Mitsotakis: A package of eight measures to support citizens
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday announced a package of eight new support measures, amounting to 500 million euros. The measures include assistance for rent, fuel, and increased benefits for pensioners.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/987121/Mitsotakis-A-package-of-eight-measures-to-support-citizens
Parliament lifts immunity of 13 ND MPs in OPEKEPE farm subsidies case
Parliament has voted to lift the immunity from prosecution of 13 ruling New Democracy MPs named in the case file relating to the OPEKEPE scandal over the distribution of EU agricultural subsidies. In individual votes, MPs voted to waive the immunity of Charalambos Athanasiou, Christos Boukoros, Tasos Hatzivassiliou, Kostas A. Karamanlis, Yannis Kefalogiannis, Theofilos Leontaridis, Notis Mitarakis, Katerina Papakosta, Maximos Senetakis, Kostas Skrekas, Kostas Tsiaras, Dimitris Vartzopoulos and Lakis Vassiliadis. One MP voted against the lifting of Papakosta’s immunity, while two MPs voted against the motion in each of the other 12 cases.
PASOK tables three amendments relating to banks
The proposals made by main opposition PASOK-Movement for Change concerning bank charges, the imposition of a levy on banks, and the acceleration of the amortisation of deferred tax credits of systemic banks are included in three amendments tabled by the party’s parliamentary group, led by party leader Nikos Androulakis, as attachments to a Ministry of Development bill due to be introduced to the plenary of parliament on Thursday, April 23, for debate and vote.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/987172/PASOK-tables-three-amendments-relating-to-banks
Kövesi expresses satisfaction to Floridis over government response to EPPO support requests in Greece
The Head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), Laura Kövesi, expressed satisfaction during her meeting on Wednesday with the leadership of the Ministry of Justice regarding the response of the Greek government and Justice Minister George Floridis to issues concerning the support and operation of the EPPO office in Greece, following the acceptance of requests she had submitted during her previous visit to the country in October.
ATHEX: Stocks decline on extended uncertainty
The prolonged uncertainty in the Middle East affected the Greek stock market once again, which shrugged at news of the increased primary budget surplus in 2025 and the new support measures. The attacks two Greek-owned ships suffered at the Strait of Hormuz did not help. Apparently, Athinon Avenue will not revert to normal mode before the geopolitical horizon clears, regardless of domestic developments.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1301655/athex-stocks-decline-on-extended-uncertainty
KATHIMERINI: Opportunity to regulate debts worth 95 billion euro in 72 installments
TA NEA: Scent of snap elections
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Super-surplus of hypocrisy
RIZOSPASTIS: Mockery support measures which the people have already paid for through the tax-heist
KONTRA NEWS: Justice Minister Floridis bends the knee in front of the EU Prosecutor
DIMOKRATIA: Surplus of vote-catching
NAFTEMPORIKI: Super-package for the post-RRF era
DRIVING THE DAY
UKRAINE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Tonight’s informal EU summit dinner in Cyprus was meant to focus on the war in the Middle East and the energy crisis. But the unblocking of the €90 billion loan to Ukraine has pushed the bloc’s support for Kyiv back to the top of the agenda.
I love the nightlife: Leaders will meet this evening in Ayia Napa, a seaside town better known (particularly to British tourists) for its nightlife than for political get-togethers. Arrivals are expected at 5:15 p.m. Brussels time … followed by an exchange of views with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 6:30 p.m. … and a working dinner at 7:15 p.m., with exit doorsteps expected after. We’ll track it all in our live blog.
The Z factor: Zelenskyy’s attendance at the meeting in person (not by video, as previously planned) was confirmed to POLITICO by Council President António Costa. “We will have the pleasure to welcome President Zelenskyy in person at this particularly meaningful moment,” he told Playbook’s Gabriel Gavin.
A moment months in the making: Leaders are poised for the likely approval of the loan for Kyiv — long blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who won’t be in Cyprus (as we scooped last week). Today’s 1 p.m. procedural deadline for the approval, coupled with the return of oil flow to the Druzhba pipeline, should pave the way for the loan to go through.
Costa’s pitch … is that Europe has proven it can deliver — and will keep doing so. “We will support Ukraine in 2026 and 2027 … for as long as necessary and whatever it takes,” he told Gabriel.
A new mood: With Orbán on his way out, many sense a reset. There’s “relief and optimism,” as one diplomat put it. The Ukraine loan and the 20th sanctions package on Russia (the latter blocked by both Hungary and Slovakia) are expected to be sealed and symbolically celebrated alongside Zelenskyy.
But then reality bites: Iran remains a top priority but expectations for that debate are low. “It’s always good that all leaders are on the same page and inform each other, but nothing concrete will come up,” said another EU diplomat.
Energy talks risk dragging the evening back down … from celebration to disillusionment. “On one hand, Europe delivers for Ukraine, but then come the implications at home: energy prices, security, travel risks … not much reason for elation,” one diplomat said. “It’s a bit like ‘The Great Gatsby’ — but without the cabaret.”
Lurking in the background is the growing strain being felt by the European Council, the EU’s central political engine that’s increasingly constrained in what it can actually decide, Seb Starcevic reports.
Also on the menu: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will brief leaders on Article 42.7 — the EU’s mutual defense clause that’s the closest thing to NATO’s Article 5. Cyprus is driving the push … not surprisingly, given the island isn’t a NATO member and was recently exposed to a drone attack. Nicosia wants clarity on how 42.7 works. A first test for where the bloc stands on it will come at ambassadorial level on May 4.
The discussion remains delicate: “We are moving step by step,” as one diplomat put it. But the broader signal is political. “We stand with one of our member states — Cyprus,” another said. Their comments underscore the need for unity at a moment when, as one diplomat put it, “we face problems we did not create — and whose solutions, frankly, do not largely depend on us.”
NOW READ: Gabriel lays out five things to watch out for at the summit.
MORE HOPE FOR UKRAINE
IS IT JUST THE BEGINNING? It’s not just about the loan. The political shift in Hungary is raising fresh hopes for Ukraine — including on EU accession.
Cluster-phobia no more: At a briefing on the sidelines of the EU-Ukraine Business Forum yesterday, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and Ukraine’s Deputy PM Taras Kachka signaled Hungary’s change of government could unblock the opening of all negotiation clusters that had long been stalled by Orbán.
Refresher: “Clusters” are groups of policy chapters in the EU accession’s process that are negotiated together. There are six in total, with the toughest three being internal market, competitiveness and “fundamentals,” including rule of law, judiciary and fundamental rights. All chapters must ultimately be closed for accession to happen.
EU’s new cluster pluck: “The situation is changing,” Kachka said, adding that Kyiv now hopes to open all clusters soon. Kos went further: The aim is to open the first under the Cypriot EU presidency ending in June and potentially all of them by the Irish presidency in the second half of the year.
Deals, deals, deals: The EU-Ukraine Business Summit continues today, with a new EU-Ukraine agreement on investment in emerging technology expected to be signed before noon. That will include €140 million in guarantees and €21 million in grants, aiming to unlock up to €400 million in financing. (Several defense deals — including on drones — were signed Wednesday.)
Good news travels: EU ambassadors have also green-lit the kickoff to the drafting of Montenegro’s accession treaty — a “major step” toward membership, in Kos’ words.
Delphic oracle: Speaking at the Delphi Economic Forum, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis predicted that at least one country could join the EU during Greece’s EU presidency in the second half of 2027. Which one? Still anyone’s guess.
SINGLE MARKET ROADMAP
PARLIAMENT’S ELEVENTH-HOUR TANTRUM: Group leaders signed off on the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap Wednesday night — but only after hair-raising brinkmanship behind closed doors. It was a close call for Parliament President Roberta Metsola, as Max Griera reports.
What’s at stake? The roadmap — the EU’s flagship plan to complete the single market and boost competitiveness — is due to be endorsed by leaders at the informal summit. Without Parliament’s green light, Metsola would have gone to Cyprus empty-handed.
Socialists socializing: The Socialists and Democrats and the Greens balked at the draft — negotiated by Metsola and the Council, based on the Commission’s proposal — because they reckon it lacks a social focus.
Give us a break: Talks stalled on Wednesday, triggering an unusual 20-minute break for last-minute huddles and calls to the Council. “I have never seen such a break, have you?” asked an official who was present in the meeting to his colleague as they walked into an elevator. “Never — it would’ve been annoying for the president to show up in Cyprus without a mandate,” responded the other official.
Compromise found: A clause was then added, committing to a future revision of the roadmap to include elements such as quality jobs and skills. The European People’s Party, the S&D, Renew Europe and the Greens backed the deal; the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists opposed it, insisting social policy remains a national competence.
Why it matters: The roadmap is a key follow-up to the 2024 Draghi report on European economic competitiveness and sets binding milestones for EU institutions to complete the single market. “It’s the first time I remember in the history of the EU that we have among the three institutions a binding document we are committed to deliver in such a comprehensive way,” EPP Chair Manfred Weber told POLITICO after the meeting.
Procedural blues: Across the board, groups complained about how the deal had been stitched together. The draft only landed last Friday, leaving little time to negotiate. S&D leader Iratxe García blasted the process as a “fundamental issue of democratic legitimacy.” Greens Co-Chair Bas Eickhout agreed: “The process was not good,” he said, pointing the finger at the Commission.
EU diplomats aren’t too worried about how the sausage got made. The added social clause is manageable, in their view. “It will be fine,” one of them told me, even sounding upbeat: “We’re quite happy. We — all the three institutions — made the document even readable!”
TRADE TALKS
ŠEFČOVIČ GOES TO WASHINGTON: EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will be in the U.S. for the rest of the week to talk trade with President Donald Trump’s team. But Šefčovič will also reach out to senior U.S. lawmakers, my colleague Koen Verhelst writes in to report.
Turnberry deals forever: The visit comes as EU ambassadors on Wednesday discussed the EU-U.S. deal agreed at Trump’s Scottish golf resort last summer. As always, the commissioner will sit down with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer — those meetings are planned for Friday. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was Šefčovič’s first stop late on Wednesday.
Wait and see: The commissioner, who had only just returned from South Korea, won’t have much to tell his counterparts on the internal progress the EU has made, as the bloc’s three main institutions will only return to talks on May 6.
A flock of lawmakers: But the Slovak veteran will be meeting with two representatives on the House Ways and Means Committee: Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts); he’ll also speak with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who heads the Senate Committee on Finance.
China strategies: Šefčovič will also exchange notes with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Michigan), who heads the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Moolenaar published a letter Tuesday urging the Trump Administration to engage with the Dutch government over chip machine-maker ASML’s exports to the U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who has pushed for stricter Chinese electric vehicle policies in the U.S., will touch base a bit later.
IN OTHER NEWS
SOFAGATE ON REPEAT: The loose wording used by Ursula von der Leyen when referring to Turkey last weekend has revived the Commission president’s long-standing feud with former Council President Charles Michel, Ferdinand Knapp reports. Michel has kept a relatively low profile since his term ended in 2024 — but resurfaced this week to accuse von der Leyen of having an “authoritarian” style.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier last night that the Middle East war is “starting to weaken Europe.” Without new policies prioritizing peace, Erdoğan warned, “the damage caused by the conflict will be far greater.”
RETURN RULES TALKS: Council and Parliament lawmakers made progress Wednesday on new rules to step up returns of rejected asylum-seekers. Positions are relatively close, but sticking points remain — including fast-tracking deportation hubs and allowing “strictly operational” contacts with representatives of non-recognized regimes, such as the Taliban. The next round is scheduled for June 1, with the Cypriot presidency still aiming to seal a deal before summer.