Bulgaria equips coast guard with missiles to deal with Russian threat

Good morning from Sofia,

VIENNA

Austria’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the head of the EU Commission’s representation in Austria, Martin Selmayr, over his comments highlighting the country’s continued dependence on Russian gas flows and its role in financing the war in Ukraine. Read more.

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BERLIN

German Finance Minister to grill Vestager on European Investment Bank bid. “Sound banking” must be the top priority for the European Investment Bank (EIB), German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Thursday, the same day that Margrethe Vestager, a contender for the bank’s top job, said she wants the EIB to take more risks. Read more.

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PARIS

France to launch rail pass similar to Germany. France will introduce a rail pass similar to the one recently introduced in neighbouring Germany, French Transport Minister Clément Beaune announced on Thursday, in a bid to encourage the French to use trains, which are often bemoaned as an expensive way to travel. Read more.

EU elections: Le Pen’s niece to run new far-right list against immigration and ‘Islamisation’. A new far-right list will contest the 2024 European elections in France, led by former MP Marion Maréchal, under the colours of Éric Zemmour’s party, Reconquête! Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Associations appeal Belgium’s decision denying aid to single male asylum seekers. Eight associations have lodged an urgent appeal with the Council of State against the decision to temporarily stop offering accommodation to single male asylum seekers, taken by State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch MP says von der Leyen abused her power in wolf debate. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been accused by Dutch MP Leonie Vestering (PvdD/EU Left) of carrying out a personal vendetta after the EU executive questioned the high protection status of wolves earlier this week. Read more.

Dutch parliament urges cabinet to vote against glyphosate re-approval. A motion opposing the European Commission from potentially re-authorising glyphosate has received majority support in the Dutch parliament, with MPs urging Agriculture Minister Piet Adema (CU/EPP) to vote against the measure at next month’s EU Agriculture Council.. Read more.

LONDON

UK’s delayed re-entry into Horizon Europe created a lot of damage. While rejoining the UK to Horizon Europe was met with overwhelming support from the academic community, some say the years it took – and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s hesitance – has caused serious damage and is ‘hardly something worthy of praise’. Read more.

ROME

Salvini wants cabinet with pro-Italian commissioner. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has bluntly criticised EU Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni and former climate commissioner Frans Timmermans, whom he believes do not serve Italy’s interests, and is hoping to get someone who ‘defends the interest of the entire community’. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain’s Sumar urges Socialist Party to have complex-free debate on amnesty law. The left-wing Sumar platform urged Spain’s Socialist party on Thursday to open the debate “without complexes or taboos” on an amnesty law, something required by Catalan separatists to support a government led by Pedro Sánchez. Read more.

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LISBON

Environmentalists fret over Portuguese green light for lithium mine. The Romano lithium mine, proposed for Montalegre in Portugal’s northern district of Vila Real, has received a favourable conditional environmental impact statement from the Portuguese Environment Agency, but environmentalists are concerned about its impact. Read more.

BRATISLAVA

Upcoming Slovakian elections: everything you need to know. Slovakia is gearing up for a pivotal national parliament election on 30 September after enduring five years of political turbulence and upheaval marked, in particular, by the death of a journalist. Read more.
Slovakian parliament fails to adopt safety measures after woman murdered by stalker. Slovakia’s parliament failed to muster enough support for lawmakers to discuss amending the penal code to monitor people undergoing outpatient treatment, as proposed in response to the recent murder of a woman by her stalker. Read more.
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WARSAW

Polish Senate creates alternative body to investigate Russian influence. Poland’s opposition-dominated Senate is to set up an alternative commission to investigate Russian interference in Polish politics after plans by the ruling conservative camp to create a similar body drew criticism from Brussels and Washington. Read more.
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CZECHIA

Czech lower house stuck on austerity package. Debate on the Czech government’s austerity package entered its third day in the lower house of the parliament on Thursday, with opposition parties attacking the government over the proposed changes aimed at consolidating public finances. Read more.

BUCHAREST

Greece has joined the Three Seas Initiative (3SI), while Ukraine and Moldova have become associated states, according to the Joint Declaration of the Eighth Three Seas Initiative Summit in Bucharest. Read more.

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ZAGREB

Croatia sees surge in migrants while government works to curb influx. Croatia is experiencing an ‘unprecedented’ number of migrants crossing its border from neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina this summer, with the government working to combat the influx by finalising plans for a new migrant registration hub and building a large registration centre on an abandoned military training ground. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Serbian PM vows to resign, hold elections soon. In response to the opposition’s demand for early parliamentary and Belgrade elections, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić expressed the hope they would be held as quickly as possible. Read more.

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TIRANA

Greece to send legal delegation to monitor mayor’s trial in Albania. The Greek Chamber of Advocates will send a delegation to the next court hearing of the mayor-elect of Himare, Fredi Beleri, who has been held in custody since two days before the April local elections on suspicion of vote buying. Read more.

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PRISTINA

Kosovo president reiterates commitment to EU, NATO after Stoltenberg meeting. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani called on Serbia to do more work to align itself with EU and NATO values, highlighting Kosovo’s ongoing dedication and compliance in a press conference with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday. Read more.

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SARAJEVO

Bosnian Serb leader bans international peace envoy from entering his region. Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik said on Thursday that police in Bosnia’s Serb-dominated region have been instructed to arrest and deport an international peace envoy if he enters the Serb Republic. Read more.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]