Czech PM opposes EU staff’s ‘pro-Israel’ criticism
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In today’s news from the Capitals:
PRAGUE
Israel has every right to defend itself, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wrote in a tweet alongside a Euractiv story about EU staff criticising President Ursula von der Leyen’s Israel stance, published on Friday. Read more.
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BERLIN
EPP chief slams border controls within the EU. Several EU countries, including Germany and Italy, have recently introduced temporary border controls to curb irregular migration in a blow to the Schengen area, but EU centre-right (EPP) leader Manfred Weber has limited faith in it and believes that protecting the EU’s external borders is the only way European countries can reduce migration permanently, he said on Saturday. Read more.
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PARIS
French FM believes ‘two-state solution’ is needed in the Middle East. Europe and Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna clarified, in an interview on Sunday, France’s position on the ongoing war in the Middle East and called on Europeans to reaffirm the need for political dialogue and a two-state solution. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria sees a sharp rise in acts of antisemitism. An Israel flag that was mounted at the main synagogue in Vienna was ripped away as counts of antisemitic incidents rose sharply across the nation, with the incidents that occurred in the past two weeks being triple that of the past year. Read more.
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BERN
Radical Right Triumphs in Switzerland. Voters went to the polls to elect a new national parliament in Switzerland on Sunday, with results showing a victory of the radical right and a defeat of environmentalist forces. Read more.
NORDICS AND BALTICS
STOCKHOLM
EPP Swedish MEP Tobias Tobé elected lead candidate amid far-right concerns. The Moderates party (EPP), leading the Swedish government, selected MEP Tomas Tobé as the lead candidate for the 2024 EU elections amid fears of a far-right rising in the country. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Meloni celebrates one year in government remotely following partner’s scandal. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends her party to celebrate one year of governing Italy with a video message after a scandal involving her partner made waves in the news. Read more.
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MADRID
Catalonia launches PR campaign in push for EU official language recognition. The Catalan government has launched a massive public relations campaign across Europe as negotiations to reform the roster of official EU languages continue with the next ministerial meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Read more.
Sumar attacks PSOE for ‘siding with PP’, refusing to extend tax on banks. Sumar leader Yolanda Díaz criticised the Socialist Party, her ally in a future progressive coalition government, for refusing to extend the current extraordinary tax on banks, which ‘are making a killing’ thanks to their record profits, she said at a Sumar rally. Read more.
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VALLETTA
Calls for EU to drop funding for Malta gas pipeline intensify. Calls for the EU Commission to decrease any chance of funding the Melita gas pipeline between Malta and Sicily due to alleged links to corruption, murder and environmental concerns are growing as an NGO-led petition is set to make its way to Brussels. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
Tusk’s government to revoke PiS’ judiciary reforms, media reports. The current opposition – should it come to power – would dismiss the judges of the Constitutional Tribunal that it says were nominated illegally, a first step in revoking the current PiS government’s judicial reforms that caused a conflict with the EU Commission, as reported by Polish media. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Climate change denying minister nominee calls for Slovexit referendum. Rudolf Huliak, whose nomination for agri-chief was contested by Zuzana Čaputová, said he would attempt to initiate a referendum for Slovakia’s exit from both EU and NATO, but first, his fate is to be decided on Monday. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian parliament threatens to take over control of local Lukoil. Bulgarian GERB and DPS parties have threatened to immediately cut off Russian oil supplies to Lukoil’s Burgas refinery while handing over operational control of its Bulgarian business to the government. Read more.
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BUCHAREST
Romania Union party announces candidates for EU elections. Save Romania Union party (USR) officially launched its candidates for the 2024 EU elections during the ALDE Europe Council held for the first time in Bucharest on Friday and Saturday. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Vučić meets with Big Five ahead of EU leaders’ meetup to discuss situation in Kosovo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić called his meeting with the Big Five – where they discussed the situation in Kosovo – in Belgrade on Saturday ‘difficult’ before adding that he would go to Brussels on Thursday or Friday. Read more.
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TIRANA
Former Albanian president, PM Berisha, denies charges of corruption, blames government. Albania’s Special Prosecutor’s Office has accused former president and prime minister Sali Berisha and his son-in-law, Jamarber Malltezi, of passive corruption to the tune of €5.4 million, something they both deny, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of targeting them for political reasons. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Foreign Affairs Council convenes to discuss war in Ukraine, developments concerning Armenia and Azerbaijan, situation in Israel, and more; EU foreign affairs ministers also expected to attend 19th EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting with Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan;
- Agriculture and Fisheries Council convenes to discuss market situation, waste framework directive (food related aspects), conservation of Atlantic Tunas, and more;
- Informal meeting of telecommunications ministers to focus on digital rights, regulation on Artificial Intelligence, progress of Digital Decade 2030 roadmap, and more;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers speech at 20th Aachener Krönungsmahl 2023, in Aachen, Germany;
- Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at high level event on “Elections Vote for the Future of Europe: support for participation and turnout for the 2024 elections to the European Parliament”; Hosts Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić; Holds meeting via video conference with President for global affairs of Meta Nick Clegg;
- Vice President Maroš Šefčovič participates in the opening of Saudi-EU Investment Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas meets IOM Director Amy Pope;
- UN: Security Council meets on Kosovo;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
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