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.
Before you start reading today’s Capitals, tune into our EU summit liveblog.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
Today’s edition is powered by SGI Europe.
Services of general interest (SGIs) are critical elements of the EU’s geopolitical standing. In the context of emerging threats, SGI Europe calls for support to increase stress testing and contingency plans across our critical infrastructures and SGIs providers.
More on SGI Europe.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
BELGRADE
Moscow will try to solve the situation of Serbia paying for Russian gas in rubles, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on 24 March. Meanwhile, a statement by Serbian parliament speaker has triggered strong reactions from Ukrainian embassy in Belgrade. Read more.
///
BERLIN
Berlin launches “support package” against price hikes. The German coalition government has agreed on a €14-16 billion package to support households and businesses in the face of high energy prices. Read more.
///
PARIS
Renault suspends activities in Russia. French carmaker Renault has announced the suspension of its manufacturing operations in Russia after growing public pressure and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the French parliament. Read more.
///
THE HAGUE
Dutch PM: NATO unity more important than ever. The most important agreement at the NATO summit should be preserved unity among member states, says Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Read more.
///
VIENNA
Austria tries to force-feed Western Balkans to EU leaders, Biden. As EU leaders meet in Brussels for the European Council, the Western Balkans are not on the agenda as all focus lies on Ukraine, yet Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he’d use his speaking time to raise the issue with the US president. Read more.
///
BERN Swiss TV uncovers reluctant implementation of Russian sanctions. While the Swiss government publicly announced that it would adopt the sanctions taken by the EU against Russia, an investigative report by the Swiss public broadcaster uncovered sloppy implementation efforts by the authorities. Read more. ///
LONDON
Time to go after Kremlin gold, says Johnson. Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on the Western allies to look at ways to stop Russia from using its gold reserves to prop up the rouble as part of the next package of sanctions against Moscow. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
Zelenskyy warns of Russian occupation of Gotland. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned against a possible occupation of the Swedish island of Gotland and thanked Sweden for its support in the war against Russia in his speech to the Swedish Riksdag. Read more.
///
HELSINKI
Finnish parliament given time to develop its NATO stance. President Sauli Niinistö has made up his mind on Finland’s possible NATO membership but he says he will not reveal his position before parliament has had enough time to process the issue. Read more.
///
OSLO
Stoltenberg to remain as NATO’s Secretary-General. Norwegian politicians from all sides backed Jens Stoltenberg’s reappointment as NATO’s General Secretary until 2023, with former Conservative Prime Minister and political rival Ema Solberg among them. Read more.
///
VILNIUS
NATO allies must strengthen eastern border. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda urged allies to strengthen the eastern border on Thursday (24 March) at the NATO summit, saying that Ukraine is not the only target in Putin’s plans. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
Poll: Greeks oppose sending military equipment to Ukraine. Although most Greeks back sanctions against Russia, almost 66% oppose the government’s decision to send military equipment to Ukraine to fight against Russia, a new poll shows. Read more.
///
ROME
Italian police to fight energy price speculation. Finance Guard Commander General, Giuseppe Zafarana, announced a plan to detect speculation in connection with rising fuel prices during a hearing at the Senate on Thursday. Read more.
///
MADRID
Former Spanish king unprotected by royal immunity, harassment case underway. Former Spanish King Juan Carlos I will have to face a harassment lawsuit filed by his ex-lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein as he cannot claim royal immunity according to a ruling by the English High Court EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported. Read more.
///
LISBON
Portuguese PM: Putin revived NATO. Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given “new life to NATO”, stressing that the Alliance “is very much alive” and that neither Brexit nor the US focus on the Indo-Pacific has weakened it. Read more.
VISEGRAD
PRAGUE
Ukrainian doctors to aid Ukrainian refugees. A simplification of the rules on employing Ukrainian health professionals will be proposed next week, according to Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek on Thursday, allowing them to take care of Ukrainian refugees. Read more.
///
BUDAPEST
It’s time to decide who you are with, Zelenskyy tells Orbán. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of wartorn Ukraine spent one sixth of his speech addressed to EU leaders meeting Brussels on Thursday on an emotional appeal to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán to choose whether he sides with Russia or Kyiv. Read more.
///
WARSAW
Biden to visit Poland amid NATO’s efforts to strengthen Eastern flank. US President Joe Biden will visit Poland on Friday for two days, perceived as a gesture of support of a NATO ally amid the risk from Russia. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
LJUBLJANA
Slovenia to consider gas supplies from Qatar. Slovenia hopes to secure supplies of Qatari natural gas to wean itself off its reliance on Russia, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said after meeting senior Qatari officials yesterday. Read more.
///
SOFIA
Bulgarian president calls for urgent purchase of fighter jets. President Rumen Radev has called for urgent action by the Bulgarian government to provide fighter jets. Read more.
///
BUCHAREST
Pig numbers dwindling. The number of pigs in Romanian farms has dropped by more than a third over the past decade, according to provisional results of the agricultural census. Read more.
///
ZAGREB
German, Croatian foreign ministers agree on importance of EU unity. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlić Radman, discussed the importance of EU unity following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
///
SARAJEVO
Berlin aware of possible spillover effects of Ukraine war. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman discussed assistance to Ukraine, which should be offered “with all the available means”. Read more.
///
SKOPJE
US ambassador: Public does not trust judiciary. Kate Byrnes, the US ambassador to Skopje, told a conference of judges that North Macedonian citizens do not trust the judiciary. Read more.
///
PODGORICA
Russia expels Montenegrin diplomat. Russia declared a Montenegrin diplomat persona non grata in response to an earlier decision by the Montenegrin government to expel a Russian diplomat.
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Montenegrin Ambassador to Moscow, Milorad Šćepanović, and presented him with a note declaring his associate in Moscow persona non grata, the media in Podgorica reported. The Russian foreign ministry said their decision was a response to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from Montenegro.
In early March, Montenegro declared Russian diplomat Viktor Antipin persona non grata after the security authorities assessed that the activities by the Russian diplomat were in contravention of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
(Željko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.hr)
///
TIRANA
Bird Flu cases surge in Albania as farmers criticise ministry inaction. Over half a million birds have become infected with bird flu in Albania, including wild birds such as pelicans. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: EU summit goes into its second day with discussions on energy and defence / European Commission President von der Leyen and US President Biden expected to announce LNG cooperation / Internal Markets Commissioner Breton and Competition Commissioner Vestager present agreement on Digital Markets Act.
- NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to visit a Norweigan-led NATO exercise Cold Response 22.
- Switzerland: International Labour Organisation (ILO) elects a new director-general.
- Sweden: Fridays for Future school strike climate event, activist Greta Thunberg attends.
- Spain: Striking hauliers protest in front of the Ministry of Transport.
- Greece: Independence Day parade, attended by French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly / Military exercises on board the French aircraft carrier ‘Charles de Gaulle’ near Chania.
- Poland: US President Joe Biden visits Poland for meeting with President Duda, will visit border region to Ukraine.
***
[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Alexandra Brzozowski, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
