party which is expected to escalate. Read more.

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ROME

Von der Leyen and Meloni differ over migration visions. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s priorities are to block departures, also through a European naval mission, and to speed repatriations up, while EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need for legal routes and humanitarian corridors to defeat traffickers during a joint press conference in Lampedusa. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish parliament to hold first-ever fully multilingual session. The Spanish parliament will hold its first fully multilingual session on Tuesday, with interpreters for Catalan, Basque, and Galician – one of the non-negotiable ‘red lines’ set by Catalan separatist parties for them to consider negotiations to reinstate Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Only the Poles decide, says Weber amid claims of election meddling. Only Poles can determine the future of their country in the upcoming October elections, said the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, after Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party accused him of trying to influence people’s choices illegally. Read more.

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PRAGUE

ALDE fact-finding mission on Czech ANO party cancelled. Tensions have flared between the Czech ANO party and the European liberal ALDE party, with ANO abruptly cancelling a planned visit by ALDE representatives to investigate whether the Czech member party still adheres to liberal principles. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovak election candidates step down following poor behaviour. Incidents of verbal and physical abuse have forced candidates to step down ahead of Slovakia’s snap election on 30 September, with one candidate punching a bystander during a campaign stop and another sending texts to a student promising to ‘behead progressives’. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgarian farmers to pressure government to ban Ukrainian grain imports. Bulgarian grain producers are preparing to block key roads in Sofia to pressure the government to change its position and ban agricultural imports from Ukraine. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Local authorities slam Romanian government’s decision to drop EU funding for hospitals. Romania’s Health Ministry has dropped six of the 27 hospitals originally scheduled to be upgraded or expanded under the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with local officials either claiming the government has failed to assess the status of the projects or stating they are doing all they can to meet project deadlines. Read more.

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TIRANA

Bern Convention: Vlora Airport row will make its way into EU membership talks. The Steering Committee of the Convention for the Conservation of Wild Life and Natural Habitats in Europe, or Berne Convention, has asked the Albanian government to suspend construction of the Vlora airport, stating the matter will find its way into EU membership negotiations. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: The 78th session of the UN General Assembly takes place; EU priorities include accelerating implementation of sustainable development goals, building global partnerships, and more; Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit in New York, United States;
Agriculture and Fisheries Council convenes to discuss directive on soil health, long term vision for the EU´s rural areas, UN food systems, and more;
Informal meeting of ministers for education and youth focuses on how to foster political engagement among young people, care for students in vulnerable situations, and more;
Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová attends the EU-China High Level Digital Dialogue; Meets with representatives of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides holds videoconference with Minister of Healthcare of Ukraine Viktor Liashko;
Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) exchanges views with the Commission on European manufacturing process of biodiesel and rules applying to its import;
Spain’s Finance Minister Nadia Calviño, Defence Minister Margarita Robles, and Agriculture Minister Luis Planas expected to present Madrid’s EU presidency priorities before the European Parliament this week;
Russia: Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov hosts Chinese counterpart Wang Yi;
Indonesia: ASEAN bloc to hold first joint military drills in North Natuna Sea;