Capitals archive

Politics 09-10-2024

Meloni looks to bridge gap between EPP and Patriots

Est. 4min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Slovakia's Fico calling for tigher controls on the media, Czechia aiming to be one of the EU's top 10 economies by 2040, and so much more. 

Politics 08-10-2024

Kyiv stands firm on ending Russian gas transit deal after meeting Fico

Est. 4min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Bulgarian farmers set to receive €100 million in state subsidies after protest threat., a Swedish far-right leader embroiled in gang-related controversy, and so much more. 

Politics 08-10-2024

Bulgarian farmers to receive €100 million in state subsidies after protest threat

Est. 2min

The Bulgarian government will give €100 million in state subsidies to local farmers who have threatened new protests over imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, the government announced on Monday.

Politics 08-10-2024

Swedish far-right leader embroiled in gang-related controversy

Est. 3min

The leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Akesson (SD, ECR), is now in hot water after a media investigation revealed that he allegedly knew the president of a motorcycle club with links to organised crime.

Politics 07-10-2024

Spanish centre-right at odds with government over migrant crisis in the Canaries

Est. 4min

Spain’s Partido Popular broke off negotiations with the government over the migration crisis in the Canary Islands, accusing the left-wing executive of not accepting help from the European Union.

Politics 07-10-2024

Russian-style laws on rise in former Eastern Bloc countries eager to follow Georgia’s lead

Est. 4min

With Georgia passing yet another controversial law, this time against LGBTQ rights, a growing number of post-socialist EU states, such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary, appear eager to adopt similar laws, raising concerns within the EU about violations of its laws and the influence of pro-Russian ideologies.

Politics 07-10-2024

Key political player in Bulgaria arrested for influence peddling ahead of elections

Est. 3min

Key lawmaker Ceyhan Ibramov, who is close to Ahmed Dogan, the founder of Turkish minority party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), has been arrested on charges of influence peddling and accepting money to illegally buy votes.

Politics 07-10-2024

Russian-style laws on rise in former Eastern Bloc countries eager to follow Georgia’s lead

Est. 6min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Spanish being at odds with government over migrant crisis in the Canaries, a key political player in Bulgaria arrested for influence peddling ahead of elections, and so much more. 

Politics 07-10-2024

Romanian Constitutional Court rejects presidential candidacy of far-right MEP

Est. 3min

Romania's Constitutional Court rejected far-right MEP Diana Șoșoacă presidential candidacy over the weekend, according to sources suggesting judges found her recent statements incompatible with constitutional values.

Politics 07-10-2024

Czechia plans to push for major changes to EU’s car emissions goals

Est. 2min

Czechia plans to push for changes to EU car emission targets, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Transport Minister Martin Kupka (both ODS, ECR) announced on Friday, confirming that the focus will be on speeding up the review of the internal combustion engine ban and re-evaluating emission limits for new cars and vans for next year.

Politics 07-10-2024

Polish MEP: Hard times ahead for commissioner hopefuls Serafin, Fitto, Hoekstra

Est. 4min

Poland’s Piotr Serafin will face many challenges if he succeeds in becoming the new EU budget commissioner, while Italian and Dutch commissioners-designate Raffaele Fitto and Wopke Hoekstra are likely to be grilled the most during parliamentary hearings, said opposition PiS MEP Bogdan Rzońca (ECR).

Politics 07-10-2024

Salvini hailed by fellow Patriots for Europe allies at rally in Italy

Est. 4min

Leaders of the far-right Patriots for Europe gathered in the northern Italian town of Pontida for the annual rally of Lega, of which the leader, Matteo Salvini, received praise for combatting irregular migration.

Politics 07-10-2024

France’s Glucksmann gears up for possible elections next year

Est. 3min

French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, who leads the French Socialists in the European Parliament, said his Place Publique party would start preparing for possible new legislative elections, which could be held as early as July next year, at a rally near Bordeaux over the weekend.

Politics 04-10-2024

European Commission sues Portugal over failure to combat industrial pollution

Est. 2min

The European Commission is taking Portugal to the EU Court of Justice over failures to combat pollution from industrial activities, the European Commission announced in a statement published on Thursday.

Politics 04-10-2024

Poland sets condition for Ukraine’s EU accession

Est. 5min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Poland setting a condition for Ukraine's future EU accession, Slovakia's Fico suing Aktuality.sk’s editor-in-chief over bestselling book about him, and so much more. 

Politics 04-10-2024

Brussels pressures Czechia over Roma children discrimination

Est. 3min

The European Commission has issued a formal notice to Czechia for failing to comply with EU anti-discrimination laws, citing the continued segregation of Roma children in schools.

Politics 04-10-2024

Romanian former top NATO official linked to election scandal attacks journalist

Est. 4min

Mircea Geoană, the former deputy secretary general of NATO, has resorted to disinformation as part of his response to a journalistic investigation exposing links between a former key figure in his informal campaign and a Russian businessman.

Politics 04-10-2024

Houses of Bulgarian commissioner-designate have MEPs intrigued

Est. 4min

Two houses belonging to commissioner-designate Ekaterina Zaharieva and her husband Angel Zahariev in Bulgaria and Greece have aroused interest among MEPs, Euractiv Bulgaria learned from European Parliament sources.

Politics 04-10-2024

Fico sues Aktuality.sk’s editor-in-chief outlet over bestselling book about him

Est. 4min

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has filed a lawsuit against Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, over his bestselling book about him, prompting Reporters Without Borders to strongly condemn Fico's move in the biggest case against a journalist in modern Slovak history.

Politics 04-10-2024

Portuguese president urges Israel to reconsider declaring UN’s Guterres ‘persona non grata’

Est. 2min

Israel should reconsider its decision to declare the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, "persona non grata" in agreement with the position taken on Wednesday by the Portuguese government, Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Thursday.

Politics 04-10-2024

Italy warns G7 summit of rising terror risk threat due to global conflicts

Est. 2min

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi opened the G7 Interior Ministers' Summit by warning his G7 counterparts that international conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine, are increasing the risk of terrorist attacks.

Politics 04-10-2024

Poland sets condition for Ukraine’s EU accession

Est. 3min

Poland will block Ukraine's European Union accession until Kyiv solves the issue of exhuming the victims of the Volhynia massacre, which has been a contentious issue between the two countries, Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday.

Politics 03-10-2024

Far right Patriots for Europe group joined by Polish members

Est. 5min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about French Prime Minister Michel Barnier promising €60 billion in budget savings for 2025, two Polish MEPs joining the Patriots for Europe, and so much more. 

Politics 03-10-2024

Romania, Greece, Bulgaria request measures to address higher energy prices

Est. 3min

Romania, Greece and Bulgaria have requested several measures to address the consistently higher energy market prices in Eastern Europe compared to Western Europe in recent months.

Politics 03-10-2024

Portugal’s high debt, budget surplus is an ‘exception’ in EU – Commission advisory body

Est. 3min

The European Fiscal Board (EFB), the European Commission's independent advisory body, considers in its annual report that Portugal is an ‘exception’ in the European Union (EU) for having high debt and achieving a structural surplus.

Politics 03-10-2024

Spain to send two military planes to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon

Est. 2min

Spain will send two military aircraft to Beirut on Thursday to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon amid escalating violence in the region, Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said on Wednesday.

Politics 03-10-2024

G7 leaders still hope for diplomatic solution in Middle East, Italy says

Est. 2min

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urgently convened a phone conference with G7 leaders on Wednesday in response to the escalating Middle East crisis, resulting in a strong condemnation of Iran's attack on Israel.

Politics 03-10-2024

Bulgaria strengthens security over Middle East crisis

Est. 2min

Escalations in the Middle East has Bulgaria stepping up security measures in the areas surrounding Israel's diplomatic mission in Sofia and other locations.

Politics 03-10-2024

Middle East crisis: Commission says EU remains ‘safe haven’ for refugees

Est. 6min

EU officials want member states to ensure effective access to asylum at borders, deciding asylum applications based on individual assessments.

Politics 03-10-2024

Far right Patriots for Europe group joined by Polish members

Est. 4min

Far-right Confederation MEPs Anna Bryłka and Tomasz Buczek announced that they had joined the recently formed far-right EU group, the Patriots for Europe.

Politics 02-10-2024

Britain and EU to hold regular summits following Starmer’s ‘reset’ trip

Est. 4min

Britain and the EU will hold regular leaders' summits from next year, following talks in Brussels between British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (2 October).

Politics 02-10-2024

Greek left says Le Pen’s right hand Bardella ‘unwanted’ in Athens

Est. 5min

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Polish far right getting a boost in the polls following the floods, the Bulgarian government not having a clear picture of Russian investment in the country, and so much more. 

Politics 02-10-2024

Portuguese PM will meet opposition leader amid budget row again

Est. 2min

Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Socialist Party leader Pedro Nuno Santos will meet again at the end of the day on Thursday as part of the negotiations on the 2025 budget, a source in Luís Montenegro's office told Lusa.

Politics 02-10-2024

Italian lawmakers to question car giant Stellantis

Est. 4min

The long-simmering crisis at the world's fourth-largest carmaker has now reached a critical point, with lawmakers from the opposition and ruling parties set to question CEO Carlos Tavares on 11 October.

Politics 02-10-2024

Bulgarian government lacks clear picture of Russian investment in country

Est. 3min

Bulgaria, which has not yet sanctioned any Russian assets, does not have an accurate picture of the scale and nature of Russian investment in the country's economy, Justice Minister Maria Pavlova said in response to a parliamentary question.

Politics 02-10-2024

Slovak MEPs divided over Brussels’ possible move to freeze EU funds

Est. 3min

Slovak MEPs are sharply divided over the European Commission's possible move to freeze its EU funds amid concerns over the rule of law, with ruling party members condemning the move as politically motivated while the opposition remains divided.

Politics 02-10-2024

Czechia’s Lipavský to remain in office despite government shake-up

Est. 2min

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský will stay in the government despite a reshuffle that saw his party, the Czech Pirate Party, pull out of the ruling coalition.

Politics 02-10-2024

Italian lawmakers to question car giant Stellantis

Est. 4min

The long-simmering crisis at the world's fourth-largest carmaker has now reached a critical point, with lawmakers from the opposition and ruling parties set to question CEO Carlos Tavares on 11 October.

Politics 02-10-2024

Polish far-right party gets poll boost after floods

Est. 3min

The latest poll shows that Poland’s far-right Confederation Party has gained the most support among the parliamentary parties following the floods that struck the country's southern regions.

Politics 01-10-2024

Pirates quits Czech government, triggering cabinet reshuffle and conservative shift

Est. 3min

The Pirate Party’s exit from the Czech coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala has sparked a cabinet reshuffle and pushed the government further to the right.

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