Slovak presidential election pits pro-Western diplomat against ex-PM

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

BRATISLAVA

With the first round of Slovakia’s presidential election on Saturday, all eyes will be on two main candidates, Ivan Korčok, a pro-Western former foreign minister, and former prime minister Peter Pellegrini, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s coalition partner. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

EU leaders divided over how to finance weapons. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, ramping up European Union defence industry production has been on the agenda of member states’ leaders, but it is only now beginning to gain traction. Read more.

ECJ rules against EU law on fingerprints in national IDs. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Thursday that a 2019 EU regulation obliging EU citizens to give their fingerprints for national identification cards was founded on the wrong legal basis, declaring the EU law entirely invalid. Read more.

As famine looms, EU leaders call for eventual ceasefire in Gaza for first time. In a breakthrough, EU leaders called on Thursday for an “immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza and urged Israel not to launch a major ground offensive in the southernmost city of Rafah. Read more.

EU leaders agree to open membership talks with Bosnia. EU leaders gave the political green light on Thursday for opening membership talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina but also made clear the Western Balkan country would have to undertake more reforms before the actual talks could start. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germans more interested than ever in EU elections. Two thirds of the German electorate have a high or very high interest in the European elections, according to a new survey conducted three months before the vote. Read more.

Bundestag adopts its DSA implementation law with a one-month delay. Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, adopted on Thursday a law implementing the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU legislation regulating how online platforms should handle illegal and harmful content. Read more.

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PARIS

French Senate rejects EU-Canada free trade deal. The French Senate has rejected by a large majority the trade agreement between the EU and Canada, provisionally in force since 2017, because of its potential impact on French livestock farming, signalling more difficulties for the final ratification of the agreement by the EU. Read more.

After Belgium, France seeks Commission’s green light to ban disposable e-cigarettes. The French parliament agreed on Thursday to ban disposable electronic cigarettes known as ‘puffs’, with the ban expected to come into force at the end of September, the Green MP who initiated the law, Francesca Pasquini, has said. Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgian businesses particularly hit by rising labour costs, inflation. Belgium’s labour costs rose by almost double the average EU increase, resulting from the combination of inflation, wage indexation, and labour shortages, according to Eurostat studies published in recent years that were confirmed in a new report published on Tuesday. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Sweden not on track to meet climate targets, warns expert agency. Sweden’s climate policies are leading to a short-term increase in emissions and putting the country on a path to miss its 2030 reduction target, according to a report published on Thursday by a government policy review board. Read more.

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COPENHAGEN

Danish Security Intelligence Service warns terror threat remains high: report. Denmark continues to face a serious terror threat, namely from militants of Islamist movements, according to the Danish Security and Intelligence Service’s annual security assessment published on Thursday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italian news agency strike over possible sale to Lega MP. Journalists from Italian news agency AGI are striking on Thursday and Friday against the possible sale of the agency to Lega MP Antonio Angelucci, arguing that selling to a right-wing senator who already owns several newspapers would risk media pluralism and be a blow to press freedom. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish parliament approves new committee to probe COVID corruption cases. The Spanish parliament approved a new committee of inquiry to investigate alleged cases of corruption in the purchase of masks and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on Thursday, starting with the so-called “Koldo case” involving a former minister of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (PSOE/S&D). Read more.

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LISBON

Portugal’s PM-designate assures von der Leyen of political stability. Portugal’s political stability is not at risk, Prime Minister-designate Luís Montenegro of the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) assured EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, promising “responsibility” to the EU. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Tusk criticised over not delivering on 100 election promises. As Poland’s government reaches the 100-day mark, the opposition and former ruling camp has criticised Prime Minister Donald Tusk for not fulfilling his 100 election promises, despite his claims his cabinet has done more than any other since the fall of communism. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech party ANO targets Green Deal, migration pact revision ahead of EU elections. Revising the European Green Deal and the EU Migration Pact are among the key issues Czech party ANO (Renew/ALDE), currently polling at almost 30%, wants to address, Klára Dostálová, the party’s lead candidate in the EU elections, told Euractiv Czechia on Thursday. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgarian far-right tempts voters with NATO exit pledge. Pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane has introduced a bill that would have Bulgaria withdraw from the NATO military alliance the month the country celebrates its 20th anniversary of joining. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania’s Social Democrats and Liberals unveil EU election joint list, lose top candidate. Romania’s Social Democrats and Liberals announced the composition of their joint list for the EU elections on Thursday, and while an independent candidate was chosen to lead the list, she withdrew her candidacy at the last moment. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: European Council convenes to discuss support on Ukraine, Middle East situation, defence, enlargement, migration, and more;
Euro Summit expected to focus on policy coordination, future of capital markets union, and more;
Commission Vice Presidents Maroš Šefčovič and Margrethe Vestager chair clean transition dialogue on steel with stakeholders from the steel industry, financial institutions and trade unions;
Vice President Maroš Šefčovič receives CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative Ernest J. Moniz;
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders receives CEO of Brussels Airlines and Representative of the Lufthansa Group Executive Board Dorothea von Boxberg;
International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen speaks at high level event on “Navigating through the poly-crisis: Towards a global pact for a better future for people and planet”, organised by UN Office in Brussels, FES Office in Brussels, and FEPS;
Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira delivers keynote speech at political bureau of Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), in Patras, Greece;
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson delivers opening keynote speech at European Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Industrial Alliance event to accelerate Clean Energy Transition; Receives Chair of European Round Table (ERT) for Energy Transition and ERT Delegation Dimitri Papalexopoulos;
Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra meets with Senior Advisor to US President for International Climate Policy John Podesta; Holds meeting with Brazil’s Secretary for Climate, Energy and Environment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Olivia Gyapong, Sofia Mandilara]