Italy considers post-pandemic ‘psychological bonus’

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

ROME

Amid rising rates of mental health issues and a lack of access, primarily due to financial limitations, the Italian government has proposed a bonus to fund psychological therapy be included in the country’s annual decree-law, Health Minister Roberto Speranza told Rai3 on Monday. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany mulls scrapping COVID-19 restrictions. Federal and regional leaders will meet on Wednesday to vote on a significant easing of pandemic measures, with almost all restrictions set to be lifted by March. Read more.

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PARIS

Bas-Rhin bans ‘freedom convoys’ amid Strasbourg plenary session. The so-called “freedom convoys” will be banned in Strasbourg from 14-17 February so that there are no disruptions during the EU Parliament’s plenary session, the Bas-Rhin prefecture decided on Monday. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austria pledges support for Switzerland in EU negotiations. Austria will support Switzerland in its complex negotiations with the EU, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said during his inaugural visit to the country, where he also demanded the European Commission take Switzerland’s specific position more into account. Read more.

UK AND IRELAND

LONDON/EDINBURGH

Scottish government parties split on freeports. Scotland and the UK will establish two green freeports north of the border according to an agreement made ahead of a visit from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week. Read more.

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DUBLIN

Irish Foreign Minister in Iran as UN facilitator for nuclear deal talks. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney visited Iran on Monday to discuss the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI | TALLINN | BERLIN

German minehunters arrive in the Gulf of Finland. Two German minehunter vessels arrived in the Gulf of Finland during the weekend on behalf of NATO and are now patrolling the water areas between Finland and Estonia, according to media in both countries. Read more.

Russia warns civilian aviation, seafarers not to travel Barents, White Sea. Russia has warned civilian aviation and seafarers not to travel north in the Barents Sea and White Sea starting from 16-19 February. According to the Barents Observer, the large area indicates testing of long-range missiles. (Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)

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STOCKHOLM

Swedish health authorities recommend fourth dose for everyone over 80. The Public Health Agency has recommended those over 80 take a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The recommendation also applies to people living in special housing and to those who have home care. Read more.

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VILNIUS

Lithuania donates vaccines to Ukraine. Vilnius has decided to donate 225,600 Janssen vaccines against Covid-19 to Ukraine. “The Ukrainian government has been waiting for this decision very much,” Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, who visited Ukraine last week, said on Monday. According to Statistics Lithuania, the country has over 2 million unused vaccine doses. (EURACTIV.com)

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ATHENS

Two Greeks shot dead by Ukrainian soldiers. Two Greek expatriates lost their lives, and two others were seriously injured after a clash with Ukrainian soldiers, the foreign ministry announced, urging Greeks to immediately leave Ukraine. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain’s PP party to govern Castilla and León alone, with VOX wanting ‘piece of the pie’. Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, the leader of the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) in Castilla and León, Europe’s largest region, on Monday reaffirmed his will to govern alone after his party secured a narrow victory in Sunday’s local election. Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal to join NATO ‘rapid response force’ Portugal is to participate in 2022 in the NATO `Response Force’, a multinational joint force of high readiness “capable of ensuring a rapid military response to an emerging crisis”, contemplating a `task force’ that can be activated by the Atlantic Alliance. Read more.

VISEGRAD

WARSAW

Polish government accused of manipulating energy lobby in anti-Brussels ad campaign. The Ministry of State Assets manipulated energy companies to participate in a TV and billboard campaign worth over €2,600,000, blaming the EU for the rise in energy prices reported news service Wirtualna Polska (WP). Read more.

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PRAGUE

DSA could grant data access to CEE “elves” fighting against Kremlin propaganda. Western stakeholders must look for innovative ways to counter the Russian information war, including cyberactivism a new study argues. Moreover, the new EU’s Digital Services Act could unlock databases of the big internet platforms, making the work of cyber activists much more effective. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Hungarian opposition chooses Oxford professor as presidential nominee. The united Hungarian opposition will put forward economist Péter Róna to run against Fidesz nominee ex-family minister Katalin Novák for Hungarian head of state, the parties announced on Monday, Telex reported. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Protesting Slovak truck drivers refuse to be labelled ‘freedom convoy’. Tens of truck drivers partially blocked main entry to Bratislava on Monday, in a protest against high energy prices and lack of action from the government. The protest was backed by the leader of the far-right People’s Party Our Slovakia Marian Kotleba, who called it a “freedom convoy”. Organisers, however, distanced themselves from Kotleba. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

F-16 delivery for the Bulgarian army delayed by two years. The delivery of the eight F-16 fighters to the Bulgarian army will be delayed by two years, Prime Minister Kiril Petkov announced on 12 February. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania’s FDI more than doubled in 2021. Foreign investment inflows in Romania reached more than €7.2 billion in 2021, according to central bank data. Investments significantly increased in 2021 after they stalled in the previous year due to the pandemic. In 2020, foreign direct investments were just €3 billion, the lowest level in seven years.

Meanwhile, the current account deficit also widened significantly in 2021, nearing €17 billion, from around €11 billion a year before, the central bank said. Foreign debt also increased during 2021, reaching €134.26 billion, from €126.81 billion at the end of 2020. (Bogdan Neagu | EURACTIV.ro)

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ZAGREB

Croatian PM: NATO poses no threat to anyone. NATO is not a threat to anyone, it is a defence alliance of states that live and promote freedom, according to the Croatian government and following controversial comments from President Zoran Milanović. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Actor Johnny Depp to receive Serbian decoration. Hollywood actor Johnny Depp will be awarded the Gold Medal of Merit of the Republic of Serbia for his contributions to the country’s continued efforts to enhance and expand its local community of artists, the Iervolino Studios animation company said on Friday. Read more.

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SKOPJE

North Macedonia sees large increase in tourism. In the period January – December 2021, the number of tourists in North Macedonia increased by 50.3%. Read more.

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PRISTINA | ZAGREB

Croatia and Kosovo will boost cooperation in transport, infrastructure. Over the next few years, Croatia and Kosovo will strengthen economic cooperation, particularly in the area of air and rail traffic as well as in infrastructure. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albania: over 16,000 excess COVID-19 deaths and demographic crisis. The number of excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to increase, with some 10,000 deaths more than usual reported in 2021. Furthermore, deaths have overtaken births for the first time in decades. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: EU Commission unveils security plans for internet, satellite communication / European Commission VP Margrethe Vestager visits Nigeria / Informal meeting of ministers for work, employment and social affairs in Bordeaux continues / Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni delivers speech at the EU-Africa Business Forum.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks to press ahead of alliance defence ministers’ meeting.
Germany: Chancellor Scholz meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Austria: OSCE meeting on Ukraine crisis takes place in Vienna.
France: Human rights group holds press conference to call for repatriation of French children of jihadists held in Syria.
Sweden: Swedish appeals court ruling on filmmakers accused of violating sanctity of Estonia ferry wreck.
Poland: Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, current OSCE chair, visits Moscow.
Italy: New rules on Covid vaccination and vaccine pass for over-50s come into force.
Spain: Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock meet in Madrid.
Romania: Prime minister Nicolae Ciuca heads a meeting on energy issues.
Croatia: Government and union negotiators meet to hammer out a basic collective agreement for public service employees and a collective agreement for state administration employees.