This episode is supported by FEAD – The European Waste Management Association, more about them later on.
Wednesday was a historic day as Sweden and Finland handed in letters expressing their countries’ interest to apply for NATO membership.
A historic day!
Today, Sweden and Finland hand in letters expressing their countries’ interest to apply for @NATO membership to SG @jensstoltenberg #SwedenNATO pic.twitter.com/ZbdfJW3xtu
— Sweden at NATO (@SwedenNato) May 18, 2022
Finland’s 32nd historic day in 2 weeks regarding Nato membership.
Finland's 32nd historic day in 2 weeks regarding Nato membership. https://t.co/1aprCzupgj
— diego velazquez (@diego_bxl) May 17, 2022
Santa Claus Tipped For Top NATO Job Once Finland And Lapland Join Alliance
Santa Claus Tipped For Top NATO Job Once Finland And Lapland Join Alliance pic.twitter.com/rBWVzcSi2a
— Le Chou (@LeChouNews) May 17, 2022
But wait… not so fast because, Turkey and depressingly predictably Hungary are blocking, stalling and basically doing everything they can to disrupt the move.
Populist despots gonna populist despot.
How Erdogan and Orban are leveraging their memberships of NATO & EU to score points, as these orgs close ranks against Russia.
TRK blocking Finnish & Swedish NATO membership; HU blocking the EU oil embargohttps://t.co/Ak3qdRMGNH
— Matina Stevis-Gridneff (@MatinaStevis) May 19, 2022
Which is ironic, as Lindsey Snell points out since Turkey was more than happy to support ISIS and al-Qaeda in Syria!
Country that supported ISIS and al-Qaeda in Syria blocks Sweden and Finland’s accession talks because Sweden and Finland won’t extradite the exiled journalists and teachers Turkey wants to prosecute as “terrorists” (and because the US hasn’t caved to F-16 demands just yet) https://t.co/mQMJXpiXDt
— Lindsey Snell (@LindseySnell) May 18, 2022
This episode is supported by FEAD – The European Waste Management Association. To what extent do innovation and digitalisation contribute to waste management and the achievement of the EU Green Deal? Join FEAD’s hybrid Biennial Conference on 2 June to find out.
https://twitter.com/FEADinfo/status/1526934415112392704
Elsewhere as news emerged that the UK plans to basically tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol agreed in the Brexit deal. Maros Sefcovic didn’t mince his words, warning that if they do that, “the EU will need to respond with all measures at its disposal”
Sefcovic “Should the UK decide to move ahead with a bill disapplying constitutive elements of the Protocol as announced today by the UK government, the EU will need to respond with all measures at its disposal”.@MarosSefcovic you have out full support! ????? pic.twitter.com/N4iezWtfvR
— Damian McGenity (@damian_mcgenity) May 17, 2022
Very clear breach of international law, but as it’s a first offence, likely just a fixed penalty notice from @Europol, Boris can put it with the rest, quipped Martini Seltzermayr
Very clear breach of international law, but as it’s a first offence, likely just a fixed penalty notice from @Europol https://t.co/b4pVUT9dfZ
— Martini Seltzermayr (@mseltzermayr) May 17, 2022
But Dave Keating was incredulous! Boris Johnson’s defence is that he “hoped and believed” that the EU wouldn’t insist on enforcing the treaty he signed up to.
Incredible. Boris Johnson’s defence is that he “hoped and believed” that the EU wouldn’t insist on enforcing the treaty he signed up to.
In what other area of life would this excuse work? ‘Sorry I broke the law, I assumed it wouldn’t be enforced’ https://t.co/4oWXLDEgPk
— Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) May 16, 2022
Le Chou translated the news: Boris Johnson Finally Gets Around To Actually Reading The Northern Ireland Protocol, Now Realises How Much His Government Has Shit The Bed
Boris Johnson Finally Gets Around To Actually Reading The Northern Ireland Protocol, Now Realises How Much His Government Has Shit The Bed pic.twitter.com/zvyuoNK1Uq
— Le Chou (@LeChouNews) May 17, 2022
And Beth Rigby reported that apparently the phone call between Truss and Sefcovic “was horrendous.” One EU source said they’d “seldom seen Sefcovic so cross and so upset.”
EU view: Told phone call between Truss and Sefcovic “was horrendous” One EU source said they’d “seldom seen Sefcovic so cross and so upset” and there is a stalemate….
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) May 16, 2022
I have had constructive talks in Belfast, where I made it clear that I don’t give a toss about peace in Northern Ireland, but desperately want to pick a fight with the EU to please the rabid Brexiteer nut jobs in my party, tweeted a Boris Johnson parody account.
I have had constructive talks in Belfast, where I made it clear that I don’t give a toss about peace in Northern Ireland, but desperately want to pick a fight with the EU to please the rabid Brexiteer nut jobs in my party.
— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) May 16, 2022
94% of Express readers say they haven’t got the Brexit they voted for, which is funny because they got exactly the Brexit the rest of us told them they would get and they didn’t listen, said a miffed Laura K parody account.
BREAKING: 94% of Express readers say they haven't got the Brexit they voted for, which is funny because they got exactly the Brexit the rest of us told them they would get and they didn't listen x
— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@BBCLauraKT) May 17, 2022
Finally this week, the European Commision unveiled it’s #REPowerEU campaign.
And of COURSE a bunch of leaders rocked up to the North Sea to promote wind power.
Great meetings today at the #NorthSeaSummit!
Today’s event fits extremely well with what we are trying to achieve in the #EU. The North Sea is the perfect place to lead the way in scaling up #offshore capacity.
As you know, #renewable #energy is at the heart of the #REPowerEU! pic.twitter.com/boBRdNFVCa
— Kadri Simson (@KadriSimson) May 18, 2022
And take their ties off… apparently.
‘Ties Off, Lads! Now It’s A Party!’ Rutte, Scholz, De Croo Cut Loose pic.twitter.com/GHRFkOj4MR
— Le Chou (@LeChouNews) May 19, 2022
Laura Shields doffed a chapeau to today’s trainees for their messaging!
‘We are turbocharging what we were already doing’ instead of:
‘The green transition’ is being accelerated.’
Chapeau to today's trainees:
'We are turbocharging what we were already doing' instead of:
'The green transition' is being accelerated.'#REPowerEU
— Laura Shields ?? ?? ???? (@mediawhizz) May 19, 2022
The Commission wanted to call this #NewPowerGeneration but got a cease-and-desist from Prince’s estate, snarked American EU Dude
The Commission wanted to call this #NewPowerGeneration but got a cease-and-desist from Prince's estate https://t.co/1HVyin3BWf
— American EU Dude ????? (@AmericanEUDude) May 18, 2022
Before adding that the real proposal to promote #helium leaked slowly out of the Berlaymont yesterday, emitting a whistling sound and leading to a series of high-level talks.
Details of a new European Commission proposal to promote #helium leaked slowly out of the Berlaymont yesterday, emitting a whistling sound and leading to a series of high-level talks.#REPowerEU #HeliumStrategyhttps://t.co/p7z4U0C9xC
— American EU Dude ????? (@AmericanEUDude) May 19, 2022
According to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, #REPowerEU will drive the transition to clean energy by:
#REPowerEU will drive the transition to clean energy by:
• Setting clear – and high – targets for renewable energy
• Removing bottlenecks to investments
• Leveraging and de-risking private investment https://t.co/HUCPNe7WWE
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 18, 2022
But who’s going to pay for it? Asked France24’s François Picard, alongside this … uh… thirsty image.
Who's going to pay for it? ???
Europe's answer to the double whammy of climate change and dependence on Russian gas is €300bn #REPowerEU plan to speed up energy transition.
What urgent choices at this critical juncture?
More in #F24Debatehttps://t.co/axU3qDu1n8
— François Picard (@FrancoisF24) May 19, 2022
Source: euractiv.com
