PM Mitsotakis at Metapolitefsi conference: Greece missed many opportunities, must now leap ahead
The greatest problem in Greece following the restoration of democracy in Greece is the missed opportunities, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday evening in a discussion at the “Metapolitefsi: 50 Years Later” conference, which focuses on the fifth-decade anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece.
Consumers to see price cuts of up to 18.1% in 3,000 supermarket products as of Friday
Consumers will see price reductions of up to 18.1% in more than 3,000 supermarket products as of Friday, when governmental measures aimed at tackling inflation and fostering robust competition across the supply chain will be enacted.
Coastal zone bill approved with tweaks
Parliament on Thursday ratified the draft law on the use of public property in coastal areas with the inclusion of some revisions that had been requested by social organizations.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1232964/coastal-zone-bill-approved-with-tweaks/
Greece seeking to create ‘smarter’ army
Marking the first step toward establishing the framework necessary to enable the creation of a “smart” army, the cabinet on Thursday approved the Defense Ministry’s bill on defense innovation. It essentially seeks to rectify a long-standing distortion in recent years that has kept the Hellenic Armed Forces from effectively accessing defensive innovation created in the country.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1232961/greece-seeking-to-create-smarter-army/
ATHEX: Benchmark grows 4.2% in February
February ended at the stock market with an impressive session, that extended the month’s gains for the benchmark and doubled the daily turnover, due to yet another stock rebalancing. That was the fourth consecutive month of growth for the main index, which has augmented 4.19% since end-January.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1233004/athex-benchmark-grows-4-2-in-february/
KATHIMERINI: First step towards a “smart army“
TA NEA: Overhaul in the land registry
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Tempi victims: You will not erase us
AVGI: Guilty whispers by Mitsotakis
RIZOSPASTIS: Israel-USA-NATO-EU are murderers! Solidarity to the people of Palestine!
KONTRA NEWS: Total recall for the Cold War
DIMOKRATIA: State Deputy Minister Triantopoulos confesses regarding the cementing of the accident scene at Tempi
NAFTEMPORIKI: Zero hour for the reduction of prices in super market goods
A NEW ANTHEM FOR EUROPE? Not since Ludwig van Beethoven delivered “Ode to Joy” on a USB stick to the Eurovision judges back in 1824 has an artist tried so hard to capture the spirit of our Continent in music. But now there’s “Europapa” — a pulsing, electronic ode to Europe complete with EU flags, tiny motorcycles and windmills, brought to us by Dutch artist Joost Klein. It’s … well … listen for yourself.
DRIVING THE WEEKEND: SOCIALISTS IN ROME
SOCIALIST HEAVYWEIGHTS GATHER TO ANOINT SCHMIT AS SPITZENKANDIDAT: Europe’s top Socialist politicians converge on Rome Saturday to make a show of force and anoint their lead candidate, Nicolas Schmit, ahead of the European Parliament election in June.
Their message, in a nutshell: We won’t let resurgent right-wing forces snatch this election away from Europe’s working classes and destroy our greener, more equitable vision for the future.
When to tune in: The action starts on Saturday when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, among other heavyweights, deliver a drumroll of speeches starting at 9:30 a.m. (See here for details.)
What to expect: Leaders will drive home Socialist talking points on the Green Deal, Europe’s cost-of-living crisis and protecting EU democracy. According to a Socialist insider, several leaders will also touch on world affairs, namely Ukraine and Gaza — the latter issue being one that sets the socialists apart from the generally more pro-Israeli center-right European People’s Party, but which also divides the center-left camp.
What’s in the manifesto: Calls to ensure “rights for all” … “social justice” … “a liveable planet” … “a Europe that protects its people” … “shared prosperity” … “the right to quality jobs with fair wages” … “a new Green and Social deal” … “a strong and competitive European economy” … “a feminist Europe” … “for young people” … and a “strategically independent Europe.” Read the latest draft of the group’s manifesto, obtained by my colleague Eddy Wax.
What’s not in there: There isn’t much on the big geopolitical challenges facing Europe. While Ukraine rates several mentions, along with Israel and the Palestinians, the word Gaza is absent. The only — oblique — reference: “We will work to end conflict, instability and humanitarian tragedies in the Middle East and elsewhere.”
Elephant in the room: That might prove awkward with the activists on site — especially in the wake of a fresh tragedy in Gaza, where more than 100 people were reported killed in a stampede and shooting by Israeli troops. Israeli and Gaza officials traded blame for the incident, which U.S. President Joe Biden said would delay any cease-fire or hostage release deal. See reports by AP … Washington Post … BBC … NYT.
What are we here for again? To nominate the Socialist camp’s lead candidate for the European Parliament election. Barring a tsunami or sudden onset of bubonic plague, EU Jobs and Social Affairs Commissioner Nicolas Schmit will get the nod. There are no other candidates.
Nicolas who? Prior to becoming the socialists’ top pick, the 70-year-old politician from Luxembourg was one of the lesser-known players inside EU bubble — let alone the wider world.
Kabuki race: So Schmit may seem like an odd choice to lead the socialists into electoral battle against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is set to get the nod from her EPP conservative camp at another suspense-free gathering next week in Bucharest, Romania.
The real deal: But beating von der Leyen to the top EU job isn’t really why Schmit was chosen. Instead, as top colleagues Barbara Moens, Eddy Wax, Jacopo Barigazzi and Aitor Hernández-Morales report in this piece out today, Schmit’s main appeal is as a compromise-builder who will be able to handle complex negotiations for top jobs after the election.
Killer phrase: “The ideal sacrificial lamb … Schmit’s real job is to pave the way for a larger share of socialists in top jobs such as leading the European Council, European Parliament or the EU’s foreign policy arm, after June’s European election,” my colleagues write.
Bottom line: While the socialists are solidly stuck in second place according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls, they will still have an enviable role as kingmakers in the next Parliament. “They are in a very comfortable position,” quipped one EPP official.
DON’T MISS THIS WEEK’S EU CONFIDENTIAL: With fewer than 100 days to go until the European election, EU Confidential brings you the state of play. Who’s already campaigning, who’s still preparing, who’s optimistic, who’s worried, what’s in the parties’ manifestos and (more interestingly) what’s not? And why are we still bothering with the Spitzenkandidaten idea? Host Sarah Wheaton and her panel of election watchers answer these questions and wonder if there’s more to party conventions than just family photos and bombastic speeches. Listen here.
ALLIES CRITICIZE BERLIN
SCHOLZ UNDER FIRE FOR “IRRESPONSIBLE” OUTING OF FRENCH AND BRITISH MISSILE TARGETING: Olaf Scholz has again landed himself in hot water, after his attempt to end the debate on sending German Taurus missiles to Ukraine backfired, my Playbook colleague Jakob Hanke Vela writes in to report.
Making waves: On Thursday, French and British officials lashed out at Scholz, with U.K. Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Alicia Kearns calling the chancellor’s words “irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies.” Joshua Posaner, Laura Kayali and Henry Donovan have more.
Background: Playbook first reported on Tuesday about Scholz’s decision to throw France and Britain under the bus to justify why he couldn’t send Taurus missiles to Ukraine — and we asked whether he was risking NATO’s security by revealing top-secret defense information. Britain and France have maintained a posture of “strategic ambiguity” on whether personnel are actively involved in helping Ukraine hit Russian targets — which Scholz undermined with his public comments.
Popping by the Vatican: Scholz’s attitude toward providing weapons to Ukraine will again be in the spotlight as he meets with Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday. According to my Berlin-based colleague Hans von der Burchard, reporting for Berlin Playbook, Scholz will spend at least 40 minutes with the pontiff at the Vatican.
Et tu, Francis? While Scholz is under fire over his refusal to send missiles to Ukraine, the pope has called for a stop to the production and delivery of weapons. “How can we speak of peace when the production, sale and trade of weapons is increasing?” he asked in January.
SPEAKING OF UKRAINE: Our top story this morning is all about F-16s, the American-made fighter jets that Ukraine’s defenders have been clamoring for and which are finally due to arrive — 60 of them — starting in the summer.
New challenge unlocked: Except operating the F-16s in Ukraine’s war zone will be tricky, report Veronika Melkozerova, Joshua Posaner and Jamie Dettmer. The bases will be prime targets for Russian attack, the planes themselves will be marked by Russian air defense systems, repairing them will be a challenge and even using unprepared runways could sabotage the delicate aircraft. Read the full story on Ukraine’s incoming “diva” planes.
MACRON COMMENTS ROLL ON: Russian President Vladimir Putin took the opportunity in a major speech Thursday to warn of “tragic” consequences if NATO were to put boots on the ground in Ukraine. “They should understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. All this threatens to result in a nuclear conflict, and therefore the destruction of civilization. Don’t they get that?” Putin said. More from Eva Hartog and Denis Leven here.
Macron’s gaffe: French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that he couldn’t rule out NATO sending troops to Ukraine was met with brickbats and catcalls this week. “If the French leader’s remarks were meant to send a firm warning to the Kremlin, they failed spectacularly — in fact, they achieved the complete opposite,” writes POLITICO’s Jamie Dettmer.
SPAIN
TROUBLE FOR SÁNCHEZ OVER PUIGDEMONT TERROR PROBE: Spain’s Supreme Court on Thursday opened a terrorism investigation into former Catalonia president and separatist chief Carles Puigdemont — whose support Pedro Sánchez depends on in parliament.
Background: The top court’s judges decided unanimously to open the probe over protests linked to the region’s failed 2017 independence referendum. Crimes of terrorism are not covered by the draft amnesty bill, which was designed to allow Puigdemont and his self-exiled allies to return to Spain.
Why it matters: The investigation throws another wrench into deadlocked negotiations over the amnesty bill and comes at a politically bad time for Sánchez, whose party is reeling from a corruption case involving a former minister.
IN OTHER NEWS
SLOVAKIA’S COURT DELIVERS BLOW TO FICO’S GOVERNMENT: Slovakia’s Constitutional Court on Thursday temporarily suspended key parts of the controversial criminal code that were recently approved by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government. “We’ve won the fight, but not the battle,” Ľudovít Ódor, former prime minister and current EU election lead candidate of the opposition Progressive Slovakia said, in an interview with POLITICO’s Ketrin Jochecová.Background: The judges suspended the introduction of changes to the criminal code that sharply reduce penalties for various crimes, including corruption, and slash the statute of limitations for major offenses, including rape. But they have not blocked the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which handles sensitive cases — including those connected to officials from the ruling Smer party. That office will cease to exist on March 20.
OLAF PROBES EIB LOAN: The EU’s anti-fraud office OLAF is investigating allegations of “serious misconduct” by staff at the European Investment Bank over a €200 million loan granted to Budapest Airport in 2018, according to an internal document seen by POLITICO. Mari Eccles and Federica Di Sario have the details.
WORLD TRADE WOES: The World Trade Organization’s ministerial meeting has gone into overtime in Abu Dhabi, in an attempt to salvage a deal. As the EU fights to make the WTO matter again, it’s short on allies, Camille Gijs and Doug Palmer report.
IN DEFENSE OF CAT-NAPPERS: Why has a member of Britain’s Conservative Party tried to block a bill that would make abducting cats a criminal offense? Paul Dallison has the answer in this week’s Declassified column. Meanwhile, over on the Westminster Insider podcast, Aggie Chambre talks to politicians about how to prepare for opposition.