Serbia ignores West’s concerns, praises China’s Marxism

The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

Before you start reading today’s edition of the Capitals, feel free to have a look at the article “France hopes for 5G market worth €15 billion by 2025“, by Mathieu Pollet.

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 In today’s news from the Capitals:

BELGRADE

There is no other party or political organisation in the world that could boast what the Chinese communist party has achieved, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told an online summit to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Community Party, adding that Belgrade wants to continue strengthening its ties with Beijing. Read more.

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EU PRESIDENCY

Slovenian PM refuses to comment on party’s European political future. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša did not wish to comment on the European political future of his Democrats (SDS) party during a visit to Strasbourg to address the European Parliament. More.

VIENNA

Austrian government, opposition agree on new renewable energies law.  The ÖVP-Green coalition, together with the Social Democrats in opposition, presented a bill that aims to have the country’s electricity run entirely on renewable energy by 2030. Read more.

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BERLIN

German Conservatives launch ‘Making Germany Together’ election slogan. Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU)  has launched the official stage of its campaign for elections in September with a slogan, “Making Germany Together.” Read more.

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BRUSSELS

Belgian expert says ‘fourth wave’ already here. With a rising number of COVID-19 infections across Europe, Belgian biostatistician Geert Molenberghs said “the fourth wave of infections is already underway” but is not “something to be concerned about”.

“This is the start of a fourth wave, which hopefully will not get out of hand,” he told told Het Laatste Nieuws, adding that given progress on vaccinations, he does not expect a corresponding rise in hospitalisations. (Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV.com)

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THE HAGUE

Dutch crime reporter De Vries shot, in critical condition. Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, known for his work in exposing the criminal underworld, has been left fighting for his life after being shot on an Amsterdam street, officials said on Tuesday. Read more.

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PARIS

Transnational lists, top-candidate system no cure for EU ‘democratic deficit’. Transnational election lists and the Spitzenkandidaten system used during the EU elections to nominate the bloc’s leaders are no “miracle cures” to the “democratic deficit” in the EU, according to an information report presented by French senators on Tuesday. Read the full story.

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LUXEMBOURG 

European General Court gets new judge. A new judge has been appointed to the EU Court of Justice’s General Court in Luxembourg after it was decided the court would double in size in a bid to alleviate its increasing workload. 

The General Court was due to gradually increase from 28 judges to 56 from February last year, giving each EU country two judges instead of one. But following Brexit, the court will now have 54 judges instead of 56. (Anne Damani | EURACTIV.fr)

UK AND IRELAND

LONDON

London to follow Denmark’s lead on migration. The UK is set to follow the lead of Denmark in seeking to establish offshore asylum processing centres as part of new legislation. More.

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DUBLIN

Irish PM: ‘Window of opportunity’ for NI Protocol. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Monday called on the UK government to engage with the EU to work out an agreement on the protocol, saying “there’s a window of opportunity now given the extension that has been granted to knuckle down and get these issues sorted.”  Read more.

 EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italian minister: GDP could grow by more than 5% in 2021. Italy’s Economy Minister Daniele Franco has said growth of more than 5% was “achievable,” in remarks to the assembly of the Italian banking association (ABI) ahead of the G20 meeting held under the Italian presidency in Venice on Friday and Saturday. Read more.

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MADRID

Nightlife restrictions return to Spain as COVID-19 cases soar. Faced with soaring numbers of new COVID-19 cases among unvaccinated young people, the Spanish city of Barcelona announced it will shut down nightlife venues starting this weekend. Read the full story. 

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LISBON

Portugal: Delta variant responsible for nearly 90% of cases. The more contagious Delta coronavirus variant is responsible for nearly 90% of COVID-19 cases in Portugal and recorded a strong increase in the Northern region of Madeira and Azores, EURACTIV’s partner Lusa reported. Read more.

VISEGRAD

BRATISLAVA

Slovakia to impose stricter border controls for unvaccinated. Slovakia on Monday imposed stricter internal border controls aimed at halting the spread of the Delta variant and announced that from Friday all travellers entering the country will have to go into quarantine if they are not fully vaccinated, regardless of where they are travelling from. Read more.

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WARSAW

Poland says vaccinated need not quarantine. Vaccinated people need not self-isolate even if they had contact with the Delta variant of the coronavirus, health ministry spokesperson  Wojciech Andrusiewicz has said, adding that the vaccines deployed Poland are “fully effective.” Read more.

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PRAGUE

EP vice-president slams ePrivacy derogation. The ePrivacy derogation adopted by the European Parliament on Tuesday has prompted a heated reaction from EP Vice-president Marcel Kolaja (Pirates, Greens/EFA). Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Hungary issues decree decrying EU ‘attacks’ over LBTQI+ law. The Hungarian executive issued a decree decrying the “crude and anti-democratic political attacks against Hungary” in response to controversial legislation banning the “portrayal or promotion” of LGBTQI+ content to minors. More.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

LJUBLJANA 

Irregularities reported as voting starts in Slovenia referendum. Proponents of a referendum on Slovenia’s Waters Act have sharply criticised the organisation of early voting, alleging voter suppression had taken place. Read more.

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SOFIA

Bulgarian PM: European partners are siding with Skopje. Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Yanev has complained to the Slovenian ambassador that “our European partners are taking sides, tolerating North Macedonia and blaming Bulgaria, without real and well-founded reasons.” Read more.

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SARAJEVO 

WTO urges BiH to meet remaining conditions for full membership. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has urged Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet two remaining conditions for membership by the end of October, so it can be named a full member of the WTO at the General Assembly session on 30 November.

It would be “desirable” if BiH adopted a regulation on the quality of petroleum liquid fuels by the end of August and to complete bilateral talks with the Russian Federation, the director-general added. (Željko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.hr)

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PRISTINA

Work started on Joe Biden statue in Kosovo town. In the town of Urosevac, near the US military base Bondsteel, work has begun on a site set to host a statue of US President Joe Biden. Read more.

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TIRANA

Journalists win battle with Albanian parliament. Albanian lawmakers have withdrawn an initiative to change rules in parliament to prevent journalists from attending committees and parliamentary session meetings, allowing reporters to continue to follow the meetings of the parliamentary commissions, according to a letter signed by Speaker Gramoz Ruçi. Read more.

Agenda:

• France: Prime minister Jean Castex will participate in the national security and defence council before meeting with Hervé Gaymard, president of the Savoie departmental board.
• France: European Parliament debates rule of law in Hungary and Poland / COVID-19 tests cease to be free for foreign tourists.
• Belgium: EU Commission releases latest economic forecasts for Europe
• Sweden: Parliament votes on whether to reinstate Lofven as prime minister
• UK: Foreign Affairs Committee publishes report into China’s treatment of Uyghurs, recommends response
• Germany lifts ban on travellers from variant-hit UK, Portugal, India, Nepal, Russia
• Cyprus: Government announces initial aid package following devastating wildfire
• Poland: Parliament’s lower house known as the Sejm to hold the 34th session of the ninth term.
• Kosovo: Former NATO supreme commander Europe, General Wesley Clark, is set to visit Kosovo and visit the Kosovo Security Force.
• Croatia: Parliament debates amendments to Capital Market Act and a government report on the implementation of COVID-19 measures from 16 January to 31 May. 

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Paula Kenny, Zoran Radosavljevic, Josie LeBlond]

Read more with Euractiv

Slovenian PM refuses to comment on party's European political future