Resignation rocks Tempe crash investigation
In a dramatic turn of events, Christos Papadimitriou, the deputy chairman of the Hellenic Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARSIA), resigned on Wednesday, citing personal and family reasons. His departure comes after a series of public contradictions surrounding the investigation into the deadly Tempe railway crash, which claimed the lives of 57 people in February 2023. Papadimitriou’s resignation follows days of intense scrutiny from government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis and government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, who both publicly criticized his statements regarding the investigation’s findings.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1266588/resignation-rocks-tempe-crash-investigation
PM Mitsotakis: A win-win trade solution between Europe and the US is possible
Europe and the United States can find a win-win solution on the issue of trade that is mutually benefial, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday during an interview to Matthew Boyle, Washington bureau chief of Breitbart News.
Trump reacts to Mitsotakis interview: ‘I appreciate his comments’
US President Donald Trump responded to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ interview earlier in the day and his comments on a potential EU-U.S. trade deal. “I agree. I know him, he’s a good man, I appreciate his comments,” Trump told reporters Wednesday, referring to the Greek prime minister.
PASOK a pillar of security and potential, party leader says
The main opposition socialist PASOK party represents a pillar of security and potential, its leader Nikos Androulakis told the 10th Delphi Economic Forum on its opening day Wednesday. Criticizing the governing conservative New Democracy party for “not having a plan”, the PASOK party’s head noted that “for a plan to exist, there needs to be a focus on the future, not on the ballot box.”
Greece remains on FTSE Russell Watch List for possible market reclassification
FTSE Russell said on Tuesday that Greece will remain on the equity Watch List for possible reclassification from “advanced emerging” to “developed” market, adding that the next evaluation will take place in September.
ATHEX: Rollercoaster continues in markets
Greek stocks took another nosedive on Wednesday, after Tuesday’s rebound, in an environment of complete volatility dominated by the soaring of Chinese counter-tariffs on US imports, to 84%.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1266587/athex-rollercoaster-continues-in-markets
KATHIMERINI: USA: “War” with Beijing, truce with the rest
TA NEA: Tempi rail crash: A fiasco involving specific individuals
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Ridicule for the government’s “bible” on the Tempi rail crash
RIZOSPASTIS: Thousands participated in yesterday’s strike: No sacrifice for the profits of the few and the “hawks” of war
KONTRA NEWS: The deputy chairman of the Hellenic Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARSIA) resigned under pressure after spoiling the government story
DIMOKRATIA: Fiasco: Papadimitriou, deputy chairman of HARSIA resigns
NAFTEMPORIKI: Trump’s “turn” gives markets breathing space
DRIVING THE DAY: TRUMP CLIMBDOWN
TAKING THE OFF RAMP: After a wild 48 hours in global markets, U.S. President Donald Trump blinked on Wednesday, announcing a 90-day pause on the tariffs he’d imposed on most countries. However, the base 10-percent tariff, the massive tax on China and the previously announced steel/aluminum and auto levies remain.
Market meltdown: Trump’s walk-back followed a tumultuous day on the markets and — crucially — a spike in Treasury yields, as U.S. sovereign debt no longer seemed the safe bet it once was. By lunchtime on Wednesday the president had reversed course, nixing most tariffs, but keeping the punitive 125 percent rate on China in place after a series of tit-for-tat retaliations from Beijing.
Clambering to respond: The head-spinning news may have triggered a rally in global markets, but confusion initially reigned in Brussels last night, given Trump said he was only easing up on countries that had not retaliated. (EU countries agreed to hit U.S. exports Wednesday in response to steel and aluminum tariffs.) But a White House official confirmed last night that the EU got a reprieve because its retaliatory tariffs have not yet gone into effect — and that the bloc will still be subject to the 10 percent base rate that kicked off on April 5.
Taking the win: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk saw the sunny side on Wednesday. “Let’s make the best of the next 90 days,” he said, urging both sides to rise above “temporary turbulences.” German Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz said it showed the benefits of European unity.
When you’re explaining, you’re losing: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted to reporters that this was Trump’s strategy “all along.” Shortly after, Trump contradicted him, admitting that he had, in fact, changed tack because of market reaction. “I was watching the bond market,” he said at the White House. “I saw last night where people were getting a little queasy.”
Not out of the woods: Although markets rebounded, investors seemed to take only temporary comfort, given the latest announcement is just a “pause” and considering the battle of wills between the world’s two biggest economies, the U.S. and China, continues.
Oops: In an indication of the chaos that has engulfed the financial world, Goldman Sachs put the risk of a recession in the U.S. at 65 percent — only to rescind that warning an hour later when Trump announced the 90-day pause.
Gas gambit latest: Brussels has clearly heard Trump’s demand that the EU buy $350 billion of American energy to get longer-term tariff relief. “There is potential for us to buy more LNG from the U.S. but of course it needs to be on conditions that are also in line with our [green] transition,” Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen told the FT in an interview.
Taking stock: The trade turbulence will feature heavily at Friday’s Eurogroup and the EU finance ministers’ meeting in Warsaw, while EU ambassadors will discuss the tariffs this morning. France said last night it was cutting its growth forecast to 0.7 percent because of the uncertainty caused by the tariff war.
Beijing in focus: With all eyes now on China as it faces off against the U.S., Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and a Spanish government delegation arrive in Beijing later today preaching closer ties. Asked about countries like Spain aligning with Beijing, Bessent said “that would be cutting your own throat” and suggested China would dump products on other markets if it could no longer sell them to the U.S.
NEW GERMAN GOVERNMENT
ALMOST THERE: Friedrich Merz finally sealed a deal Wednesday with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on a new government, 45 days after his conservative party won a snap election. But while that was quick by German standards, Europe still has to wait until early May for the parliament to actually elect Merz as chancellor.
WHAT NEXT? The POLITICO team has been parsing what the new government will mean for some key policy areas.
Economy: As my colleague Tom Schmidtgen writes, the coalition agreement reads like an economic war plan: tax cuts, energy price reductions and a blitz of public-private investment funds.Merz had already sent a clear message to the continent that Berlin was ready to shake off its fiscal conservatism with the agreement last month of a massive spending plan focused on defense and infrastructure and the relaxation of the country’s notorious debt brake. The coalition also wants a free trade agreement with the U.S. in the medium term (while emphasizing a common EU response to the current tariff turmoil).
Defense: The coalition is promising the most ambitious military reform in decades, Chris Lunday reports, calling for hundreds of billions of euros in new defense spending, faster procurement, a larger military and a revamp of the country’s infrastructure. The coalition also plans to roll out voluntary military service modeled on Sweden’s system.
Energy and climate: With the Greens not part of the incoming coalition, one unknown was how the new government would handle climate policy. As Zia Weise and Karl Mathiesen write, it will back the EU’s ambitious climate target for 2040 — but only if countries can offset a portion of their own emissions rather than cutting them. The government is also abolishing a controversial heating law and lowering electricity taxes, as well as significantly cutting down environmental impact assessments, our sustainability team reports.
Migration: As widely expected, the new German government will get tougher on migration. The parties are pledging to change rules around family reunification and end all federal admissions programs for refugees. Berlin will also ramp up deportations to Syria and Afghanistan.
Prepping for the future: The next federal government will include a Ministry for Digitalization and State Modernization, Mathieu Pollet, Chris Lunday and Eliza Gkritsi report. The conservatives will take charge of the new digital portfolio — a move that delivers on their campaign pledge to split the current transport and digital ministry.
UKRAINE LATEST
NATO GATHERING: Defense ministers from the so-called coalition of the willing will meet today in Brussels with security guarantees for Ukraine topping the agenda. France’s Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and British Defence Secretary John Healey are convening the meeting at NATO HQ. Veronika Melkozerova has the details of Kyiv’s wish list.
Don’t hold your breath. But as my colleagues Laura Kayali, Clea Caulcutt and Esther Webber write in to report, no groundbreaking announcements are expected today.
Debriefing: The French and British chiefs of the defense staff will brief ministers on their trip to Kyiv last week and lay out options on securing the Black Sea, measures on air defense and how to boost Ukraine’s armed forces, our defense team reports this morning. But many questions remain unanswered — not least around the use of NATO command and control systems and logistical support from the U.S.
Empty seat: As always during coalition of the willing meetings — at least so far — the U.S. won’t be represented today. Another notable absence is Boris Pistorius, the German defense minister, who’s set to keep his job in the new government. Rixa Fürsen reports that Germany’s Chief of Defense Carsten Breuer will travel to Brussels to represent Berlin instead, though Pistorius is expected to chair the Ramstein group Friday.
The day after: Security guarantees for Ukraine are dominating discussions among the allies, with the role played by the U.S. the elephant in the room. “If there is a more or less fragile, more or less lasting ceasefire, [the question] is how we can have a mechanism to monitor it and how we set up reassurance forces to discourage a possible resumption of fighting,” Lecornu told the French National Assembly’s defense committee on Wednesday.
Reality on the ground: With no sign of an imminent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Kyiv warned that Moscow has even launched a “spring offensive.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night warned that at least 155 Chinese nationals were fighting on Moscow’s side. Senior diplomats from Russia and the U.S. are due to meet in Istanbul today, the Kremlin said.
Ukraine’s EU path: Speaking after Wednesday’s EU-Ukraine Association Council alongside Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos insisted Kyiv remains on the EU membership path. But she called out Hungary, which has pledged to hold a referendum on Ukrainian EU membership later this year. “There is now a consensus among 26 member states to move ahead,” she said.
Happening today: Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen is slated to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Vitalii Koval.
EPP PREPS FOR CONGRESS
WEBER PICKS HIS NO. 2: The center-right European People’s Party President Manfred Weber, who is cruising toward reelection in a few weeks, on Wednesday announced he would nominate Spain’s People’s Party MEP Dolors Montserrat as secretary-general of the EPP.
Power calculations 1: As Max Griera reports from the Parliament, the job reshuffle comes amid Weber’s continuing efforts to strengthen his grip on the party. He has routinely appointed key allies from the European Parliament, where he also leads the EPP group, to top positions at party HQ. Among them: French MEP François-Xavier Bellamy as treasurer and former Belgian MEP Tom Vandenkendelaere as his chief of staff. With Montserrat’s appointment, most of the key positions in the party will be filled with either current or former MEPs who are close to Weber.
Power calculations 2: Weber told reporters that the new secretary-general role will be less administrative and more political. Montserrat will be “the second face of the European People’s Party next to me,” he said. The real administrative workload, such as controlling the party’s finances and HR matters, will fall under the remit of another position, likely Weber’s chief of staff.
Fun fact: Bellamy’s French delegation voted against confirming the EPP’s own Ursula von der Leyen as Commission president. Montserrat’s Spanish lawmakers voted against the Commission as a whole, after jeopardizing von der Leyen’s second mandate by mobilizing the EPP against the Socialist Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera. “Hard to see why PP should be rewarded,” said a critical EPP official.
Will she take a second salary? Montserrat’s nomination has raised some eyebrows. The first question is whether she will get a double salary as both MEP and secretary-general, just like her boss. The other is whether she will have enough time to run the party if she keeps the posts of head of delegation in the Parliament and EPP group vice chair. Those questions will be addressed by the Spanish PP governing bodies in Madrid after her formal election, a PP official said.
Even more EPP top jobs: Weber and Montserrat will be formally elected at the party’s April congress in Valencia, along with 10 new vice presidents. The deadline to enter the race is April 22. Max hears among the candidates will be: Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Austria’s European Commissioner Magnus Brunner, Croatia’s Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, Romanian MEP Siegfried Mureșan, Polish MEP Andrzej Halicki and former Irish Commissioner Mairead McGuinness.
IN OTHER NEWS
AI UPDATE: As previewed in Playbook, the Commission unveiled its new grand AI proposal Wednesday, dubbed the AI Continent Action Plan. But it has also not ruled out changing its landmark AI Act amid pressure from industry, reports Pieter Haeck. Commission tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the EU is “committed” to the act’s main goals but said the Commission is looking into the “administrative burden” and considering “some reporting obligations we could cut.”
“Nothing is excluded,” said a senior Commission official when asked about the scope of the review during a briefing for reporters.
BARDELLA’S ANTI-CORRUPTION PLAN: Jordan Bardella, the leader of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, wants to address allegations of corruption, money-laundering, abuse of power and undue interference in EU legislative processes by establishing a Committee of Inquiry on Transparency and Accountability. Bardella emailed MEPs seeking support for his proposal, Elisa Braun writes in to report.
Irony alert: The National Rally has long sought to appeal to voters by campaigning on an anti-corruption platform. But Le Pen herself has been found guilty of embezzlement of European Parliament funds and sentenced to a five-year ban from running for public office, undermining her political future.
MEPs BLAST TURKEY: The European Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs adopted a report criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s crackdown on opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu, claiming the country was sliding into a “fully authoritarian model,” Max Griera reports. The report will be ratified in May’s plenary session.
Forget EU: Lawmakers concluded that the EU’s democratic values trump strategic or geopolitical considerations when it comes to Turkey’s hopes of joining the bloc, despite its powerful military and geopolitical weight. “Positive statements have not been accompanied by any concrete actions by the Turkish authorities to close the persistent vast gap between Türkiye and the EU on values and standards,” the report says.
ROMANIAN ELECTION LATEST: Romania’s liberal USR party dropped its candidate for the forthcoming presidential election, Elena Lasconi, to swing behind pro-EU Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan. Party officials were concerned they would split the pro-European vote and end up with two far-right candidates in the runoff. Polls are showing a nationalist surge ahead of the May 4 election rerun. Hanne Cokelaere and Carmen Paun have more.
PUSHBACKS PUSHBACK: Greece could lose funding from Frontex as the EU’s border agency investigates 12 open cases of potential human rights violations of migrants at its borders, Nektaria Stamouli reports.
NEW MEDIA: We’ve seen several European politicians, including French President Emmanuel Macron, give interviews to Trump-backing channels like Fox News during recent trips to the U.S. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis went one further by sitting down for an interview with the far-right Breitbart network on Wednesday. The Greek prime minister, who will speak at the Delphi Economic Forum today, insisted the EU and U.S. can reach a “win-win” trade deal that is “mutually beneficial” for both, Nektaria reports.
NOW READ THIS: Dominique de Villepin hasn’t been in government in France for more than a decade. But he’s currently enjoying an unexpected moment of fame, having returned to the spotlight after criticizing the scale of Israel’s retaliation to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Now, the 71-year-old is said to be considering a run for president. Marion Solletty and Pauline de Saint Remy have this must-read profile.