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In today’s news from the Capitals:
MADRID
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) are on a collision course with the EU centre-right (EPP) over a European Parliament mission to Spain related to the country’s recovery fund. Socialists hint that the EPP aims to discredit Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez, while the centre-right party says it demands clarity on the distribution of EU funds. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Jailed MEP Eva Kaili to make new request for release. Imprisoned EU lawmaker Eva Kaili will make a new request on Thursday to be released until her trial for her involvement in the Qatargate takes place. Meanwhile, Le Soir reported that ten socialist MEPs, all Italians, sent a letter to European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola denouncing the conditions under which their former colleague is being held in the prison of Haren. Read more.
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BERLIN
German airport ground crews to strike on Friday. Amid continued fights over remuneration, labour union ver.di has called for strikes at multiple German airports to be held Friday in what could bring some of Europe’s largest air travel hubs to a standstill. Read more.
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PARIS
French prime minister to defend country’s energy position. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday to defend and voice support for the French position on energy. Read more.
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VIENNA
Ukraine to boycott upcoming OSCE meeting in Vienna. Ukraine will boycott the OSCE meeting in Vienna due to Russian participation, with Ukrainian parliamentarians fearing a “whitewash” of Russian war crimes and their speaker calling for it to be postponed as it will be held exactly one year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Belgian Court to soon decide over prisoner swap deal with Iran. The prisoner swap treaty between Belgium and Iran could free Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, currently trapped in Iran, if an agreement is reached in the coming weeks. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Russians travel through Norway to shop in Finland. Even if the border between Finland and Russia is closed, and visas for Russians have been cancelled, Russians have discovered a legal loophole and come shopping in northern Finland. Read more.
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STOCKHOLM
Swedish PM in Kyiv discusses support, reconstruction. Support for Ukraine, reconstruction and the country’s EU application process were among the topics Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson discussed with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Professor: Berlusconi brings Meloni closer to EU centre-right. The escalating aggressiveness of Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi against Ukraine is bringing current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni closer to the EU centre-right political family; Professor Lorenzo Castellani told EURACTIV Italy. Read more.
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MADRID
Sanchez starts mini-tour in Austria to present top priorities for EU presidency. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is to begin his mini EU tour on Thursday to give Madrid’s priorities for when it takes over the six-month rotating EU Council presidency in July. Read more.
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LISBON
Portugal wants to play key role in EU-Africa relations. Portugal wants to play a pivotal role in helping the EU understand developments on the African continent, particularly with regard to peace, security and stability, Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho told Lusa from the African Union summit in Addis Abada on Wednesday. Read more.
VISEGRAD
BRATISLAVA
To raise turnout, former Slovak PM proposes €500 per voter. Each citizen voting in September’s snap elections should be paid €500, according to a proposal put forward by the leader of the strongest party in the National Council OĽaNO who wants an increase in turnout and to stop the opposition from taking power. Read more.
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WARSAW
Commission sues Poland over EU primacy challenge. The European Commission launched legal proceedings against Poland on Wednesday, citing the Constitutional Tribunal’s 2021 ruling as challenging the supremacy of EU law. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgaria unlikely to provide more weapons to Ukraine. Bulgaria, a major producer of ammunition used by Ukrainian soldiers, has sent all the armaments required under a parliamentary decision, Acting Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov, echoing the previous words of President Rumen Radev. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Commission approves aid scheme for green investments. The European Commission has approved a €259 million scheme, under Romania’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, to support investments in energy projects. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia’s parliament strikes down yet another devolution attempt. Parliament’s upper chamber has shelved legislation that would create a legal basis to establish provinces, ensuring that yet another attempt at devolution is doomed amidst irreconcilable disputes about the number of provinces. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albania pledges more support for Ukraine at NATO Brussels meeting. Albanian Defence Minister Niko Peleshi took part in the two-day NATO Defence Ministers Meeting in Brussels this week, pledging more support for Ukraine while increasing stockpiles and strengthening deterrence and defence. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne;
- Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks with Vice President of the European Central Bank Luis de Guindos;
- Budget and Administration Commissioner Johannes Hahn articipates in the Münchner Europa-Konferenz and Munich Security Conference;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli speaks at the event “From Plan to Action- High Level Conference on the Implementation of National Action Plans against Racism”, organised by the Swedish Presidency;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski participates in European Parliament’s debate on “ensuring the availability and affordability of fertilisers”;
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attends Conference of Presidents;
- Germany: Interior Minister Nancy Faeser holds press conference on the refugee situation in the country;
- France: President Emmanuel Macron hosts Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq Masrour Barzani;
- Belgium: Court rules on extension of pre-trial detention of Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella, arrested over ‘Qatargate’ corruption scandal;
- Austria: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on official visit;
- Greece: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis signs agreements on energy with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev;
- Turkey: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on official visit;
- Russia: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets with officials from several post-soviet alliances, including CIS, CSTO and Eurasian Economic Union;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
