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In today’s news from the Capitals:
SOFIA
The Russian Ambassador to Sofia, Eleonora Mitrofanova, said that if she were a Bulgarian citizen, she would vote for the leader of the radical pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane, Kostadin Kostadinov, in an apparent violation of the Vienna Convention which lays down rules for diplomatic and state relations that Russia signed in 1986. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
Renew Europe risks losing Spanish delegation after EU elections. Record low polls and disbandments among centre-liberal party Ciudadanos, which has eight of nine seats in Renew Europe group’s Spanish delegation, may lead the party to disappear from the group after next year’s EU elections. Read more.
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BERLIN
Get used to public German government infighting, says leading liberal. Germany and the world should get used to public fights among the parties that make up the country’s government, the leading chief whip of the liberal coalition member FPD, Johannes Vogel, said. Read more.
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PARIS
French debt reduction targets raises issue of austerity. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire presented the government’s 2023-2027 debt reduction targets, aiming to lower them by four percentage points after years of extensive spending, but the opposition warns this marks the start of austerity in Europe. Read more.
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VIENNA
Commission eyes repeated Schengen extension requests, hints at Austria. After Austria’s recent request to extend its border checks with bordering Schengen states Hungary and Slovenia, a high-ranking European Commission official called out such requests, adding that government migration statistics do not reflect reality. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch envoy for Ukraine steps down amid controversial remarks. Ron Van Dartel, the Special Envoy for Business and the Reconstruction of Ukraine, stepped down from his post after several controversial remarks he made in a book about Russia and Ukraine became public on Thursday. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
HELSINKI
New Finnish government urged to improve trade routes other than Baltic Sea. Industries are urging the government that is currently in the process of being formed to look into new trade routes besides the traditional Baltic Sea due to possible interference, disruptions and even conflicts linked to the security situation. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Italian government, opposition clash over Brussels’ LGBTIQ comments. Italian parties are divided over the European Parliament’s recent condemnation of anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric in Italy which raises concerns over similarities to existing sentiments in Hungary and Poland. Read more.
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MADRID
New left-wing party Sumar with 10% voting intention; fresh poll predicts. Left-wing party Sumar would obtain 10% of the vote if elections were held today in Spain, while the socialist party (PSOE/S&D) would win the race with 30% of the vote and centre-right Partido Popular (PP/EPP) would attain 26%, a new survey by state-owned Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) predicts. Read more.
Spain, US to sign new destroyer deal ahead of Sanchez’s trip to Washington. Spain and the US plan to sign an agreement to deploy two extra US destroyers at the Rota Naval Base before 12 May, the official date set for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s planned trip to Washington, where he will meet with US President Joe Biden. Read more.
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VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Opposition criticises minister for giving WW II damage report to German president. Opposition MP and former defence minister Tomasz Siemoniak criticised Culture and National Heritage Minister Piotr Gliński for handing German President Frank Walter Steinmeier a report on war damages Germany caused during World War II. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak parliament speaker lobbies for China investments amid security concerns. Attracting investments for railway infrastructure was among the main issues agreed with National Council Boris Kollár’s China trip, with analysts warning that China’s participation in constructing critical infrastructure would be a security threat. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
LJUBLJANA
Slovenia receives first Recovery and Resilience funds. Slovenia has received the first funding from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility for €50 million after months of delays that earned the government harsh criticism as the funding was meant to go through last autumn. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanian herb farmers turn to foreign workers amid labour shortage. Albania’s medicinal herb sector is struggling with a shortage of workers due to emigration and has instead turned to employ foreigners from countries like Bangladesh and India to fill the gap. Read more.
AGENDA
- EU: Parliament President Roberta Metsola hosts President of Czech Republic Petr Pavel;
- Germany: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hosts Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting;
- Switzerland: World Meteorological Organization publishes annual report on climate;
- Portugal: Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on official visit;
- Philippines: Chinese FM Qin Gang on official visit;
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Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
Source: euractiv.com
