Russian oil imports to EU via Bulgaria surge

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

SOFIA

The amount of Russian oil imported into the EU through the Lukoil refinery in Bulgaria has increased significantly in the past few months, Martin Vladimirov, the leading energy analyst of the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), told Euractiv Bulgaria in an exclusive interview. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

EU looks to convince countries to invest in crisis management force, top military chief says. The EU should use its common budget as an incentive to make member states commit more capabilities and personnel to the bloc’s future crisis response force, the EU’s top general, Robert Brieger, told Euractiv. Read more.

ECR vice-president calls for ‘Swexit’ should Brussels get ‘too much power’. Sweden should consider leaving the EU if the transfer of power to Brussels goes “too far”, Charlie Weimers, EU lawmaker and vice-president of the European Conservatives and Reformists, suggested at a congress of his Sweden Democrats (SD) on Friday. Read more.

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BERLIN

German Greens urge Scholz to become a more reliable EU partner. Leading members of Germany’s junior coalition partner, the Greens, challenged Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s commitment to a robust European partnership as the party charted its course for the EU elections at its annual conference that ended Sunday. Read more.

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PARIS

Renew’s Séjourné says he will ‘lead battle’ in EU election race. Renew Europe chief and leader of the Renaissance presidential party, Stéphane Séjourné, said he would lead the fight to the European elections without clarifying though if he would also lead the party list. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

MADRID

Sánchez asked to explain readiness to recognise Palestinian state. Spain’s centre-right Partido Popular (PP) and the far-right VOX have asked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to explain Madrid’s readiness to unilaterally recognise the state of Palestine and condemn Israel’s attacks on civilians in Gaza, while the Hamas terrorist group praised his “clear and courageous stance”. Read more.

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ROME

Italy protests growing number of femicides, urges Meloni government to step up. Italian cities have witnessed protests against the rise in the number of femicides, with protesters demanding more action from the Meloni government. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

BRATISLAVA

Slovak president had to convince her Czech counterpart to host new PM. Sources say Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová had to persuade a reluctant Czech President, Petr Pavel, to host Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the first traditional diplomatic visit to the neighbouring country. Read more.

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WARSAW

Polish PiS to take oath despite no majority. Appointed for another term as Poland’s prime minister by President Andrzej Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki will take the oath with his minority government on Monday, a presidential official confirmed, meaning the likely PiS government risks losing a vote of confidence in parliament. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia running low on weapons to send Ukraine. Czechia is running low on suitable weapons to send to Ukraine, Defence Minister Jana Černochová admitted on Czech television on Sunday, the day after the speaker of the lower house had made arms promises in Kyiv. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BUCHAREST

Romania not ready for recognition of same-sex couples: prime minister. Romanian society is not ready to set up a legal framework that recognises same-sex families in accordance with a recent ruling by the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights, said Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, while expressing hope that society would one day be ready. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Number of women murdered in Serbia is likely higher than official figures. Twenty-seven Serbian women have been murdered this year, although the actual figure is expected to be higher due to issues with collecting accurate data. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council convenes to discuss transformation of care services, social security coordination, European disability card, and more;
President of the European Council Charles Michel visits Hungary for talks with PM Viktor Orbán;
Foreign Affairs Council, in its trade configuration, expected to focus on World Trade Organization’s 13th Ministerial Conference, EU-US relations, and more;
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell co-chairs Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean, in Barcelona, Spain;
Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič receives Slovakia State Secretary of the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs Branislav Ondruš, and Minister of Justice Boris Susko;
International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen holds meetings with President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia Álvaro Leyva Durán;
Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra holds telephone conference with NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges David van Weel; Hosts Minister for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ruslan Strilets;
ECB president Christine Lagarde testifies before Parliament;
ECHR rules on case regarding anti-Covid measures which banned public demonstrations in 2020 in Switzerland;
United Kingdom: PM Rishi Sunak hosts Global Investment Summit; 33rd session of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) takes place;
Finland: Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson meets Finnish counterpart Petteri Orpo;
Poland: President to name government;