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In today’s news from the Capitals:
ROME
The dialogue between the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) should continue in the hopes of forming a solid majority to govern the EU after the 2024 European Elections, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani told EURACTIV Italy in an exclusive interview.
Meanwhile, in light of projections that ECR will be the third political group in the next EU Parliament, liberal Renew Europe rules out any collaboration with right-wing “extremes”, making the puzzle of the next EU House more complex. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
EPP official: EU socialist chief has ‘problems of authority’ in her group. The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) told EURACTIV that Socialists and Democrats (S&D) chief Iratxe García has problems controlling her group as socialist lawmakers collaborate with the centre-right contrary to her statement that cooperation with the EPP is over. Read more.
EU proposes to recalibrate China strategy. Faced with the need to reduce risks when dealing with China, the EU must adopt a more ‘clear-eyed’ view and focus on values, economic and strategic security, according to an internal document seen by EURACTIV. Read more.
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PARIS
Macron: Europeans not destined to be ‘consumers of American industry’. French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton both advocated for a change in thinking regarding industrial policy and the US in separate addresses on Thursday. Read more.
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BERLIN
German coalition fails to agree on budget again. Finance Minister Christian Lindner has postponed a government decision on next year’s budget for the second time as the coalition’s three parties remain split on the issue. Read more.
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VIENNA
Vienna praises diplomacy skills after top-secret US-China exchange. The Austrian government has lauded its ability to facilitate a key secret exchange between top US and Chinese officials as relations between the superpowers are somewhat ‘frosty’. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch receive Chinese official amid tense atmosphere. After meeting King Willem-Alexander, the Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague on Thursday to discuss cooperation on trade and climate change, though onlookers criticised the warm reception after tensions have risen in recent months. Read more.
Dutch Greens, Labour party, will not present joint EU election programme. GroenLinks (GL/Greens) and the Labour Party (PvdA/S&D) will not present a joint election programme for next year’s European Parliament elections despite overwhelming support within both parties, according to internal sources. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
Finnish government divided over re-targeting development funds for Ukraine. The four parties currently trying to form Finland’s new government are divided on the future allocation of development funds to non-EU countries, including Ukraine. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
Progressives say those behind ‘Greek Wategrate’ will face jail. The opposition leftist Syriza (EU Left) and socialist (Pasok) parties have said all those involved in the wiretapping scandal, including politicians, will face criminal responsibilities and, if convicted, be jailed. Read more.
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LISBON
Brussels praises Portugal’s efforts in offshore renewables, green hydrogen. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson praised Portugal’s work on ‘offshore’ renewable energy and ‘green’ hydrogen in Matosinhos Thursday, commending Portugal’s high renewable target and joint electrification plans with Spain. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
New Czech tax package will kill newspapers, publishers warn. The government presented a new tax package, which includes a significant VAT increase on printed newspapers, a move harshly criticised by Czech publishers who say it will kill off their businesses. Read more.
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WARSAW | BUDAPEST
Poland slams Hungarian general for distorting WW2 facts. The Hungarian General who said a ‘local war’ between Poland and Germany led to the global Second World War is distorting historical facts, Poland’s ambassador to Hungary said in a letter. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
NGOs: Hungary’s judicial package reform failed to address EU requirements. Hungary has failed to adequately address the EU’s concerns around the judicial package, which risks billions of Euros in much-awaited EU funds, several NGOs, including Amnesty International Hungary, said. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak President Čaputová to sue former PM Fico. President Zuzana Čaputová announced on Tuesday evening that she would take legal action against opposition leader and former prime minister Robert Fico for comments about her. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian economy not affected by EU’s Russia sanctions. The EU’s sanctions on Russia because of the war in Ukraine do not affect the Bulgarian economy, acting Economy Minister Nikola Stoyanov told parliamentarians on Thursday. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romania revives state-owned company aiming to build fruit, veg network. Agribusiness House Unirea, a state-owned company that aims to create a national network of fruit and vegetable retailers, will be relaunched next week, announced Agriculture Minister Petre Daea after the concept failed under the previous Dancila government. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Croatia defends plans for nuclear waste disposal centre. Croatia’s plans to establish a nuclear waste disposal centre have been scrutinised after Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Minister Staša Košarac accused Croatia of violating European regulations and standards. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia records lowest unemployment rate in over 3 decades. Slovenia has the lowest unemployment rate in over thirty years as companies have reported almost 24,000 job vacancies in this year’s first quarter, a 2% rise from the previous quarter and almost 2% less than a year ago, the latest statistics show. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbia not a platform for circumventing EU sanctions, says the prime minister. Serbia is not a platform for circumventing Western sanctions against Russia, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said at a meeting with the International Special Envoy for the Implementation of European Union Sanctions, David O’Sullivan. Read more.
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PRISTINA
Lajcak visits Kosovo to build and cross bridges amid ongoing Serbia dialogue. Miroslav Lajcak, EU envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, met Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Pristina Thursday to discuss the issue of establishing the Association of Serb Municipalities before crossing the highly-symbolic Ibar Bridge. Read more.
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TIRANA
Poland supports Albania’s EU path, Albania asks Poland to support Kosovo in NATO. Poland supports Albania’s path to EU membership, according to President Andrzej Duda who was in Tirana on Thursday to meet with his Albanian counterpart Bajram Begaj, who asked Duda to support Kosovo’s NATO membership. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers (Gymnich) to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, EU-China relations;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli gives online speech at the Conference on Equality Data;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski on official visit in Warsaw, Poland meets with representatives of the Polish “Open Cages” association;
- Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness holds online meeting with Chair of the Sustainability Reporting Board of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) Patrick de Cambourg;
- Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira gives keynote speech on “The future of coastal cities and the climate crisis: Between threat and adaptation”;
- France: President Emmanuel Macron meets MEPs from Renew Europe parliamentary group;
- Switzerland: Update on the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions;
- Estonia: Prime ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, EU Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager take part in conference panel;
- Portugal: Parliament votes again on law decriminalising euthanasia to overcome president’s veto; PM Antonio Costa hosts Morocco’s counterpart Aziz Akhannouch;
- Poland: European affairs ministers of France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine meet;
- United States: President Joe Biden hosts Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez;
- Japan: G7 education ministers meet; G7 science and technology ministers meet;
- UN: Expert David Boyd gives preliminary observations on effect of environmental risks on human rights;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Read more with EURACTIV
Progressives say those behind ‘Greek Wategrate’ will face jail
Source: euractiv.com
