Thursday, February  22 2024

Greece to prioritize strengthening relations with India, says PM

In New Delhi on Wednesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described Greece as India’s natural entry point into Europe, and beyond, during his opening address at the annual multilateral conference “Raisina Dialogue.”

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1232261/greece-to-prioritize-strengthening-relations-with-india-says-pm/

Coastal zones bill debated by House committee

The abolition of the minimum width of beach zones that can be commercially exploited, the removal of leasing responsibilities from municipalities, and the level of coastal protection in Natura areas were the focus of most observations by social bodies participating in Wednesday’s House committee discussion of the Finance Ministry’s draft law. 

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1232275/coastal-zones-bill-debated-by-house-committee/

Illegal economy nearly halved

The illegal economy recorded a significant decline in Greece from 2013 to 2021, excluding the year of the pandemic in 2020, according to a report by researchers at the International Monetary Fund.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1232197/illegal-economy-nearly-halved/

Eurostat: Greece exceeds EU average in RES share of electricity consumption in 2022

In 2022, renewable energy sources (RES) made up 41.2% of gross electricity consumption in the EU, Eurostat said on Wednesday. In Greece, the RES share in electricity consumption in 2022 exceeded the European Union average to reach nearly 43%.

https://www.amna.gr/en/article/798817/Eurostat-Greece-exceeds-EU-average-in-RES-share-of-electricity-consumption-in-2022

ATHEX: Stocks ease but drop is moderated

Stocks took a dive at Athinon Avenue on Wednesday, though they had largely recovered by the close of trade.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1232284/athex-stocks-ease-but-drop-is-moderated/


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KATHIMERINI: Traffickers of illegal migrants are exploiting intense winds

TA NEA: Basis drugs have vanished from the market

EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Zero hour for SYRIZA

AVGI:  SYRIZA’s 4th Conference: Unity is the big bet

RIZOSPASTIS: “No” to hospitals operating like businesses

KONTRA NEWS: Prefabricated constructions will function as prisons throughout the country

DIMOKRATIA: Democracy undermined via the Justice Minister’s bill [amending the penal code]

NAFTEMPORIKI: The hard drive with the cross-checks of the Independent Public Revenue Authority (AADE)


EU ENLARGEMENT       

VDL PUTS UKRAINE’S EU ACCESSION ON BACK BURNER: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday poured cold water on hopes of making substantial progress on Ukraine’s accession to the EU before the European election in June, my colleague Barbara Moens reports.

Background: The next step of Ukraine’s accession is the so-called negotiating framework, which sets the guidelines and basic principles for accession talks. Von der Leyen was expected to present this within weeks.

Let’s wait until after the election: At a press conference Wednesday, the Commission chief said that “we are still working on the negotiation framework. My best guess is that it will not be ready before the European election but afterwards because I see the development of the different negotiation positions [and] this will take its time — but I guess around summer, beginning of summer we’re going to be ready.”

Say what now? European diplomats and officials, as well as Ukraine’s government, said they were taken by surprise by von der Leyen’s remarks.

Losing political momentum: The expectation was that the Commission would soon send the negotiation framework to EU countries, who would then discuss and decide whether to kickstart the accession talks.

Hungary looming: The hope from Ukrainian and many EU officials was to take these steps sooner rather than later, to avoid having those discussions during the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of the year.

Election jitters: But diplomats and officials said several EU countries were nervous about having a debate on Ukraine’s accession just ahead of the election. Europe’s angry farmers have no doubt played a role.

Kyiv keeps pressure high: Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ukrainian Ambassador to the EU Vsevolod Chentsov said that Ukraine is on track for accession and that Kyiv expects the Commission to stick to “the schedule they suggested and which was accepted by the Council,” adding “I do not see the reasons why it  would be difficult.” Chentsov noted that if the Commission faced any problems, “we are ready to discuss and see how to overcome those.”

NOW READ: Amid all of this, my Playbook colleague Nick Vinocur writes today on why the West is losing Ukraine. “Two years after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the situation has never looked more perilous for Kyiv,” he writes. “It may be too early to say the West will lose the war … but it’s becoming increasingly clear that it could.” Read more here.

MORE ON UKRAINE       

ARMS FUND LATEST: As anticipated by Playbook, Wednesday’s discussion among EU ambassadors to top-up the European Peace Facility (EPF) by €5 billion and set up a dedicated envelope for Ukraine didn’t produce any breakthrough on what some diplomats now refer to as the “Franco-German blockade.”

Germany open to compromise: But according to three diplomats, there could be a compromise in sight with Germany — which would accept to only partly discount its bilateral donations to Ukraine from its contributions to the EPF fund. So far, Germany had asked to count its bilateral contribution as 100 percent equivalent to monetary contributions to the EPF (background here).

But according to these diplomats, Berlin was hinting to a certain degree of flexibility on its request and was now working with the EU’s foreign affairs department to find a solution in time for early March, the deadline indicated by EU leaders to find a deal, two of the diplomats said.  

Just don’t call it a rebate: “This is not about any kind of rebate, since we will not in any way reduce our contribution of more than €7 billion for Ukraine,” Germany’s Permanent Representative to the EU Michael Clauß told Playbook. “This is about supporting Ukraine in the most direct, quick, and unbureaucratic way. It should therefore be considered as an equivalent contribution to the EPF.”

Need for more ammo: Ukraine’s Ambassador Chentsov stressed the need for more military aid for Kyiv when speaking to reporters Wednesday, my colleague Jacopo Barigazzi writes in to report. “We need to intensify our cooperation to get weapons, ammunition, in the quantity and also quality we need right now. Yes, this is a crucial moment,” Chentsov said.

Exhaustion: Ukraine “is getting exhausted” he said. But if Kyiv gets the ammunitions it needs, either through bilateral channels or using the European Peace Facility, “it is doable,” Chentsov said. “And if we get those supplies … as soon as possible, we will be able to use the reserve on the front line. Otherwise, it will be way more difficult for us.” 

UKRAINE’S ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHT: Meanwhile, when it comes to fighting fraud and smuggling, Ukraine is committed, Ville Itälä, the head of the EU’s anti-fraud office, told Jacopo.

Seeking to improve: “I saw the mentality has changed. It’s clear that they really want to work,” the OLAF chief said.

So many bodies: Ukraine has a plethora of bodies dealing with fraud and smuggling, from the State Audit Service, to the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Ministry of Finance. Around 40 participants from these bodies and more took part in a training that ended Wednesday, organized by OLAF in a bid to step up their efforts.

What’s at stake: In Ukraine “we have some cases that we are investigating,” Itälä said. But he said it was key to do all this work now, before billions start flowing to Ukraine for reconstruction. “Better to act now than when it’s too late,” he stressed.

Coordinating efforts: OLAF is coordinating with USAID, the World Bank and the IMF on managing money flows to Ukraine. When “one sees that there’s fraud, then that one will inform the others,” Itälä said, speaking of the institutions.

NATO TOP JOB       

SCOOP: RUTTE REACHES TWO-THIRDS NATO BACKING: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has already secured two-thirds of NATO countries’ support to lead the alliance later this year, two NATO officials told POLITICO’s Stuart Lau on Wednesday.

And overnight … my stateside colleagues Alexander Ward and Paul McLeary report that President Joe Biden will also support Rutte for the job — a move that will likely sway even more allies to come on board.

Big talks: “After very intense rounds of discussions among the allies we are now at the point where over 20 NATO allies are prepared to support Prime Minister Rutte as the next secretary general,” one of the officials told Stuart, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. The figure was confirmed by another senior official.

But but but: The next NATO boss will be endorsed by consensus, according to NATO rules. It means Rutte will still have to collect all the remaining votes.Rutte and his diplomats in NATO are now expected to speed up engagement with the last remaining allies with reservations. 

Hungary is one of them: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been repeatedly criticized by Rutte over Budapest’s anti-LGBT policies. Turkey, meanwhile, reportedly urged the outgoing Dutch leader not to favor EU countries within NATO, should he get the gig.

It’s also unclear if Baltic countries have endorsed Rutte, given their initial plan was to put forward their own candidate, such as Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. NATO officials say she has not been running.

Time pressure: The first official said NATO countries shouldn’t wait until the July leaders’ summit in Washington to endorse Rutte. “We would prefer to have this matter settled sooner rather than later.”

GERMANY       

SUNAK SNUBS SCHOLZ: When a new British prime minister comes to office, a trip to meet and greet senior politicians in Berlin is usually close to the top of the list of international priorities.

Not any more? It’s been 16 months since Prime Minister Rishi Sunak entered Downing Street, and he has yet to make a trip to Berlin. That has been noted with displeasure by what remains one of the U.K.’s most powerful European allies, according to officials on both sides, Esther Webber reports.

TRUMP TRIGGERS BERLIN’S NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE: Donald Trump may still be a long way from moving back into the White House, but he has already taken up residence in Germany’s collective psyche. His threats concerning NATO have unnerved Berlin — particularly as, without a nuclear deterrent, Germany could be exposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin like never before. Matthew Karnitschnig has more.

MONEY AND INFLUENCE       

MACHIAVELLI, EUROVISION AND A WATCHDOG: Barring any last-minute surprises, the EU’s future dirty money watchdog will have a home by the end of the day — as EU countries and Parliament seek to decide on the multimillion-euro question of where the anti-money laundering authority (AMLA) will have its shiny new seat.

What’s the latest: Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Paris, Riga, Rome, Vilnius and Vienna are all vying for the prize. The prestigious EU agency will bring hundreds of well-heeled officials with it, whose spending power would boost any local economy.

The winning bid will be decided over several rounds of complex voting systems in the Council and the Parliament, Bjarke Smith-Meyer reports. The final vote among ambassadors and MEPs is scheduled for 6 p.m., followed by a press conference.

Here’s how it’ll work: EU governments and MEPs will first gather in their respective houses at 3 p.m. to pick their top candidates for the final ballot. Parliament plans to do this through a discussion to agree on two or three cities.

Meanwhile, Council will use a Eurovision-style voting system to decide on a single city that all countries will back.

How Council can rig the system: Officially, both Parliament and Council have a say. Each get 27 votes and the first city to secure more than half the votes wins the race for AMLA.

But it’s messy … Council can rig the system by presenting just one candidate. Parliament’s votes would be distributed depending on the weight of each political group. But since Council will jointly back one city (on which they agreed between themselves beforehand) they will need the support of only one political group in parliament to cement their top pick.

EPP WANT IT TO GO TO A SMALLER COUNTRY: That was “the broad feeling” during a special meeting on AMLA of the EPP heads of national delegations on Wednesday morning.

Meaning: Though the EPP group has not adopted a formal position, “many in the EPP are frustrated that agencies are spread unevenly in Europe,” said an EPP source. “The smaller countries too often draw the short stick, this is especially true for the Baltics, east and central Europe. What happened to size doesn’t matter?”

THE BOTTOM LINE: At the end of the day, the Council always wins.

IN OTHER NEWS       

VDL WON’T RULE OUT WORKING WITH ECR: Von der Leyen on Wednesday indicated she would be open to working with politicians from the European Conservatives and Reformists grouping after the election, Eddy Wax reports. The reality is, she may not have much choice — both in the Council (where she’s already works with ECR governments) and in Parliament, where her EPP group has already decided to work with ECR members that are pro-Ukraine and pro-EU.

MORE BACK BURNERS: The combustion engine ban from 2035 — considered one of von der Leyen’s central projects — could be watered down, the Commission chief herself is now suggesting. “People often forget that a review will take place in 2026,” von der Leyen said on Wednesday. A proposal for an exemption for combustion engines powered by e-fuels is already on the table. Germany’s Transport Minister Volker Wissing is pleased, my colleagues in Berlin report. “I am reassured to see that our view on the phase-out of combustion engines is now slowly gaining acceptance at the top of the Commission,” he said.

BRUSSELS SPYWARE BOMBSHELL: Parliament on Wednesday asked members on its defense subcommittee to have their phones checked for spyware after it found traces of hacking on two devices. Antoaneta Roussi has the details.