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In today’s news from the Capitals:
Energy giant Fortum is updating its strategy with a return to Nordic roots after the investment fiasco with Germany’s Uniper.
In line with developments elsewhere in Europe, alongside conventional reactors, the Finnish state-owned (51%) company will ”explore prerequisites” for small modular reactors (SMRs), a technology in which Washington is leading. Read more.
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PARIS
French strike tests discontent waters. A general strike is set to bring the country to a standstill on Tuesday, in a show of unions’ strength that will be scrutinised by all, but It remains to be seen whether this is the start of a movement like the “Yellow Vests” or just a publicity stunt. Read more.
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BERLIN
German nuclear scuffle: Scholz cracks down, insists on keeping all plants. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cracked down on his infighting government coalition, using his constitutional final say to resolve the dispute over the continued operation of nuclear power plants amid the energy crisis. Read more.
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VIENNA
Vienna reaches shelter limit for refugees. Refugee shelters in Vienna are operating at a capacity of 179%, causing significant strain on authorities and practical problems for refugees as winter draws in. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Belgian government coalition divided over colonial past response. Belgian coalition government MPs involved in a special committee on Belgium’s colonial past appeared divided on Monday over whether the kingdom should apologise for its actions in former colonies and pay compensation. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch FM Ministry organises Ukraine reconstruction conference. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine on Wednesday. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
DUBLIN
Ireland set to launch first satellite. An agreement signed between Dublin and the European Space Agency has officially paved the way for the launch of Ireland’s first satellite. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Swedish parliament approves far-right-backed government amid Liberal discontent. Centre-right Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson was approved by the Riksdag as the new prime minister by a narrow majority on Monday, but liberal critics in Brussels and his newly-formed coalition say the agreement favours the far-right. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italy’s right coalition now vows unity after Senate backstabbing. Brothers of Italy leader and likely next prime minister Giorgia Meloni held a meeting with Forza Italia’s Silvio Berlusconi to reconciliate, after the first cracks appeared following the Senate vote last week. Read more.
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MADRID
Spanish socialist party leads poll ahead of 2023 elections. Spain’s Socialist Party leads the way with 31.7% in vote estimates in a fresh poll published on Monday, increasing its advantage over centre-right Partido Popular and far-right Vox ahead of municipal and general elections to be held in 2023. Read more.
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ATHENS
Germany sends Greece’s first tank batch from Ukraine swap deal. Germany sent Greece the first batch of infantry fighting vehicles known as ‘Marder’ as part of a swap deal in return for which Greece will deliver 40 Soviet-designed tanks to Ukraine. Read more.
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VALLETTA
Malta’s iconic cheese to be considered by Brussels. Malta is set to apply for EU protective status for its famous cheese, the Gbejna, but stakeholders are divided over whether it will benefit the local cheese sector. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Czechia pitches ‘flexible responsibility’ to solve EU migration reform woes. The Czech Council of the EU Presidency has submitted a new proposal on the EU’s long-delayed migration and asylum policy reform amid renewed migration pressures in Europe. Read more.
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WARSAW
European Commission to freeze Poland’s cohesion money. The European Commission cannot launch the payments from the cohesion policy for Poland due to Warsaw’s failure to comply with crucial EU requirements on fundamental rights. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Proposed Slovak budget unacceptable for exhausted medical personnel. Slovak Health Minister Vladimír Lengvarský (OĽaNO) strongly disagrees with the next year’s budget proposed by the finance ministry as healthcare workers threaten they will quit en masse if the system does not get more money. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
ZAGREB
Croatian businessmen rebel against ‘euro conversion tax’. An association of Croatian entrepreneurs, UGP, has raised its voice against government plans to charge a 2,500 kuna (€330) fee for registering the denomination of basic company capital from kuna into euro in court registries as the country prepares to adopt the single currency. Read more.
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Small Croatian distributors file constitutional suit against price caps. Croatia’s small gasoline retailers have filed a suit with the country’s Constitutional Court to protect their assets from being eroded by “the reckless energy policy” of the government. Read more.
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SOFIA
Politicians leading source of pressure on Bulgarian journalists. Over 72% of surveyed Bulgarian journalists say politicians remain the most widespread source of external pressure on journalists, according to the annual study Media Under Fire by the Association of European Journalists Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria). Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbian president remains firmly against EU’s Russian sanctions. Serbian President Aleksander Vucic has once again doubled down on his refusal to align with EU sanctions against Russia, despite growing pressure from the EU. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanian teachers stage protest, demand 50% wage increase. Students and lecturers have warned of protests due to the government’s failure to respond to demands for higher salaries and improved working conditions as the 2022-2023 academic year started on Monday in Albania. Read more.
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AGENDA
- EU: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends the meeting of the College of Commissioners that convenes to present the 2023 Commission Work Programme;
- European Commission to present emergency measures to curb energy prices;
- Vice-President of the European Commission Vĕra Jourová meets with Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Andrej Stančík;
- Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis participates in the European Parliament Plenary debate titled “Keep the bills down: social and economic consequences of the war in Ukraine”;
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attends the Parliament’s Conference of Committee Chairs;
- Parliament holds a plenary session on the General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023, including all sections, in Strasbourg, France;
- EP holds a debate on the General Budget of the EU for 2023 with the participation of Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn;
- Parliament holds plenary session on mental health;
- Consilium Agriculture and Fisheries Council holds a meeting in Luxembourg;
- Consilium General Affairs Council to publicly discuss the European Parliament’s proposal for revising the EU rules governing the EP elections; Vice-President Dubravka Šuica expected to participate;
- ECB publishes the Consolidated Financial Statement of the Eurosystem;
- France: Nationwide strikes at the call of multiple unions and demonstrations to take place;
- Germany: Foreign Policy Forum with FM Annalena Baerbock, Estonia’s FM Urmas Reinsalu and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to take place;
- Ireland: Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visits Dublin;
- Finland: Parliament discusses the construction of a fence on part of the border with Russia;
- United Nations: Security Council holds meeting on Kosovo;
- India: 90th General Assembly of Interpol agency to take place; UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits Mumbai;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
