The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe through on-the-spot coverage through EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
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In today’s news from the capitals:
MADRID
The Spanish government has been working on a plan to tackle the COVID-19 disease as if it were ordinary flu for several weeks, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reported, citing El País. Continue reading.
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EU INSTITUTIONS
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BERLIN
Mega cruise ship builder with locations in Germany files for bankruptcy. MV Werften, a huge shipbuilding company with plants in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and around 1,900 employees, filed for bankruptcy on Monday. Continue reading.
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PARIS
Taubira will run for the French presidential election if she wins the citizen-run primaries. Former MEP and Justice Minister Christiane Taubira announced that she would only stand in the French presidential elections if nominated by Popular Primary, a citizens’ initiative. According to her, it represents “the last chance for a possible union of the left”. Read more.
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VIENNA
Austria is intensifying controls to ensure compliance with the COVID rules. From Tuesday, shop and restaurant owners will be subject to intensive police checks on whether they check their customers’ COVID certificate. Continue reading.
UK AND IRELAND
LONDON
UK Banned Huawei Because US Told Us To, Former Minister The UK government’s decision to ban Huawei 5G equipment and services “had nothing to do with national security” and was a result of American pressure, a former business and industry secretary said. Continue reading.
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DUBLIN
Ireland is considering compulsory vaccinations. Ireland’s National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will consider introducing a vaccination mandate following the release of a forthcoming Department of Health paper on the complexity of the problem. Continue reading.
NORTHICA AND BALTIC STATES
STOCKHOLM
Swedish Defense Minister: Russia threatens European security order. Russia’s actions threaten the entire European security order, Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said in a keynote speech at the Folk och Försvar, an annual gathering of Swedish security and defense policy. The minister also discussed Russia’s demands on NATO and the current situation on the Ukrainian border. Continue reading.
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Tallinn | RIGA | VILNIUS
The Baltic States lead the monthly inflation table of the Eurozone. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania currently have the highest monthly inflation rates in the euro zone, according to the latest Eurostat estimates. Continue reading.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
LISBON
Cyber attacks on Portuguese organizations increased by 81% in 2021. The average weekly number of cyberattacks on Portuguese organizations increased by 81% year-on-year in 2021, with an organization being attacked 881 times per week, according to data from Check Point Research. Continue reading.
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ATHENS
Greece tacitly admits death of East Med project The market, not governments, will decide the economics of energy projects, the Greek government now says a day after a US State Department statement suggested Washington had lost interest in the EastMed gas pipeline project. Continue reading.
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ROME
Operations in Italy drop 50-80% as ICUs fill with COVID-19 patients. TThe lack of space in intensive care units (ICUs) caused by the number of COVID-19 patients is causing a deep crisis for surgical activities in hospitals aged between 50 and 5080% as a result. Continue reading.
VISEGRAD
BUDAPEST
The Hungarian minister is sure about the fourth vaccine. Health Minister for Human Resources Miklós Kásler said in an interview with InfoRádió on Monday that he was absolutely sure that the need for a fourth vaccination had to be taken into account. telex reported. Continue reading.
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WARSAW
Government critics acquitted of insulting Polish president. The regional court in Warsaw decided to drop the trial of writer Jakub Żulczyk, who called President Andrzej Duda an “idiot”. The decision was not welcomed by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), of which Duda was a member until 2015. Read more.
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PRAGUE
Czech farmers at odds over CAP strategic plan. Small farmers are in turmoil over the Czech Republic’s national strategic plan to implement the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and are demanding more sustainable financing of agriculture, while big farmers are resisting last-minute changes. Continue reading.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovaks lose thousands in pension savings every year. Pension savings worth hHundreds of millions, or a total of more than a billion euros, are lost every year when Slovaks put their money into the second pillar of the pension system. Continue reading.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
TIRANA
The EU Commission does not want to comment on the protests in Tirana The European Commission has chosen not to comment on the demonstrations that rocked Tirana over the weekend as tensions between two factions of the Democratic Party escalated. Continue reading.
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SOFIA
Bulgaria should focus its efforts on the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians. Bulgaria will focus its efforts on protecting the rights of Macedonian Bulgarians in talks with North Macedonia, while Skopje will seek to negotiate the swift lifting of Bulgaria’s veto on EU accession. Continue reading.
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BUCHAREST
Romania has sold or donated nearly 6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Romania has received more than 28.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since the end of 2020, but less than 60% have been used for its own population. About 3.5 million cans have been sold to other countries, 2.2 million have been donated, and nearly 1 million of the remaining cans have expired. Continue reading.
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ZAGREB
Electricity and gas prices are rising in Croatia. The government and all of its ministries are working to prevent a major collapse in living standards from higher energy prices. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said so. Continue reading.
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Unemployment in Croatia falls for the ninth straight month. At the end of December, 125,715 people were registered with the Croatian Employment Office (HZZ), which is 34,130 or 21.4% fewer job seekers than in December 2020, the HZZ reported. Continue reading.
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BELGRADE
Serbian spokesman: Harmonization with EU laws should not cause fears. Serbia “cannot possibly be harmed” if it harmonizes its laws with those of the European Union, Parliament Speaker Ivica Dačić said on Monday, adding that the harmonization should not raise fears. Continue reading.
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Serbian health expert: COVID ID cards should be required around the clock. Only a massive rollout of vaccinations and 24-hour COVID passports required could contain and alleviate the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, Colonel Ivo Udovičić, head of the Karaburma Military Hospital in Belgrade, said on Monday. Continue reading.
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SARAJEVO
BiH citizens across Europe are protesting the crisis in the country. Bosnians and Herzegovinians in Britain, Italy, Sweden, Belgium and 14 other countries organized protests to preserve peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and called on the EU to crack down on those who question the country’s survival, N1 reported. Continue reading.
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PODGORIKA
Bread prices in Montenegro increased by 30%. Basic types of bread cost 65 cents in Montenegro – 30% more than the previous 50 cents, a Group of bakery companies decided by the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro.
This was after the Economic Development Ministry announced at the end of December that it would propose free pricing for white bread from January 1, 20002.
(Zeljko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.hr)
AGENDA:
- EU/France: President Emmanuel Macron receives EU Council President Charles Michel in Paris.
- Germany: ECB President Christine Lagarde, Federal Finance Minister Lindner speak at the handover of the new Bundesbank President Nagel / press conference by Climate Protection and Economics Minister Robert Habeck.
- Austria: FFP2 masks become mandatory in the fight against Covid-19 outdoors.
- Switzerland: World Economic Forum publishes annual global risk report.
- Lithuania: Economy ministers from Lithuania and Taiwan hold joint online press conference.
- Czech Republic/Slovakia: Prime Minister Petr Fiala visits Bratislava to meet with his Slovak counterpart Eduard Heger and Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. EU matters such as the EU’s eastern borders and the Green Deal are on the agenda.
- Croatia: Government negotiating committees and union representatives meet on a collective bargaining agreement for public sector workersS.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Alexandra Brzozowski, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor]
