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In today’s news from the Capitals:
PRAGUE
Several EU leaders concluded that the first meeting of the European Political Community in Prague on Thursday had been a success.
However, to get there, the castle hosting the event had to get rid of the EU flags upon demands from the UK, while Brussels-based EU leadership had to make its presence as “discreet” as possible. Read more.
Editor’s Take
Meloni reshuffles the cards of EU politics. Many believe the results of the Italian elections may significantly impact the European political landscape in the complex interaction between European and national politics.
The Italian right-wing coalition won a broad parliamentary majority with 44% of the votes. The centre-left coalition, Azione-Italia Viva (Renew Europe), and the Five Star Movement (M5S) got 48%. The parties which supported the Conte 2 government could have won. Read more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
For the European Political Community, meeting is the message. As leaders from over 40 European countries gathered for a new continental forum on Thursday (6 September) to bring Europe closer amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and a looming energy crisis, the question remains whether the format risks becoming a talking shop. Read more.
Four EU countries float ‘dynamic’ price corridor for gas. Several EU countries proposed limiting volatility in the gas market by introducing a “dynamic price corridor” to prevent prices from going too high or too low while still ensuring Europe can purchase the gas it needs on world markets. Read more.
EU states miss refugee resettlement pledges, fail to aim higher. EU member states need to step up to their commitments but also exceed their pledges on refugee resettlement, as only 7,821 had been resettled across the bloc by the end of August, out of a promised 20,000 this year. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
We won’t continue to use Groningen gas field, says Rutte. The Netherlands will not continue to exploit the Groningen gas field because of the resulting earthquakes that impact those living in the area, Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists in Prague on Thursday. Read more.
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PARIS
Crowded French petrol stations suffer from supply ‘tensions’. The TotalEnergies group’s petrol stations are suffering from fuel supply tensions, notably due to the drop in pump prices and strike movements in refineries. Read more.
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BERLIN
Germany repatriates last imprisoned women, children from ISIS. Seven children, four women and one man smuggled in as a child were brought back to Germany from the Roj camp in northern Syria, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced Thursday evening. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria, Hungary vouch to support Serbia in border control. Serbia promised to tighten visa rules for countries in which particularly large numbers of migrants are currently entering the EU in return for strengthening border protection with North Macedonia. Read more.
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BRUSSELS
Two Belgian nuclear reactors fail in a week. Doel 2 nuclear reactor automatically stopped on Thursday after a short circuit in the operating system of the control rods, following the Thiange 3 reactor, which has been down since Monday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Meloni eyes technocrats for key ministries. The winner of the Italian elections and likely next prime minister Giorgia Meloni has been criticised for imitating her predecessor Mario Draghi by picking technocrats for key ministries instead of politicians. Read more.
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MADRID
Spain to support EU Commission’s proposals to tackle high energy prices. The European Commission has adopted Madrid’s views on tackling high electricity prices in the European Union, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Thursday. Read more.
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LISBON
Bank of Portugal sees scope for 2022 budget deficit to meet 1.9% target. The central bank said that it sees scope for the government to achieve its official 2022 target for the public sector budget deficit relative to gross domestic product of 1.9%, thanks to buoyant tax revenues, despite spending measures being taken to mitigate the impact of inflation on consumers. Read more.
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VALLETTA
Malta must not row back on media freedom, says Strasbourg human rights body. Malta’s government is continuing to stifle independent journalism and must take steps to protect media freedom and step up investigative efforts into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, the Council of Europe stated on Thursday (6 October). Read more.
VISEGRAD
BRATISLAVA
New survey unmasks ‘apathy’ of Slovaks towards Ukraine war. Almost half of Slovaks want Ukraine to win the war against Russia, and almost a quarter of people say they ‘don’t care’, says a new survey conducted by Globsec. Read more.
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WARSAW
Polish church fund to receive record amount of state money. The Polish government plans to increase the amount allocated to the church fund for matters such as clergy pensions. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BELGRADE | ZAGREB
Serbia, Croatia leaders trade barbs over oil embargo. The EU’s decision to ban the transport of Russian oil across its territory to Serbia lead to an angry exchange between the leaders of Serbia and Croatia on the sidelines of an international summit in Prague on Thursday. Read more.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria wants to buy 10 Gripen fighter jets. The caretaker government in Bulgaria intends to strike a deal with Sweden for 10 Gripen fighter jets, revealed Bulgarian newspaper 24chasa. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romania could join Schengen area by year-end, says Iohannis. Romania could soon join the Schengen area, but there is no certainty a decision will be made by the end of the year, said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Three referendums added to two elections in coming months. Having already cast their vote in the general election earlier this year and with the presidential and local elections coming up this month and the next, Slovenians will also be heading to the polls to decide on three government-sponsored laws after the largest opposition party collected enough voter signatures. Read more.
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TIRANA
Greece, Albania fail to agree on maritime border issue in Prague. Albania and Greece did not agree on the issue of maritime borders between the two countries, despite both prime ministers meeting on the sidelines of the European political Community in Prague on Thursday. Read more.
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Albanian government presents second law draft for cannabis legalisation. The second draft of a law on cultivating and processing cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes has been put forward by the Albanian government, bringing the plant another step closer to at least partial legalisation. Read more.
Agenda
- EU: Vice President Schinas in Belgrade, Serbia: meets with Aleksandar VUČIĆ, President of the Republic of Serbia;
- Vice President Schinas in Tirana, Albania: meets with Mr Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania;
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in the informal meeting of heads of state or government;
- Commissioner Johansson in Amsterdam, Netherlands: participates in a ministerial meeting of the Coalition of European countries in the fight against serious and organized crime hosted by the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands;
- Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski in Slovakia; meets with representatives of Zeleninarska s.r.o. and PD Šenkvice producer associations;
- Netherlands: Press conference following a meeting of European ministers and officials on organised crime;
- Spain: Spain’s PM, Pedro Sánchez, participates in the EU informal Council in Prague, focused on energy;
- Greece: Appeal trial of members of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn resumes;
- Czech Republic: Informal EU summit;
- Malaysia: Government unveils national budget;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Makszimov, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]
Source: euractiv.com
