Greek government faces no confidence vote after new evidence on train accident revealed

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

ATHENS

The Greek centre-right government (EPP) will face on Tuesday a no-confidence vote pushed forward by opposition parties following a press report suggesting that the conversations between train workers on the night of an accident that killed 57 people were distorted. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

Commissioner Didier Reynders shortlisted for Council of Europe top job. EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders was shortlisted to become the next secretary general of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers announced on Tuesday. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany kicks off construction of electric car batteries’ gigafactory after swift approval. Germany secured the construction of a gigafactory for electric car batteries in record time with the help of the EU’s new subsidy “matching” scheme. Read more.

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PARIS | BERLIN

Lawmakers hopeful Franco-German parliament can smooth intergovernmental relations. Five years ago, Germany and France created the world’s first binational parliament, but as relations between the countries’ two leaders remain rocky, lawmakers remain hopeful it can stop the situation from worsening. Read more.

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PARIS

Macron in Brazil to relaunch relationship, avoids thorny issue of Mercosur deal. War in Ukraine, attractiveness of investment and exchange of tips to decarbonise societies will feature on the agenda of the French President Emmanuel Macron’s talks with President Lula during his Brazil trip from Tuesday to Thursday, in an attempt to rekindle the relationship. Read more.

Macron says Islamists who hit Russia had tried to attack France. President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the gunmen who killed 137 people in a concert hall outside Moscow were part of an Islamic State branch that was behind foiled attempts to attack France over the past few months. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

EU Commission raises concerns over Lufthansa-ITA deal. The European Commission warned against Lufthansa’s intention to buy a minority stake in Italy’s ITA Airways, telling the German flag carrier and the Italian Economy Ministry that the deal risks being rejected if no action is taken to resolve competition issues. Read more.

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MADRID

Sanchez’s party deny independence talks with separatist forces. The ruling Socialist party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is “already talking” to secessionist forces about a future independence referendum in Catalonia, the Secretary General of the pro-independence Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), Marta Rovira said, while Sánchez’s party denies Catalan separation being “on the table”. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

PRAGUE

Czech Senate speaker proposes hosting Belarusian opposition in exile. Prague could host the Belarusian opposition government led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, which is currently in exile in Vilnius, Czech Senate speaker Miloš Vystrčil said on Monday, recalling that it hosted the Belarusian government in exile about a century ago. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Fearing arrest, Brazil’s Bolsonaro stayed two days in Hungarian embassy. Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro stayed for two nights at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia last month, just days after federal police confiscated his passport and arrested two former aides on suspicion of plotting a coup, Bolsonaro’s lawyer said on Monday. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovakia delays payments to farmers, EU can’t intervene. Slovakia’s government has delayed paying EU farm subsidies, known as direct payments, to eligible farmers who, despite joining the biggest farmers’ protests in the country’s history, risk not receiving them as the European Commission confirmed the situation is out of its hands. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Looming political crises send Bulgarian institutions into uncharted territory. Bulgaria is heading for its sixth parliamentary election in three years after former European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel (GERB, EPP) withdrew her candidacy for the prime minister position on Monday, despite earlier political agreements confirming she would receive the post. Read more.

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TIRANA | ROME

Albania-Italy migrant deal moves ahead as Rome publishes tender for processing centre. As of 20 May 2024, camps in Albania that will process the asylum applications of individuals rescued by the Italian authorities will be up and running, as a recently published tender document reveals more details about the deal and how the site will function. Read more.

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PRISTINA

Kosovo-Serbia dinar meeting in Brussels ends with no progress. Meetings between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels on Monday over the use of the Serbian dinar in the country yielded no results, with Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi stating he hopes the EU envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, will schedule another meeting for next week. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Agriculture and Fisheries Council convenes to discuss market situation, rapid and structural measures for the agricultural sector;
Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič participates in high level “Towards a climate neutral and resilient society in 2050” event, organised by the Belgian Presidency;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas delivers closing remarks at high level conference on the future of the EU Health Union organised by the Belgian Presidency;
Vice President Vĕra Jourová holds meeting with U.S. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Elizabeth Allen and Special Envoy and Coordinator for U.S. Global Engagement Center James Rubin, in Washington, United States; Meets with Board Chair of the Endowment for Democracy and speaks at the Atlantic Council Conference Ken Wollack;
Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni hosts Minister of Economy and Digitalization of the Republic of Moldova Alaiba Dumitru;
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton hosts Minister for Science and ICT of Korea Lee Jong Ho; Paricipates in 2nd Ministerial meeting of the EU-Korea Digital Partnership; Delivers keynote speech at inCyber Forum (FIC);
Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with President of the National Assembly of Slovenia Urška Klakočar Zupančič, President of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob, in Ljubljana;
UN: Security Council meets on Gaza;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Liene Lūsīte, Sofia Mandilara]