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The winds of change blow strongest offshore
The world’s largest floating offshore wind farm has opened! Hywind Tampen – 11 turbines with a 88MW capacity – is also the world’s first offshore wind power for offshore oil and gas and an important step forward in industrialising solutions and reducing costs for future floating wind projects.
In today’s news from the Capitals:
RIGA | BRUSSELS
Latvian socialist MEPs face corruption charges claim persecution. Following allegations of bribery and fraud in a €10 million scandal from their time in Riga’s mayoral office, two socialist (S&D) MEPs may see their parliamentary immunity lifted by request of the Latvian General Prosecutor. Meanwhile, the accused claim the situation is orchestrated by the prime minister’s office, held by an EPP-affiliated party. Read more.
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PARIS
Breton wants EU investment bank to finance nuclear sides with France. The European Investment Bank (EIB) ought to ‘support the EU’s key public policies,’ and so must finance nuclear energy, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton told journalists on Wednesday, effectively siding with the French approach. Read more.
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BERLIN
Germany’s Scholz asks regional states, opposition to help slash red tape. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has offered to collaborate with regional states and the opposition to meet demands for faster administrative procedures, though his appeal was left in limbo as political opponents and CDU-led states remained reserved. Read more.
German Greens ‘must break internal walls’ over gene editing, says liberal MP. The Greens, a partner in Germany’s three-party coalition, must tear down internal walls to overcome the tug-of-war over genetic engineering that currently exists within the coalition, Carina Konrad, a member of parliament for the liberal coalition partner FDP, said ahead of an EU-level vote on the issue that could see Germany abstain. Read more.
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BRUSSELS | VIENNA
Belgian FM visits Moldova, Romania ahead of EU Presidency. Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib is on a two-day trip to Moldova and Romania, with Moldova hoping Belgium will use its EU Council presidency stint at the start in January 2024 to request Belgium help open Moldova’s path to EU accession. Read more.
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THE HAGUE |COPENHAGEN
Dutch state may transfer refugees back to Denmark. Syrians who received asylum in Denmark before applying for it in the Netherlands may be sent back to Denmark without further investigations, the Council of State (CoS), a Dutch governmental advisory board, ruled on Wednesday. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
LISBON
Housing crisis grips Portuguese public debate, sparks political tensions. A discussion on housing shortages in Portugal is currently dominating the political sphere after President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa vetoed the government’s housing package, citing doubts about its effectiveness, leading to institutional tensions between the two branches of power. Read more.
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ROME
Meloni government clamps down on juvenile crime, youth distress. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has decided to introduce urgent measures to combat juvenile delinquency, distress among young people and poor educational facilities in response to serious new cases involving youth. Read more.
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MADRID
Spain investigates ‘strategic’ telecom takeover by Saudi Arabian group. The Spanish government will investigate Saudi Arabian telecom group STC’s 9.9% stake purchase in telecom giant Telefónica, Spain’s Vice-President and Finance Minister Nadia Calviño told the press in Brussels. Read more.
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ATHENS
Greek agri minister favours new gene editing techniques to boost production. New gene editing techniques (NGTs) for food could boost agricultural production and contribute to the competitiveness and resilience of European agriculture, Rural Development & Food Minister Lefteris Avgenakis said at the informal Council of European Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries in Córdoba, Spain. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
PRAGUE
Czech businesses urge PM to support same-sex marriage. Dozens of companies are calling on Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS/ECR) to legalise same-sex marriage so that their employees can live and work in the Czech Republic without discrimination and prejudice, an open letter signed by major international and Czech companies said on Wednesday. Read more.
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WARSAW
Poland hands human smuggling ringleaders over to Ukrainian police. The Polish Border Guard has started handing over persons involved in people smuggling to the Ukrainian police following reports of Ukrainians fleeing across the border for fear of being conscripted into the army. Read more.
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BRATISLAVA
Slovak government adopts measures to curb irregular migration. Slovakia’s government wants police to stop issuing confirmations of stay, recruit 500 soldiers and help deal with the increased number of migrants in southern cities, which has become an issue in the election campaign, Prime Minister Ľudovít Ódor said at a press conference on Wednesday. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
BUCHAREST
Romania finally confirms discovery of Russian drone parts on its territory. Romanian officials finally acknowledged a Russian drone strike on their territory on Wednesday after previously refusing to accept Ukraine’s damning photographic evidence of the matter. Read more.
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ZAGREB
Croatia launches one of world’s first crypto pig farm platforms. Three Croatian companies launched on Wednesday an online platform where investors will be able to buy “crypto pigs” that can later be converted into pork meat, in a bid to boost the sagging meat industry in the country. Read more.
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BELGRADE
Serbia’s green opposition formation collapses. All members of Ecological Uprising are withdrawing from Together, a political alliance the party formed with Together for Serbia last year, Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta, who announced his resignation as co-president, told Serbian media. Read more.
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PRISTINA
Kosovo’s interior minister gets death threat after weapons bust in north. Following the mass seizure of weapons and ammunition from a house in the Serb-majority town of Zvecan, northern Kosovo, Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla reported he had been threatened by an ethnic Serb organisation. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan;
- Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in high level conference on ageing, organized by the Spanish Presidency;
- Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at the European Law Institute Annual Conference;
- Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit attends EuroSkills 2023 in Poland, the biggest vocational education and skills event in Europe;
- Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson delivers keynote speech in the EU Grids Forum hosted by ENTSO-E;
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attends G7 Speakers’ Meeting in Japan;
- Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) jointly with the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and in association with the Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (DNAT) exchanges views with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg;
- Belgium: Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg hold meeting, followed by press conference;
- Georgia: EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on official visit;
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
