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Rail investments in the Three Seas Region
“This is a historic moment. Together with Ukrainian Railways, we are starting joint work on the Warsaw-Lviv-Kiev HSR line. The shortest route from Ukraine to the EU goes through Poland and CPK,” said Mikołaj Wild, CEO of CPK.
Learn more >>
In today’s news from the Capitals:
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a seismic shift in how we work, with millions of Europeans switching to working from home. But after restrictions were lifted, many were reluctant to return to the office.
Realising they can work from anywhere, millions of people have chosen to replace their dreary commute with the beaches of southern Europe, quaint Balkan cities, or the snowy slopes of Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains.
As some employers now expect workers to actually turn up at the office, what has happened to the teleworking trend and which countries are seeking to capitalise on Europe’s digital nomads? Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Industry source: EU should learn from US Inflation Reduction Act. Instead of nagging, the EU should take lessons from the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) by stopping “punishing” its own industries and start helping them drive decarbonisation, a high-ranking source from Europe’s aluminium sector told EURACTIV. Read more.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy has four key asks for EU leaders. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, having visited London and Paris, is expected to push EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday for more weapons in the fight against Russia’s invasion and for a quick start to EU membership talks. Read more.
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BERLIN
Germany could sell airport to Putin-friendly Russian billionaire. Germany’s Economy Ministry is currently deciding whether to block the acquisition of the insolvent Hahn airport by Russian investor Viktor Charitonin, who is considered close to the Kremlin. Read more.
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PARIS
France to ‘accompany’ Ukraine to victory, reconstruction. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his full commitment to accompany Ukraine to victory and during reconstruction after the war, following a dinner at the Elysée with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday evening. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria threatens to block EU summit conclusions on migration. Austria will block the joint final European Council declaration at the two-day summit starting on Thursday if the EU does not adopt a harder line on migration, Chancellor Karl Nehammer told Die Welt on Wednesday. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Belgian parties face backlash over temporary Iran deportation ban proposal. Asylum State Secretary Nicole de Moor heavily criticised the request for a temporary suspension of deportations to Iran that was put forward by political groups from the majority and the opposition on Wednesday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
US Inflation Reduction Act may heavily impact Finnish industries. Large Finnish companies are worried the hotly-debated US Inflation Reduction Act could have significant implications on their operations and the rest of the EU, a recent survey conducted by the Finnish Confederation of Industries shows. Read more.
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STOCKHOLM
Terror threats against Sweden increase. Terrorist threats against Sweden have increased, the Swedish Security Service warned in a press release on Wednesday, citing the burning of the Quran outside the Turkish embassy in February as one of the main reasons. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
EU Parliament plenary to discuss Greece’s rule of law. Following an initiative of the European Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the EU Parliament will discuss for the first time at a plenary session the critical situation of the rule of law and the wiretapping scandal that has shaken Greek politics. Read more.
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ROME
Italian government pours €125 billion into healthcare. Staff shortages and long waiting lists for treatment have prompted the Italian government to allocate €125 billion to the national health system, announced Health Minister Orazio Schillaci on Wednesday. Read more.
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MADRID
Opposition reiterates calls for Sanchez to resign amid controversial sexual law reform. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the centre-right opposition Partido Popular had a heated exchange in parliament Wednesday over reforms that were adopted since Sanchez’s government entered office, with the opposition reiterating its calls for Sánchez to resign. Read more.
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LISBON
Portuguese president wants faster implementation of recovery plan. The implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan must be accelerated, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Wednesday, announcing that he will also receive Prime Minister António Costa for an update next week. Read more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Controversy over Polish military purchases. Poland has purchased second-hand vehicles worth €2.24 billion as part of its bid to modernise the military, following a big increase in spending since the war in Ukraine started, according to the WNP.pl portal. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czechia against EU Euro 7 standards, calls for proposal changes. Czechia opposes the European Commission’s Euro 7 emission standard, which intends to reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions that are emitted by vehicles, said Transport Minister Martin Kupka, who wants to discuss the issue with Commissioner Thierry Breton on Friday. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Oil transit fees at heart of Slovak-Croat dispute. Croatian state oil transportation company Janaf slapping a several million-per-year raise to its oil transit fees has made it difficult for Slovak oil refinery Slovnaft to rid itself of Russian crude. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE
Agreements regarding Kosovo must be implemented, says US Ambassador to Serbia. Agreements regarding Kosovo, including on the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, must be implemented, said US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said on Wednesday, adding that the US wants to be a part of the implementation process. Read more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria looks into excess spending after Bulgargaz-Gazprom fallout.Two ministers from former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s government and the former CEO of state company Bulgargaz are under investigation for allegedly generating millions in losses after Russia cut gas ties with Bulgaria last year. Read more.
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TIRANA
NATO praises Albania for role in regional, European stability. NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer praised Albania for its contribution to regional and international security, particularly regarding the eastern flank of Alliance territory. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: Special European Council meeting to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, the economy and migration; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and ECB President Christine Lagarde participate;
- Vice President Dubravka Šuica holds meetings with Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy, National Security Council Rob Berschinki and Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy and Civic Participation, National Security Council Justin Vail;
- Vice President Vĕra Jourová meets via video conference with representatives of Roma NGOs;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni delivers video message at OECD’s “Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches” event;
- Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions during a session on the European Year of Skills;
- Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli holds meetings with NGOs from Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic specialised in ROMA Equality Strategies;
- Metsola attends the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents;
- European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and surveillance software (PEGA) holds a public hearing on the geopolitics of spyware;
- European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus present Orion European Service Module (ESM);
- Germany: President Frank-Walter Steinmeier meets Slovenian President Pirc Musar;
- Italy: Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto hold a meeting with UK counterparts James Cleverly, Ben Wallace;
- Pakistan: Joint Operation Aman exercises with navies from 22 nations;
- UN: Security Council meeting on terrorism;
- WHO: Emergency committee meeting on Mpox;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
