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In today’s news from the Capitals:
Four years after the EU executive recommended visa-free access to citizens of Kosovo, scrapping the bureaucratic and financial hurdle seems out of reach, despite the Commission’s continued insistence the bloc hopeful has met its end of the bargain.
Despite Prague’s push to get an agreement across the finish line before the end of their six-month stint at the EU steering wheel in December, prospects of success are dimming for Pristina as new demands continue to emerge. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EU arms fund faces reimbursement issues amid increased Ukrainian needs. The European Peace Facility (EFP), the EU’s off-budget fund to replace member states’ arms donations provided to Ukraine, is struggling to cover the bulk of incoming reimbursement requests, EURACTIV has learnt. Read more.
Uber files whistleblower threatens to cancel attendance at European Parliament hearing. Uber Files whistleblower Mark MacGann is due to speak at a hearing of the European Parliament alongside Uber Director of EU Public Policy Zuzana Púčiková, which would leave him “unprotected”, according to a letter obtained by EURACTIV. Read more.
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PARIS
French unions announce general strike following refinery standoff. Trade unions have announced a sector-wide strike next week, following days of turmoil in refineries fuelled by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s statement that striking workers go back to work. Read more.
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BERLIN
German coalition in crisis meeting to address nuclear extension standoff. Leaders of the three-party coalition convened a late-night crisis meeting on Thursday to discuss extending the life of several nuclear power plants amid fears of ever-dwindling energy imports from Russia. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria’s landlords who housed Ukrainians need help. An increasing number of homeowners who temporarily provided accommodation to Ukrainian refugees want their apartments back due to inflation or personal needs, though Caritas Austria is calling on the government to offer financial incentives to ensure Ukrainians remain housed. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finland, not Sweden, joins NATO missile shield initiative. Finland, which is waiting for the ratification of Turkey and Hungary to join the NATO alliance, joined 14 of its members in signing up for a European missile shield initiative in Brussels Thursday, while NATO hopeful Sweden did not. Read more.
US favours Finland and Sweden joining NATO at the same time. The US is in favour of Sweden and Finland joining the NATO alliance at the same time, Derek Chollet, US State Department Counsellor and Advisor to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said on Thursday. Read more.
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STOCKHOLM
Former Swedish PM to become new EU socialist party leader. Former Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven will take on the role of new President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) as he is the only candidate in the running, a press release published on Thursday reads. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Berlusconi causes first crack in Meloni’s coalition in Senate vote. Giorgia Meloni on Thursday managed to get her candidate elected in the Senate’s presidency, but the winning votes came from the left opposition and not from her own coalition. Read more.
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VALLETTA
Maltese police kidnap migrants, use tasers, pepper spray, witnesses say. Sordid details of the alleged kidnap and beating of migrants, including using tasers and pepper spray by Maltese police officers, have emerged as evidence in a court case on Thursday. Read more.
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MADRID
Spain launches €3 billion package to help households with energy bills. Details of a new package of measures worth €3 billion to “reinforce the protection” of vulnerable citizens challenged daily by soaring energy prices were unveiled by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez before parliament on Thursday. Read more.
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LISBON
TAP’s integration into major group may be ‘only safeguard’, says minister. The integration of national flag carrier TAP into a large aviation group may be the only way to keep the company viable and resilient to the aviation industry’s volatility, Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos said on Thursday. Read more.
VISEGRAD
BRATISLAVA
Slovakia shaken by brutal queer bar killings. The deadly shooting at a queer bar in Bratislava that left two dead and one wounded is the result of the hate politicians spread towards the LGBTQI+ community, said President Zuzana Čaputová in reaction to the incident on Thursday. Read more.
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WARSAW
Poland announces nuclear deterrence exercise. Poland will carry out a nuclear deterrence exercise, said National Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak on Thursday, as Poland faces growing fears that Putin could use the nuclear button. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BUCHAREST
Romania to cover Moldova’s electricity deficit caused by Russia’s bombing. Romania will cover the energy deficit registered by Moldova after Ukraine cut electricity deliveries due to Russia bombing its network. Read more.
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SOFIA
GERB suggests Zelenskyy address parliament launch. Election winner GERB has called for a cross-party meeting to agree on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holding a live video address for the launch of parliament on 19 October. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenian public sector secures 9% pay raise. The government and public sector trade unions agreed on salary increases of 9% for most public sector employees in two steps in October and April, a deal that will increase the public sector wage bill by €611 million. Read more.
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PRISTINA
Kosovo criminalises virginity testing. Virginity testing is now a criminal offence in Kosovo as of this week following changes to the law voted by the government, considering it a violation of human rights. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanians campaign for parliament consideration of living wage draft law. Albanian activists are campaigning and gathering signatures in the hopes of getting parliament to consider introducing a living wage in the EU hopeful of 2.7 million. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: European Parliament delegation of the International Trade Committee (INTA) discusses ways to resolve the EU-UK conflict over the Northern Ireland Protocol with local political figures, businesses, and civil society representatives in Belfast;
- European Parliament delegation of the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee (ECON) attends IMF and World Bank annual meetings. Members to also meet representatives of US authorities, think tanks, leading businesses, and NGOs;
- Financial Services Commissioner Mairead McGuinness meets with Jerome H. Powell, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, DC; Participates in an informal meeting of Eurogroup ministers in an inclusive format with the US Treasury Secretary and delivers a speech at US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Regulatory Roundtable;
- Employment Commissioner Nicolas Schmit attends the second day of the informal meeting of employment and social affairs ministers (EPSCO) with a focus on energy poverty in Prague, Czechia;
- The Justice and Home Affairs Council holds a meeting with a focus on home affairs, the Schengen Council, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Asylum, and migration. Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson to join the Council in Luxembourg;
- European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas participates in the working lunch of EU interior ministers;
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his Portuguese counterpart, Antonio Costa; European Socialists Party (PES) holds its annual congress;
- UN: General Assembly discusses Security Council reform;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Maksimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
