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In today’s Capitals news:
BRATISLAVA
The Slovak populist socialist The Smer party published a wave of negative messages targeting journalists on social media in the two months leading up to early elections in Slovakia won by Robert Fico’s party. Learn more.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
The EU faces differences over aid to Palestine and its position on the war between Israel and Hamas. Divisions between EU member states and a lack of convergence among European institutions were on display Monday over plans to cut off aid to Palestine in response to Saturday’s attack on Israel by Hamas. Learn more.
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BERLIN
Germany’s far right sees government responsibility after huge electoral gains. The success of the AfD, which made impressive gains in regional elections in two German states, has raised urgent questions about how long the party can stay out of government, as its leaders pushed on Monday to a future right-wing coalition. . Learn more.
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PARIS
NGOs have asked the French Prime Minister to develop a youth mental health strategy. UNICEF France and a dozen civil society associations sent a letter to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Tuesday, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, asking her to urgently develop an ambitious national strategy. for the mental health of children and young people. Learn more.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
MADRID
Sumar: The EU’s double standards in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are unacceptable. The Sumar party, ally of interim Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in the country’s future government, denounced on Monday the EU’s “double standards” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Learn more.
Nearly half of Spaniards want to repeat the elections: poll. Nearly half of Spanish citizens would prefer a repeat of the legislative elections after seeing the enormous difficulty of the country’s two main political groups, the Socialist Party and the Partido Popular, in forming a stable government, according to a new poll published by El País revealed Monday. Learn more.
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ROME
Italy expresses solidarity with Israel and contributes to strengthening Lebanon’s stability. The Italian government expressed its solidarity with Israel and confirmed its intention to work with international partners, including Lebanon, pledging to continue supporting the country’s security in order to prevent an escalation of the conflict. Learn more.
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LISBON
Europe can only prosper if all regions prosper, said the Portuguese EU commissioner. For Europe to prosper, all regions must also prosper, Portuguese European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira said on Monday, highlighting the importance of cohesion policy for European regions and cities. Learn more.
An Air Force C-130 will pick up Portuguese nationals in Israel. C-130s from the Portuguese Air Force are on their way to Tel Aviv to pick up at least 150 nationals wishing to leave Israel due to the conflict with Hamas, the Foreign Ministry announced on Monday. Learn more.
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VALLETTA
The Commission remains silent on the trafficking of Maltese driving licenses. The European Commission has refused to answer questions about the implications for the EU of the recently revealed Maltese driving license trade, which saw senior officials and ministers push ruling Labor Party loyalists to the front of the queue. waiting for exams or making sure they graduate. help pass. Learn more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
Poland’s pre-election debate turns into battle between Morawiecki and Tusk. Poland’s first and probably only election debate, involving six parties, immediately turned into a feud between ruling Law and Justice (PiS) Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and opposition leader Donald Tusk. Learn more.
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PRAGUE
Hamas is our common enemy, says Czech Foreign Minister ahead of EU-Gulf meeting. We must cooperate to support Israel, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (Pirates, Greens/EFA) said on Monday, as he plans to argue for support for Israel and Ukraine at the business ministers’ meeting EU foreigners with their Gulf counterparts in Muscat, Oman. . Learn more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
PRISTINE | BELGRADE
EU prepares measures against Serbia while Belgrade’s involvement in the terrorist attack is under scrutiny. The EU is starting to lose patience with Serbia and has drawn up measures that will impact politically, economically and on its EU membership, while new evidence emerges from the September 24 terrorist attack, notably the involvement of those close to the son of Serbian President Aleksander Vucic. collaborater. Learn more.
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SOFIA
Three countries support the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. The pipeline project connecting the Greek port of Alexandroupolis to the Bulgarian port of Burgas is on the agenda of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania in the context of greater energy, transport and digital connectivity in South-Eastern Europe. Learn more.
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BUCHAREST
The Romanian government will invest €2.1 billion for climate neutrality. The proposed investment, which should be voted on shortly by the government, will aim to become climate neutral by 2050. Learn more.
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BELGRADE
The Serbian government evacuates the Serbs from Israel. The Serbian government evacuated Serbian citizens trapped between the warring factions of Israel and Hamas after the former declared war following last week’s attack. Learn more.
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TIRANA
Albanian medical students protest controversial university policy. Albanian medical students are protesting recent government changes to a law aimed at stopping mass immigration of doctors and nurses and strengthening the local health system. Learn more.
AGENDA:
- EU: EU foreign ministers hold informal video conference to discuss the situation in Israel following recent events;
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers opening speech at Clean Hydrogen Transition Dialogue; welcomes the head of the Moroccan government Aziz Akhannouch;
- EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell co-chairs the Joint EU-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Council, in Muscat, Oman;
- Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the Commission, delivers the opening speech of the 3rd European Conference on Defense and Security; Gives keynote address at the ICMPD Migration Conference in Vienna, Austria;
- Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski receives Uruguay’s Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Fernando Mattos;
- The Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, Nicu Popescu; Holds meeting with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko;
- Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, speaks at the conference “How to ensure decent work and quality employment for essential workers”, organized by Eurofound and the ILO; Delivers a keynote speech at the “More Europe in Cross-Border Regions” event;
- Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, hosts the 7th meeting of the High Level Specialist Group on the future of cohesion policy;
- Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni receives Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat;
- Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides hosts World Mental Health Day conference “A holistic EU approach that prioritizes good mental health for all”;
- Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Iliana Ivanova speaks at the mid-term review of the European Education Area; Delivers the opening speech of the panel of the event on the future of science and technology, organized by the European Research Council and the Parliament;
- Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness holds a meeting with representatives of the European Digital Payments Industry Alliance;
- Spain: The left-wing platform Sumar presents a proposed amnesty law for those involved in the 2017 events in Catalonia;
- Romania: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on an official visit;
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(Edited by Charles Szumski, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara)
