The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
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In today’s news from the Capitals:
ROME
A last-minute decision by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to convene a Council of Ministers meeting on Labour Day while requesting the presence of labour unions to discuss a new labour measure has left stakeholders fuming. Read more.
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MEP CORNER
MEP: Spain’s socialist, centre-right parties undermine the rule of law. Majority parties PSOE (S&D) and Partido Popular (EPP) are undermining the rule of law in Spain by playing a card trading game with the country’s judiciary, public institutions and the public media, Renew Europe MEP Maite Pagazaurtundúa (Ciudadanos) told EURACTIV in an interview. Read more.
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PARIS
France’s Le Maire hangs on to debt reduction plan amid Fitch downgrade. Rating agency Fitch underestimates the impact of newly-approved structural reforms, including the pensions bill, said Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire after the credit rating agency announced it would downgrade France’s credit rating. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Former Dutch diplomat: Russia used energy to inflitrate, influence, spy in Europe. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a Russian infiltration project, but this was ignored by the Dutch government, according to former Dutch diplomat Kees Klompenhouwer in an interview published on Friday. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
LONDON
Struggling dinghy not rescued after entering UK waters, shows maritime logs. A boat carrying nearly 40 passengers that had difficulty navigating the Channel was not rescued but instead was left to drift back towards France, revealed internal maritime logs on Sunday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Former diplomat: Turkish opposition win could benefit Swedish NATO bid. Sweden could join NATO earlier if Turkey’s Social Democratic party, currently in opposition but doing well in the polls, comes to power following elections in Mid-May, Sinan Ülgen, a former Turkish diplomat, told the SVT’s Agenda programme. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
MADRID
Spanish PM announces €1.3 billion vocational training boost amid key election year. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Saturday announced a new package worth € 1.3 billion to strengthen vocational training amid record-high youth unemployment and with regional and general elections looming. Read more.
Nearly half of Spaniards unaware of country’s upcoming EU presidency stint. Forty-four per cent of Spaniards are unaware that Madrid is soon set to take over the EU helm for the second half of the year, while only 28% know what the rotating EU presidency is, data from a new survey by the think tank Elcano reveals. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian government investigated over Russia sanctions implementation. The Bulgarian government is being investigated for how it has implemented EU sanctions against Russia, the Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday as Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev was on a visit to Moldova and Ukraine. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romania to renegotiate national recovery plan. Romania will send proposals to the European Commission to amend its National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Ministry of European Investments and Projects announced on Saturday. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Retire early in Serbia, get €50 less every month. Early retirees in Serbia are left with smaller retirement checks since a new law was introduced in 2014, though this could soon be remedied as the Labour Ministry announced it is reviewing the country’s law on pensions and disability insurance. Read more.
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PRISTINA | ATHENS
Kosovar PM, Greek FM meet for 10th time in two years. Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias at the Delphi Forum, the latest in a series of high-level meetings, leading to whispers Athens could change its stance on non-recognition of Pristina. Read more.
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TIRANA
HIV cases on the rise in Albania. The number of people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS is increasing in Albania, with eight cases diagnosed since the beginning of 2023, showing a year-on-year rise. Read more.
Agenda:
- EU: Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to host a high-level dialogue with Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi;
- Dombrovskis participates in the Annual Reception 2023 of the Representation of the State of Hessen to the EU;
- European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans to participate in the 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue and will speak at the Strategic Dialogue on the Global Stock-take and roadmap for global transformation;
- Germany: Foreign Ministry hosts the Petersberg climate dialogue;
- ECB monthly survey of credit growth in the eurozone;
- Finland: Parties start official negotiations to form a new government;
- Greece: Supreme Court rules on a ban of nationalist party Hellenes, founded by convicted Golden Dawn ex-spokesman, from the general election;
- Czech Republic: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visits Prague;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
More on the same topic…
Italy’s labour unions take aim at Meloni ahead of Labour Day
Source: euractiv.com
