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In today’s Capitals news:
SOFIA
The Bulgarian government will soon begin negotiations with its European partners to impose a new tax on Russian gas transiting through its territory, it was announced on Wednesday, a move which, predictably, provoked the anger of Serbia and Hungary. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
European leaders promise tighter borders and more repatriations after Brussels attack. Belgian and Swedish leaders and the European Union’s chief executive vowed Wednesday to strengthen border security and speed up repatriations after a rejected asylum seeker from Tunisia shot dead two supporters Swedish football club in Brussels. Learn more.
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PARIS
Fearing reprimands from the Commission, the French government bypasses MPs during the presentation of the budget bill. The French government passed the first chapter of its 2024 finance bill in Parliament on Wednesday without a vote, amid growing fears that the European Commission could impose an excessive deficit procedure on France in the spring. Learn more.
European elections: Le Pen’s party takes the lead in the polls. Latest polling data in France places the nationalist Rassemblement National (RN) with MEP candidate Jordan Bardella in the lead, while President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist, pro-European Renaissance party lags behind as elections approach European. Learn more.
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BERLIN
Germany is urging Egypt and Jordan to help evacuate civilians from Gaza as the conflict escalates. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pressured Egypt and Jordan to support the evacuation of civilians from the Gaza Strip and provide aid, amid growing fears of an escalation of conflict between the Hamas and Israel. Learn more.
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THE HAGUE
The Dutch are taking steps to reduce network stress. The Netherlands will take “extraordinary” steps to reduce pressure on the national grid caused by electricity demand and supply reaching similar levels, such as offering incentives for large companies to use less electricity per hour cutting-edge technology, said outgoing Dutch Energy Minister Rob Jetten (D66/Renew). ) announced Wednesday. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
ATHENS
Greek Prime Minister: Turkey avoids condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization. Turkey’s position of not condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization is “problematic” and unbalanced, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview, adding that Athens was on alert following terrorist attacks across the block.
Separately, a source in Brussels told Euractiv that European authorities remained vigilant towards European countries with large Muslim communities. Learn more.
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ROME
Meloni announces a “realistic” budget bill of 24 billion euros. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni approved a “realistic” 24 billion euro budget bill at a news conference on Tuesday, as the bloc’s countries prepare for a world where European deficit rules , put aside since the pandemic, will probably come back to haunt them. Learn more. Learn more.
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MADRID
Spain’s Socialist Party predicts a draw with the center-right, according to a poll. The Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D) of interim Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the main opposition party, the Partido Popular (PP/PPE), would be tied in the polls and have the same number of seats in Parliament if the elections took place today, according to data from a new survey by the state-owned company Sociological Research Center (CIS) published Wednesday. Learn more.
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VALLETTA
EU funding for Melita pipeline in doubt despite government claims. Despite government claims that plans for a gas pipeline between Malta and the rest of the EU are underway, an EU official said its inclusion on a list of possible projects to be funded was not yet certain, and even then, question marks over whether funding would be granted remain. Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
The Polish opposition could release funds for the EU recovery if it were in power. If Poland’s opposition parties unite to form the strongest coalition after their strong joint performance in the elections, they will work towards reconciliation with the EU after Poland’s PiS sparked a long bitter fight with the Commission. Learn more.
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PRAGUE
The Czech government plans to phase out coal by 2033 and oil and gas by 2050. The Czech government has approved a revised draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which aims to phase out coal by 2033 and oil and gas by 2050. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BUCHAREST
Romania signs solidarity path agreement with Ukraine. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal signed an agreement in kyiv on Wednesday aimed at ensuring the secure transit of Ukrainian products and the development of border crossings between Ukraine and Romania. Learn more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenia begins an overhaul of judicial appointments. The Slovenian Parliament on Wednesday launched a procedure to transfer judicial appointments from parliament to the president and change the composition of the Judicial Council, which reviews the candidates. Learn more.
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BELGRADE
Vucic has “friendly” meeting with Putin in China. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić held a brief conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, although there was no formal bilateral meeting between them, the Serbian leader said on Tuesday. Learn more.
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TIRANA
Kosovo wants KFOR support on the Serbian border. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called on additional KFOR forces deployed in Kosovo to “prioritize the security of the borders between Kosovo and Serbia”, he said during a meeting with the commander of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Özkan Ulutaş. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: The Justice and Home Affairs Council meets to discuss asylum and migration, civil protection, particularly with regard to forest fires, and the general state of the Schengen area. fight against pedophile content, and much more;
- An informal meeting of trade ministers is expected to discuss the role of trade in European economic security, review the bilateral trade agenda, and more;
- High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell attends the EU-US summit in Washington, USA;
- Vice-President Dubravka Šuica delivers a keynote speech at the event “UNECE Regional Conference on ICPD30 – Population and Development: Ensuring Rights and Choices”, in Geneva, Switzerland; Holds meetings with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean, UN Under-Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director for Programs Diene Keita, Director General of Geneva Call Alain Deletroz;
- Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, participates in the 8th EU-Nigeria Ministerial Dialogue; Holds meetings with President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu;
- Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit meets with the President of the Government of Catalonia Pere Aragonès i Garcia; Delivers a keynote speech at a high-level conference on “The European Pillar of Social Rights and New Active Employment Policies”, in Barcelona, Spain;
- Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra participates in a business roundtable on “decarbonization strategies and the energy transition in the private sector” in São Paulo, Brazil; Meeting with the Governor of Amazonas State, Wilson Lima;
- Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius visits kyiv, Ukraine;
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers a speech at the 70th anniversary conference of the European school system;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)
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