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In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about a YouTube Journalist announcing plans to run for Polish president, Romania getting a replacement for the Patriot system it donated to Ukraine, and so much more.
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
lead [Thierry Monasse/Getty Images]
Languages: Polski | Czech | Spanish 2025
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.
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In today’s news from The Capitals:
Fearing a coup d’etat during upcoming pro-European protests, paranoid Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced he is ready to deal with any scenario, which he says is justified by intelligence information. Read more.
WESTERN EUROPE
Germany’s Scholz speaks of ‘terrorism’ as two killed in knife attack. A German man and a two-year-old boy of Moroccan descent were stabbed and killed, and two others were injured in an attack in Aschaffenburg on Wednesday.
The suspect is an Afghan asylum seeker who was due to leave the country, according to local authorities. German media reported that he had a history of mental health problems.
The incident comes in the middle of a national election campaign and is the latest in a series of deadly attacks in Germany in recent months. In a statement, Chancellor Olaf Scholz described it as a “terrorist attack”, adding that he was tired of such acts of violence every few weeks and promising consequences. (Nick Alipour | Euractiv.de)
Germany’s interior minister calls on social media to protect election. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser met the operators of the world’s biggest tech platforms to demand that they boost efforts to protect the country’s February election from foreign interference, as they are obliged to under the EU’s DSA. Read more.
Last-minute delay in decision to split power markets in France, Germany. A controversial recommendation on whether and how to split the German and French power markets has been postponed. Read more.
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PARIS
France’s Bayrou to split controversial euthanasia bill. French Prime Minister François Bayrou on Tuesday announced plans to divide highly sensitive legislation that would legalise assisted dying into two separate parts. Read more.
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THE HAGUE
Court deals blow to Netherlands’ nitrogen reduction plans. A Dutch civil court has upheld Greenpeace’s claim that the government is not doing enough to tackle nitrogen pollution, piling pressure on The Hague as stricter limits on manure spreading loom. Read more.
UK & IRELAND
Farce in Irish parliament delays new government. Ireland’s parliament, the Dáil, descended into chaos on Wednesday, postponing what was supposed to be a routine vote to confirm the new prime minister. Read more.
NORDICS & BALTICS
Finland hopes e-fuels can recreate the Nokia magic. Energy company Freija AS has announced plans to build a major e-methane production facility in the Finnish town of Nokia – the original home of the former phone giant. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
Opposition wants to end Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine. Karel Havlíček, deputy leader of the ANO party, currently in opposition but leading in opinion polls ahead of autumn elections, has proposed ending the Czech ammunition initiative, which supplies Ukraine with large-calibre artillery ammunition. Read more.
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WARSAW
Famous YouTube Journalist to run for Polish president. Journalist Krzysztof Stanowski, who has become popular in Poland in recent years for his investigations and interviews, announced his candidacy for the presidential election on 18 May. Read more.
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WARSAW | BERLIN
Bavaria joins Poland against regional and agricultural budget merge. Warsaw and Munich signed an unusual pact against transforming the CAP budget and the cohesion funds into a single programme managed by national governments. Read more.
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BUDAPEST
Orbán announces massive interest payments to families. Some 1,700 billion forints (€4.5 billion) will be paid out to 800,000 families in Hungary, equivalent to around €5,600 per family, in interest payments on government bonds, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a video released on Wednesday.
Orbán described the measure as a way to stimulate the Hungarian economy with citizen spending and keep it away from foreign investors. Payments began on 20 January and will be made at the end of each month. (Bella Zielinski | Euractiv.com)
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
Romanian far-right AUR backs pro-Russian candidate Georgescu. The leadership of Romania’s far-right AUR party decided to back pro-Russian independent candidate Călin Georgescu despite differences on key issues like NATO bases in Romania. Read more.
Romania gets replacement for Patriot system donated to Ukraine. Romania will receive a new Patriot air defence system to replace the one handed over to Ukraine, Romanian Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr announced. Read more.
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SOFIA
New Bulgarian PM tries to salvage EU funds. EU funding under the Recovery and Resilience Plan was in the spotlight as Bulgaria’s new Prime Minister, Rossen Zhelyazkov, met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on his first trip to Strasbourg. Read more.
AGENDA:
- EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participates in Global Energy Transition Forum launch in Davos, Switzerland;
- High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas meets Foreign Affairs Minister of Türkiye Hakan Fidan in Ankara, Türkiye;
- Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera participates in “Your Stakeholder Dialogue: A New Trilemma: Climate, Development, and the Middle-Class” event in Davos, Switzerland;
- Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maroš holds meetings with Trade Minister of South Korea Cheong In-kyo, Commerce Minister of Saudi Arabia Majid Al Qasabi in Davos, Switzerland;
- Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis participates in “Debating Tariffs” event; Meets IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva; Attends “Has the Third World War Begun?” dinner in Davos, Switzerland;
- Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Šuica meets with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini;
- Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos participates in “Diplomacy Dialogue on the Western Balkans” event in Davos, Switzerland;
- Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensne meets with Minister for Mines and Energy of Brazil Alexandre Silveira in Davos, Switzerland.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe, Sofia Mandilara]
Languages: Polski | Czech | Spanish 2025
Updated: 23-01-2025
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New Bulgarian PM tries to salvage EU funds
Romania gets replacement for Patriot system donated to Ukraine
Micheál Martin becomes Irish prime minister for second time
23/01/2025
2 min. read
Italy-ICC row casts doubt on Meloni’s ‘war on traffickers’
23/01/2025
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Serbia detains, expels 14 foreign citizens attending NGO forum
23/01/2025
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D-DAY
20/01/2025
9 min. read
