Greece pressures Albania to show ‘way out’ of bilateral crisis

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

ATHENS | TIRANA

Greece is blocking a letter from the 27 member states to the EU Commission on opening up the first five chapters of the accession process, a source confirmed to Euractiv, adding that Athens is pressuring Tirana to show “creativity” to sort out an ongoing bilateral crisis. Read more.

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PARIS

EU-US ‘structural gap is widening’, warn French businesses. A ‘proliferation of EU norms’ may hamper EU business’ competitiveness in the face of China and the US, French business association Medef’s Chief Patrick Martin said while unveiling the association’s ‘EU strategy’ on Monday to a small group of journalists, including Euractiv. Read more.

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BERLIN

EPP chief Weber reappointed CSU’s lead candidate for EU elections. EPP Chairman Manfred Weber was nominated by the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), a German regional party, as the lead candidate for the 2024 EU elections on Monday. Read more.

EPP suspect cleared of bribery allegations tied to EU elections. There was no evidence linking the former digital campaign manager of the European People’s Party (EPP) to bribes allegedly received during the 2019 EU election campaign, German prosecutors announced on Monday, concluding a year-long case that involved a raid of the EPP headquarters in Brussels. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch to treat wounded Palestinian children. The Netherlands stated its willingness to accommodate and treat wounded Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip on Monday, with both outgoing Health Minister Ernst Kuipers and outgoing Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot supporting the idea. Read more.

UK & IRELAND

DUBLIN | PARIS

Construction starts on electricity link between France, Ireland. Construction on a high-voltage subsea cable able to carry enough power for 450,000 homes, to boost energy security and help to reduce bills, began on Monday between France and Ireland. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Salvini clashes with unions over transport strike. The CGIL and UIL trade unions organised a general transport strike on Friday to protest against the government’s budget law and lack of raised wages, which has garnered criticism from Transport Minister Salvini, who says citizens will suffer from the disruption. Read more.

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MADRID

Sánchez to be sworn in this week, far-right takes him to court. Spanish acting PM Pedro Sánchez is expected to be confirmed for another four-year term during a session in parliament on Wednesday and Thursday, while Vox plans to block the process in addition to calling for a general strike against Catalan amnesty law, which will pardon 300+ independentists. Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal’s infrastructure minister resigns amid investigation. Infrastructure Minister João Galamba submitted his resignation on Monday, as he believes it is the only way to give his family privacy after he became an official suspect last week as part of the public prosecutor’s investigation into the lithium, hydrogen and data centre business in Sines. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

PRAGUE

Czech academics unite against rise of anti-semitism. Representatives from over thirty Czech universities have joined forces and signed a letter, calling on authorities and academic leaders to combat the rise of anti-Semitism within the academic sphere, emphasising the need for decisive legal measures against any expressions of hatred. Read more.

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WARSAW

Poland’s Got Talent host voted into parliament as new speaker. The opposition in the Polish parliament – Civic Coalition, the Third Way and the Left – are celebrating the establishment of a representative of their camp as speaker of the lower house of parliament, former Poland’s Got Talent host and Poland2050 party (part of the Third Way coalition) leader Szymon Hołownia. Read more. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgaria has no data on Russian bombs being dropped on trade routes in Black Sea. Bulgaria has not received information from Ukraine about Russian warplanes dropping bombs on shipping routes in the Black Sea, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry told Euractiv. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania sent EU Commission first draft of integrated national energy, climate plan. Romania submitted the first draft of its Integrated National Plan for Energy and Climate to the EU Commission last week, ensuring it addressed a series of previous issues that contributed to its delay in approval, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said on Monday. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Obstacles in dialogue between Belgrade, Pristina will impact entire region: Borrell. There is an obstacle in the continued negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said in Brussels on Monday, adding that EU leaders have concluded that the block affects the entire region. Read more.

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TIRANA

Council of Europe slams European countries’ approach to migration after Italy-Albania migrant deal. The recent Italy-Albanian deal on migration raises not just human rights and legal questions but is also indicative of European countries’ drive to find quick-fix solutions to migration issues rather than focussing on their domestic systems, according to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Defence ministers hold discussion on EU support to Ukraine, Rapid Deployment Capacity, and more; Council meeting expected to be preceded by informal breakfast with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Defence Agency Steering Board;
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen receives President of the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses Jörg Dittrich;
Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič opens the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) 2023 annual conference; Opens, alongside Kazakhstan Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev, Partnership Forum event, as part of the European Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Week;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas receives President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey Rifat Hisarciklioglu; Delivers closing remarks at Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) conference on “Digital skills for all: how innovative technologies can empower Europe’s workforce”;
Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli participates in International Conference on Gender Equality organised by the Spanish Presidency, in Madrid;
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders participates in EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meeting; Participates via videoconference in Brussels Privacy Symposium;
International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen attends signing ceremony of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (OACPS)-EU agreement, “Post-Cotonou agreement”, in Apia, Samoa;
Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni delivers speech at annual Research Conference 2023 organised by DG ECFIN;
Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič hosts Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights and Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ilze Brands Kehris;
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson holds debate with MEPs at “Navigating the Energy Crisis” session of Parliament event; Delivers opening speech at Euroheat & Power Summit; Participates in “The European offshore wind industry: a wake-up call” event;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers keynote speech at UNCAN.eu closing event on “Towards A European Federated Cancer Research Data Hub”; Holds videoconference calls with WHO Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health Vanessa Kerry, Health Minister of Canada Mark Holland;
Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts Greece’s PM Mitsotakis for talks;
Denmark: Parliament debates bill to ban Koran burnings;