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.
The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
BERLIN
Instead of direct weapons deliveries to Ukraine, Germany supplies arms via so-called “chain swaps,” where eastern European member states deliver their Soviet tanks to Ukraine in exchange for modernised weapons from German stocks. Read more.
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PARIS
EU, UK order 75 million COVID booster doses from Sanofi, GSK. Europeans could soon receive boosters from French Sanofi two years after the pandemic’s start in the pharmaceutical giant’s bid to rebound after the vaccine race fiasco. Read more.
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VIENNA
Germany, Austria urge EU countries to reach energy solidarity agreements. The two neighbouring countries signed an agreement to increase collaboration on Tuesday, in which they also recommended other member states follow suit amid the current energy crisis. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Dutch hospitals receive over one thousand COVID patients. Over 1,000 patients with COVID-19 are being treated in hospitals, which is the highest amount in 11 weeks, Dutch media NL Times reports. Read more.
UK AND IRELAND
DUBLIN
Irish coalition faces down Sinn Féin bid for snap election. The Irish government on Tuesday staved off the threat of a snap election by winning a confidence vote by 85 votes to 66 and accused the opposition Sinn Féin of a ‘cynical political stunt’. Read more.
Dublin rejects plans to overhaul of public broadcaster’s funding. The government rejected calls to replace the licence fee system that funds the country’s public broadcaster with direct government funding made by a group established to review the state and outlook of Ireland’s media landscape. Read more.
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LONDON
Ambitious eleven becomes hopeful eight in Tory leadership fight. Eight candidates will contest the first ballot in the battle to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative party leader and Prime Minister on Wednesday, as the field starts to be whittled down. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
New way of reporting COVID infections in Greece prompts criticism. The National Public Health Organisation (NPHO) has chosen to announce new infections once a week amid the tourist season and the rise of COVID-19 cases, which sparked negative reactions on social media. Read more.
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ROME
Italian government mulls new decree to curb high inflation. The government is considering a new decree to curb rising inflation and energy prices, ensuring that price increases do not weigh on wages, Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced after meeting with trade unions at Palazzo Chigi on Tuesday. Read more.
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MADRID
Spain announces windfall tax on energy, finance firms to ease inflation pinch. A multi-billion-euro windfall tax for finance and energy firms to offset the toll of inflation was announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Tuesday. Read more.
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LISBON
Hundreds of firefighters tackle blazes in the centre of Portugal. Portugal is struggling to cope after multiple fires broke out across the country’s central regions on Tuesday.
“We are having a very difficult beginning of the afternoon in the municipality of Leiria with the outbreak of several fires, namely in Caranguejeira, where it is burning with great intensity, and we also have fires in Regueira de Pontes, Milagres and Boa Vista,” said Leiria mayor Gonçalo Lopes, in a message published on the municipality’s page on Facebook. (Sílvia Reis and Elisabete Cruz, Lusa.pt)
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poland, Israel diplomatic ties ‘back on track’ after property law row. Israel and Poland decided to restore diplomatic relations after last year’s conflict over a controversial law on Jewish properties that led Israel to withdraw its ambassador from Poland. Read more.
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PRAGUE
MEPs grill Czech labour minister on Istanbul convention, abortions. Labour and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurečka mention of the fight against sexual violence when presenting the Czech EU Presidency priorities to the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the European Parliament prompted tough questions about Czechia’s reluctance to ratify the Istanbul Convention on violence against women. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovakia’s local authorities yet to see EU money for Ukrainian refugees. Local authorities implementing measures to help Ukrainian refugees have yet to receive any money from EU funds that were set up to support member states. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
Sudden tax reform sparks protests in Hungary. The Hungarian Parliament approved a bill changing a popular tax scheme for small business owners and freelancers less than 24 hours after its proposal, prompting protests across the capital and beyond. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SKOPJE
Macedonian interior minister dismisses opposition leader’s claims of assassination attempt. Macedonian Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski has dismissed claims by Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE, that an ethnic Albanian had tried to assassinate him during a protest in Skopje on 6 July. Read more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria headed for new early elections in October. Bulgaria will have early elections in October if parliamentary parties fail to form a government, President Rumen Radev has suggested. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenian Prime Minister talks energy supplies in Berlin. Concerns over energy supplies in Europe topped the agenda as Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob held talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbian president, OSCE chairman discuss regional situation, Serbia’s EU path. The situation in the region, Serbia’s EU integration, and Serbia-Poland bilateral relations were discussed between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) chairman-in-office and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Belgrade on Tuesday. Read more.
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TIRANA
Albanian population decline fourth highest in Europe. Albania is among four countries in Europe that have seen their populations fall the most compared to the 1990s, decreasing to 2.79 million today, a reduction of 15%. Read more.
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Agenda
- EU: Environment ministers informal meeting.
- European Commission College meeting visit in Luxembourg
Publication of European Commission Rule of Law annual report. - European Parliament press conference on revision of Renewable Energy Directive.
- European Parliament Committee meetings.
- EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell meets Montenegro PM Dritan Abazović
Press conference by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. - Germany: Chancellor Scholz receives the German Industry Association’s president, Russwurm, in Berlin.
- Morocco: Trial of 28 migrants accused of ‘belonging to a criminal gang’ linked to illegal immigration following Melilla deaths.
- Israel: US President Biden visits Israel, West Bank.
- United States: Security Council to vote over political mission in Haiti extension.
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[Edited by Vlad Makszimov, Alexandra Brzozowski, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Eleonora Vasques, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
