The European news you deserve to read. welcome to The capitals by EURACTIV.
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Carbon capture and storage (CCS): A solution to achieve global climate goals
Equinor stores CO2 safely in the Norwegian North Sea. THE Northern Lights Project will start storing CO2 in 2024, and the new Smeaheia License has the potential to store 20 million tonnes of CO2 per year, transported from Belgium and Germany via a new pipeline.
In today’s Capitals news:
PARIS
The Dutch should have a say on the future of the EU, as the British did several years ago via a referendum, French far-right politician Marine Le Pen said on Thursday after victory of the Freedom Party (PVV, Identity and Democracy) of Geert Wilders in the legislative elections. the Dutch elections. Learn more.
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MEMBERS’ CORNER
The failing MEP launches alone into the reconstruction of the Greens in difficulty in Romania. MEP Nicolae Ștefănuță, who left the liberal party (USR/Renew) in March, will run independently in the European elections “to achieve a victory for the Green family in Romania”, as he opposes the party dominant green, which lacks “credibility”. , he told Euractiv in an exclusive interview. Learn more.
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BERLIN
Germany is quick to reassure its allies about its defense spending. The special 100 billion euro fund intended to strengthen Germany’s defense capabilities will not be affected by an emergency budget freeze, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday, following uncertainty caused by a court which ruled parts of Germany’s spending commitments unconstitutional. Learn more.
Germany will suspend the “debt brake” in 2023. Germany will suspend its constitutional “debt brake” in 2023 by declaring a state of emergency, Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP/Renew) announced on Thursday, following a ruling by the Constitutional Court which called into question the legality of Germany’s 200 billion euro “energy shield” to stabilize energy prices. Learn more.
NORDIC AND BALTIC
TALLINN
Estonia will put an end to the migration flows created by Russia at the border, the minister said. Following the migrant crisis on the Finnish-Russian border, neighboring Estonia said it would not let migrants sent by Russia into its soil but would stop them at the border, it said on Thursday the Estonian Minister of the Interior, Lauri Läänemets. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
ATHENS
Angry Greeks recall Wilders’ nasty remarks on economic crisis. Greek media reacted negatively on Thursday to the victory of the Dutch far-right party PVV. during the recent elections, claiming that its leader, Geert Wilders, had built his career on populist bashing of Greece during the economic crisis more than a decade ago. Learn more.
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MADRID
Sánchez urges Netanyahu to work toward creating a “viable Palestinian state.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Thursday (November 22) urged his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to offer the Palestinian people a prospect of peace and not just a military response to the Hamas terrorist attack, Spanish government sources told EFE. Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
PRAGUE
Czech conservatives are blocking the adoption of the euro despite the country’s wishes. The Czech Ministry of Finance, which is in the hands of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS, ECR), and the Czech National Bank, believes that Czechia should meet the main criteria for adopting the euro next year, but they do not recommend no measures to move forward. towards the euro zone, according to a draft report consulted by Euractiv’s Czech partner Hospodářské noviny. Learn more.
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WARSAW
Polish conservatives agree to meet PiS but rule out any coalition. Poland’s ruling party, PiS, has invited all other parliamentary parties to meet and discuss possible coalitions, with the Confederation the only party to have agreed so far, although it rules out governing with others. Learn more.
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BRATISLAVA
The Fico government is working to reduce prison sentences for corruption. People linked to Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer party who were prosecuted over corruption allegations could end up with a slap on the wrist instead of prison time as Slovakia’s Justice Ministry works on reform of the penal code – a key part of Smer’s promises. Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BUCHAREST
Former Romanian ministers suspected of misconduct in purchasing COVID-19 vaccines. Former Prime Minister Florin Cîțu and former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă allegedly purchased far more COVID-19 doses than needed, according to Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), which officially requested on Thursday the lifting of their immunity. Learn more.
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SOFIA
New gasoline tax means Russia owes €130 million to Bulgaria. State-owned natural gas transport and storage operator Bulgartransgaz is expected to collect nearly 130 million euros from a tax introduced two months ago on Russian gas imports, the operator’s CEO Vladimir said on Thursday. Malinov, while Bulgaria fears receiving nothing at all. Learn more.
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LJUBLJANA
Slovenian banks and companies to help finance post-flood reconstruction. Slovenian banks and businesses will help finance a substantial part of the estimated €10 billion reconstruction project after devastating August floods destroyed homes and infrastructure across much of the country, according to a plan of law approved Thursday by the government. Learn more.
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BELGRADE
Five Serbian radicals accused of contempt before The Hague court. Five members of the Serbian Radical Party, including previously imprisoned leader Vojislav Šešelj, have been charged with contempt of court before the International Residual Mechanism of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague, the party has confirmed. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission Vice-President Vĕra Jourová participates by videoconference in the meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni attends the InvestEU Roadshow in Oslo, Norway; Meets Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre;
- Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič received Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdallah Bou Habib;
- Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson attends PES migration network meeting;
- Equality Commissioner delivers speech at ministerial meeting on violence against women, in Pamplona, Spain;
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson attends EU Ambassadors’ Meeting on Energy Investment with representatives from the South African Presidency, business associations and South African agencies;
- Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, delivers a speech at the regional forum on ‘Regional competitiveness after 2030: The North in the EU’, in Santo Tirso, Portugal;
- Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn delivers a speech at the Road to Recovery conference in Leipzig, Germany;
- The President of Parliament, Roberta Metsola, receives the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib;
- Czech Republic: Visit of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico;
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(Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)