Category: EU Reporter

European finance ministers will debate national energy plans amid calls for more coordination between member states — and raised eyebrows over Germany’s €200bn energy plan.

Lithuania’s foreign ministry on Monday declared Russia’s top diplomat in the country, Sergey Ryabokon, persona-non-grata. “[His] recent actions and statements are incompatible with a diplomat’s status, and should be seen as interference in the host nation’s domestic affairs,” the statement said. The ministry did not detail the alleged offences. The diplomat has to leave the […]

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán warned that Germany’s planned €200bn stimulus package could erode EU unity. “The sanctions policy is imposed on everyone, but there is no common fund to compensate for the financial consequences,” Orbán said on Monday in Vienna. “The rich will help their companies with large sums, while the poor cannot do […]

The European watchdog for systemic economic risk last week warned of “severe” threats to financial stability — but internal notes show top-level officials expressed “strong concerns” over the “timing” of such a warning, fearing publication could further destabilise financial markets.

Europe has muted its criticism of India and accepted both the country’s neutrality on the Russian war in Ukraine and prime minister Narendra Modi’s undemocratic conduct and discrimination of minorities.

Cities and regions can play a crucial role to respond to the energy crisis. To do so, we need to invest in innovative solutions, appropriate infrastructure including cross-border, renewable energy but also in other environmentally sustainable types of energy.

Italy stopped receiving Russian gas via Austria this weekend, its top energy firm, Eni, has said, after Russian supplier Gazprom said Austrian regulatory changes caused temporary contractual problems. The outage comes after Russia cut off gas to Germany and Poland in a move seen as putting pressure on EU countries to drop sanctions. Austria said […]

Bulgaria faced ongoing political uncertainty after inconclusive elections on Sunday, which saw the conservative-populist GERB party of former prime minister Boyko Borissov hobble into first place with some 25 percent of votes, according to exit polls. The reformist We Continue the Change party came second on 20 percent. If Borissov fails to create a coalition, […]

Latvian prime minister Arturs Kariņš’ centre-right New Unity party came first in elections on Sunday with 19 percent of the vote, putting him on course to form a new coalition to stay in office. “First and foremost on everyone’s minds is how we all get through the winter … and that we all remain united […]

EU commissioner Ylva Johansson’s words on refugee protection were welcome. But, worryingly, the commitments made by EU leaders at the forum have not translated into action. There is still time for them to save face — but it’s running out.