EU states reluctant to repatriate women, children still in Syria

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

European countries, such as France and Spain, have recently upped repatriation efforts to bring back their citizens held in jihadist camps in Syria, but as the process remains slow, the women and children living in the camps in poor conditions risk being radicalised, sexually abused, forced to work or to get married. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

MEP: EU human rights committee not for those ‘carrying money between hotels’. The European Parliament’s committee on human rights is not for those involved in corruption and bribery, but rather those who care about giving those in need a voice, Udo Bullmann, socialist MEP (S&D) candidate for the committee’s chair, told EURACTIV. Read more.

Western European countries ranked best to drive in. Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium were ranked the best countries to drive in, according to the results of a study by the International Drivers Association. Read more.

Timmermans: Africa likely to be EU’s most important renewable energy partner. Africa is likely to be Europe’s most important partner as it looks to increase its renewable energy supply and switch to green hydrogen, EU climate chief Frans Timmermans told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Read more.

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BERLIN| PARIS

Le Maire, Habeck head to Washington to defend EU interests. French and German Economy Ministers Bruno Le Maire and Robert Habeck will visit Washington on Monday to defend the European Commission’s latest moves to counter the US’ controversial granting of green subsidies through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Read more.

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VIENNA

Austria’s far-right poised to join government race in fastest-ever comeback. Austria’s far-right FPÖ party, known for a series of scandals, is looking set to make major gains in two upcoming state elections, likely cementing its fastest-ever comeback as a serious contender to lead the government. Read more.

UK AND IRELAND

LONDON

Britain faces largest ever healthcare strikes as pay disputes drag on. Britain faces its largest ever strike by health workers on Monday as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walk out in an escalating pay dispute which the health minister said would place further strain on the National Health Service (NHS). Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finland should triple net immigration, says think tank. Plagued with an ageing population and a low fertility rate, Finland would need three times more immigrants than projected to boost growth and improve public finances, according to ETLA Economic Research, an independent, private and non-profit economic research institute. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

CYPRUS

Centrist Christodoulides wins first round of Cyprus’ elections. Centrist Nikos Christodoulides won the first round of Cyprus’s presidential election on Sunday with 32.0%, defeating Andreas Mavroyiannis, who won 29.6% and was supported by the left-wing AKEL party during the election campaign. Read more.

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ROME

Meloni speaks of strengthened ‘modern right’ amid internal turmoil. The modern right needs strengthening without losing sight of its values, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Sunday as anarchist protestors in the country call for the so-called ‘hard prison’ system imposed on dangerous criminals to be reformed. Read more.

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MADRID

Leftist minister urges Spanish government to ‘freeze mortgage payments’. The Spanish Minister of Labour, Yolanda Díaz, defended the urgent need to freeze mortgage payments to avoid “greater risks”, and ensure “a dignified life” for millions of citizens who can’t afford their repayments. Read more.

VISEGRAD

WARSAW

Poland preparing for possible migrant flows from Russia. Poland will soon start building an electronic fence at its border with Kaliningrad Oblast as it fears Russia and Belarus will again help migrants cross the border in a bid to destabilise Europe. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia mulls criminalising disinformation. The intentional spreading of disinformation could find its way into the Czech criminal code, according to a new action plan currently being discussed by the government. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Former Interior Minister of Slovakia charged with corruption, again. Currently leading the latest polls, SMER-SD is facing yet another high-level corruption charge that is likely to be overturned using a controversial paragraph which also cleared its chair’s case in November. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Scuffles on Macedonian-Bulgarian border amid ongoing tensions. Bulgarians trying to enter North Macedonia to celebrate the birthday of a hero shared by both countries said they encountered difficulties at the border, yet the overall celebrations passed without major incident, despite fears and toxic rhetoric. Read more.

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ZAGREB

More Croats look down on Roma, women than in 2016, survey shows. More than half of Croats believe the Roma do not want to work, and almost a quarter think men and women are not the same and should not play the same social role, according to a poll published by Nova TV and Dnevnik.hr on Sunday. Read more.

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BELGRADE | SARAJEVO

Bosnia, Serbia in world’s top 20 of smoking nations. Four Balkan countries are in the global top 20 of countries in terms of smoking, according to data published by World Population Review and carried by Klix.ba. Read more.

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PRISTINA

Kurti: Association possible only after mutual recognition from Serbia. The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has said that forming the Association of Serb Municipalities is possible, but only after reaching an agreement with Belgrade for mutual recognition. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: General Affairs Council prepares for the special European Council that will convene on 9-10 February 2023; Agenda highlights include EU-UK relations, priorities of the Swedish Presidency;
Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers in Stockholm to discuss the market situation, research data contribution to meet various societal challenges, and more;
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Paris Agreement climate negotiators, the Expert Group on Adaptation (EGA) and the Expert Group on Implementation (EGI) hold meetings, organised by the Swedish Presidency;
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer;
Vice Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis hold meetings with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița;
Vestager holds online meeting with US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen;
Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis and Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni participate in the 9th Recovery and Resilience Dialogue with the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) and its Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON);
Dombrovskis and International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen participate in the EU-Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ministerial Meeting;
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in the handover of the Search and Rescue vessels to Libya, in Venice;
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni; Hosts Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița;
Norway: Government presents Ukraine aid plan;
Poland: Hearing in trial of activist Justyna Wydrzynska, accused of aiding abortion;
China: All COVID-19 travel restrictions between mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are dropped;
UN: Secretary General Antonio Guterres presents 2023 priorities to General Assembly;