German health minister fights to prevent cannabis legalisation’s indefinite delay

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

BERLIN

The bill to legalise cannabis in Germany is in danger of being delayed indefinitely due to significant opposition from the states, but Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is determined not to give up on his flagship initiative. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

EU liberals gear up to campaign against von der Leyen. European liberal forces will be warming up for an electoral battle against Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when they meet on Wednesday (20 March) to launch their joint “Renew Europe Now” electoral campaign platform amid poor performance at the polls. Read more.

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PARIS

Renew’s chief Valérie Hayer confirmed as EU liberals’ lead candidate. French President Emmanuel Macron’s closest ally in Brussels, Valérie Hayer, has been confirmed as the third Spitzenkandidat of a Franco-German team that will guide the EU liberals throughout the campaign for June’s EU elections. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Sweden wants peace, king says at NATO ceremony. Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf affirmed his desire for peace during his Monday speech at the Swedish parliament’s NATO flag-raising ceremony. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

MADRID

Puigdemont certain to win Catalan elections, not troubled by temporary arrest. Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has expressed his willingness to be detained, albeit temporarily, if he returned to Spain after winning the snap regional elections on 12 May, his lawyer Gonzalo Boye said in an interview with a local radio station. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Polish president’s aides threaten to block foreign minister’s EU commissioner bid. As Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski began the process of recalling more than 50 foreign ambassadors, the president’s chief of staff warned that a lack of cooperation on foreign policy could lead to disapproval of Sikorski’s bid to head the new EU Defence Commissioner portfolio. Read more.

Polish farmers launch new blockade on Germany border. Polish farmers blocked two major border crossings with Germany on Monday in a protest against farm imports from outside the European Union and the bloc’s environmental red tape. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia seeks EU ban on Russian, Belarusian grain imports. Czechia will propose banning imports of Russian and Belarusian grain from entering the EU at this week’s European Council, according to Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgarian parties gamble, risk losing pro-EU government. Bulgaria risks losing its pro-European government if Boyko Borissov’s GERB and We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB), the two main formations that have been negotiating a cabinet for over a week, fail to reach a deal by midday on Tuesday. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romanian President approves training Ukrainian pilots at military base. Romania will allow the training of Ukrainian pilots at its Fetești Air Base and the transit of military equipment that Finland donated to Ukraine, President Klaus Iohannis announced on Monday. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: General Affairs Council convenes to prepare March European Council meeting, discuss European semester, and future of Europe;
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell hosts Moldovan Minister for Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi;
Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis receives Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal; Delivers keynote speech at high level event on ILO “Illegal Profits from Forced Labour” report;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas holds meetings with Deputy Chairwoman of the Parliament of Tajikistan with a delegation of the Parliament of Tajikistan Mavsuma Muini, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Albudaiwi, Foreign Affairs Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov;
Vice President Dubravka Suica holds meetings with UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, UN SRSG Maalla M’Jid;
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton delivers keynote speech at “Boosting the EU Single Market: Towards the Single Digital Gateway 2.0” Belgian Presidency conference;
Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli delivers keynote speech at Belgian Presidency event “Towards full inclusion of persons with disabilities – the European Pillar of Social Rights and beyond”;
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson meets with Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira;
Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova delivers keynote speech at opening of European Innovation Council Beneficiaries Day in the margins of Research and Innovation Week (R&I Week);
Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič meets African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Cessouma Minata Samate; Holds meetings with President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) David Miliband, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Jan Egeland, IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain;
Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson visits the Australian National Office of Child Safety (NOCS), in Canberra; Meets with Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs for Australia Andrew Giles, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, Minister for Home Affairs Clare Ellen O’Neil;