Greek president issues call for unity after parade for Greek Independence Day
President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tassoulas conveyed a message of unity and national and social cohesion, in statements following the conclusion of the military parade on Tuesday, for Greek Independence Day (March 25, 1821).
President Trump on Greek Independence Day: US-Greece military cooperation ‘a cornerstone of security & stability in Europe’
The military cooperation between the United States and Greece is the cornerstone of security and stability in Europe, US President Donald Trump said in a proclamation issued for Greek Independence Day.
Cabinet meets Wednesday
A cabinet meeting will take place at 4 p.m. Wednesday to consider wages, civil servants’ performance assessment and compliance with an EU regulation on Foreign Direct Investment screening.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1265150/cabinet-meets-wednesday
Greece to join Europe’s supercomputer network
Just outside Bologna, at the foothills of the Apennines, one of the most powerful supercomputers in both Italy and Europe is in operation. Known as Leonardo, this high-performance machine boasts an impressive capacity, executing up to one billion calculations per second. Further north, less than 320 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, Finland hosts LUMI, another of Europe’s fastest supercomputers. Soon, Greece will join this elite league with the launch of its own high-performance computing system, Daedalus, further strengthening the country’s presence on the European digital map.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1265155/greece-to-join-europes-supercomputer-network
ATHEX: Highs unseen since 2010 for bourse
The Greek bourse produced another session of significant gains on Monday, in contrast to the trend in the rest of the eurozone, with the main index climbing to highs unseen since August 2010. Boosted by the recent credit rating upgrading by Moody’s for state bonds and banks, and the various corporate news (results as well as mergers and acquisitions), Athinon Avenue has now reversed almost all the losses its benchmark suffered during the crisis of the 2010s.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1265113/athex-highs-unseen-since-2010-for-bourse
KATHIMERINI: “Fever” regarding the SE Mediterranean power cable and hydrocarbon deposits
TA NEA: EU guideline: survival kit for 72 hours
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: The government is running out of fuel
RIZOSPASTIS: Work spaces are arenas of death; the safety of workers is considered “cost”
KONTRA NEWS: Sudden “friendship attack” by Donald Trump
DIMOKRATIA: Dolce Vita for EU employees in Brussels
NAFTEMPORIKI: The target for VAT collections exceeds 30 bln
DRIVING THE DAY: HUAWEI LATEST
NET WIDENS: Belgian prosecutors are investigating whether Huawei made illegal payments to procure an open letter that defended the Chinese tech giant’s interests, which was signed by eight MEPs, according to judicial documents seen by POLITICO.
Background: Belgian authorities raided 21 homes earlier this month as part of a sprawling probe. Investigators are looking into “excessive gifts” or “remuneration for taking political positions” from 2021 to the present, according to prosecutors. Four people have been charged with corruption and criminal organization and one with money laundering, the Belgian prosecutor’s office said last week.
The latest: According to an arrest warrant seen by POLITICO, first reported by Italian daily La Repubblica, a key part of the investigation hinges on a letter signed by eight MEPs and sent in February 2021 to three European commissioners. The letter argued that geopolitical tensions should not hinder the development of 5G equipment in Europe.
The details: That letter, although it does not mention Huawei by name, was sent just as several EU governments were rolling out measures that sought to limit telecom operators’ use of Chinese equipment.
Italian job: Conservative Italian lawmaker Fulvio Martusciello, one of the signatories, posted the pro-Huawei letter on X on Feb. 15, 2021, but later deleted it (here’s the archived tweet). His former parliamentary adviser and an assistant have now both been arrested in relation to the Huawei probe, according to their lawyers. The assistant’s contract has been suspended.
The fallout: POLITICO contacted all eight MEPs who signed the letter. Those who responded distanced themselves from the probe. Italian conservative lawmaker Herbert Dorfmann insisted the text was Martusciello’s idea and said he would not have signed the letter had he known it was related to Huawei; Romanian conservative Daniel Buda, also a signatory, attributed his involvement to his team; former MEP Giuseppe Ferrandino said he was certain “I never signed any letters of such kind.”
Olaf at the wheel: Another nugget from the must-read story is that OLAF did not investigate the matter — despite being alerted by NGO Transparency International to the 2021 letter.
Read the full story by Elisa Braun, Max Griera, Mathieu Pollet and Ben Munster.
CRISIS AVERTED
BE PREPARED, BE VERY PREPARED: EU citizens should stockpile enough food to get through at least 72 hours, the European Commission will warn today, according to a “Preparedness Union Strategy” seen by POLITICO.
War and pestilence: “In case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” the document intones, setting out a range of possible scenarios from full-scale war to deadly diseases to climate-driven floods. Aude van den Hove, Claudia Chiappa and Sam Clark have the full story.
Background: Five years on from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and more than three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU wants to show it can handle a crisis. In an indication of the growing threat posed by hybrid warfare, the proposal goes heavy on cybersecurity, including a plan for a “European cybersecurity alert system.”
At the ready: The plan “involves political actors at all levels, but also citizens, businesses and civil society,” Commission Executive Vice President Roxana Mînzatu told Aude ahead of today’s announcement. While Mînzatu didn’t rule out new legislation, she said the Commission aims to ensure “each EU policy has a preparedness angle.”
What’s next: An annex to the draft proposal lists some 60 key actions to be implemented within the next two years, including stepping up monitoring of fake news and assessing the level of preparedness in financial services.
Choreography: Mînzatu will present the strategy along with preparedness czar Hadja Lahbib after this morning’s weekly College of Commissioners meeting. The EU’s new Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN) will also brief the College, Sam Clark and Antoaneta Roussi report.
NOW READ THIS: We need to pay closer attention to what Russia is doing in Svalbard, argues Elisabeth Braw in this opinion piece.
TRANSATLANTIC LATEST
PUTIN’S GAME PLAN: The White House announced, to much fanfare, that Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea following the recent talks in Saudi Arabia. But there’s a catch: Moscow said the deal would only come into force if sanctions are lifted, including on food and fertilizer exports, and if Russia is reintegrated into the financial system via SWIFT. The Wall Street Journal reports the Trump administration appears to be on board.
Reality check 1: Excluding Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system was one of the early measures adopted by the EU in the months after the full-scale invasion three years ago, and easing up on sanctions remains a no-no for (most) EU member countries.
Reality check 2: Donald Trump conceded Russia could be trying to delay a full truce with Ukraine — before insisting he still believes the Kremlin does want to end the war. “It could be that they’re dragging their feet,” Trump said in an interview on Newsmax last night, adding that he’d used the tactic to play for time before. Seb Starcevic has a write-up.
SIGNAL FALLOUT: The latest developments in the stuttering U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks came amid the revelation that senior members of the Trump team discussed details of airstrikes in Yemen on the Signal messaging service — and inadvertently looped in one of Washington’s best-known journalists. Many of the messages were overtly hostile toward Europe.
With friends like these … British and European officials and diplomats reacted with a mix of hurt and anger to the leaked messages, our POLITICO team reports, as the Atlantic story reverberated far beyond Washington.
Freeloaders unite: Trump, in an interview last night, backed Vice President JD Vance’s description of Europeans as freeloaders. “I think they’ve been freeloading,” Trump said in a Fox News interview. “The European Union has been absolutely terrible to us on trade, terrible,” he added, promising tariffs on April 2.
It’s intense: Meanwhile, the EU’s Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič wrapped up an “intense” 24 hours (his words) in Washington last night. “The hard work goes on. The EU’s priority is a fair, balanced deal instead of unjustified tariffs. We share the goal of industrial strength on both sides,” he said following the meeting.
In-tray awaits: Back in Brussels, today marks the end of the Commission’s “consultation” period on the new counter-measures it announced as part of a two-pronged tariff response to Washington’s steel and aluminum tariffs. As our own Camille Gijs has been reporting, the Commission has been getting an earful from some member countries, including France, Italy and Ireland, on the inclusion of alcohol in reinstated tariffs that date back to 2018.
Bilateral diplomacy continues: National capitals are continuing to press for face time with the U.S. administration. Today’s visit by German Finance Minister Kukies comes a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington with his counterparts Margus Tsahkna of Estonia, Baiba Braže of Latvia and Kęstutis Budrys of Lithuania. Trump’s top diplomat “reinforced” the U.S. commitment to Baltic security during the meeting, per a readout.
Also today: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte heads to Poland for meetings with the top tier of the Polish government, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. Expect a press conference around noon.
NOW READ THIS: Europe’s High Representative Kaja Kallas has faced a barrage of criticism in her first months, with critics accusing the EU’s top diplomat of being decidedly undiplomatic when it comes to Russia and the Trump administration. Nick Vinocur and Jacopo Barigazzi take the temperature around town.
BREAKING BREAD WITH VUČIĆ
SERBIA IN FOCUS: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa for a working dinner in Brussels last night, at a critical moment for the Western Balkan country.
What’s at stake: Vučić is facing a backlash at home, with almost daily protests against his rule culminating in a massive demonstration in Belgrade on March 15. In the latest escalation, Serbian authorities are battling accusations they deployed a sound cannon against protesters, which Vučić dismissed as a “lie.”
Talking shop: The trio discussed the need to advance EU-related reforms and the escalating situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. “Progress is needed in media freedom, fight against corruption and the electoral reform,” Costa said — words that were echoed by von der Leyen and will be welcomed by campaigners frustrated at the EU’s reluctance to call out the Serbian leader. “It was a very frank, direct conversation,” said an EU official.
Belgrade’s version: Vučić told reporters after the dinner that he had advised the EU chiefs that “Serbia is absolutely committed to that strategic path” and that “a decision will be made very soon on the formation of a new government or holding elections.” Šejla Ahmatović has the details.
Not happy: Before last night’s meeting, MEPs from the Socialists and Democrats, the Left, Greens and Renew Europe — but, notably, not the center-right European People’s Party — called on von der Leyen to cancel the dinner in a letter to the Commission president, as Šejla reported last week.
Busy times: Vučić was in Brussels just last week for a meeting with Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, where Serbia’s accession plans were discussed. (Serbia applied to join the EU back in 1999, but its bid has stalled for years, in part because of continuing tensions with Kosovo.) Vučić also dined with Rutte, days after the NATO chief visited Kosovo, where the alliance has a peacekeeping force.
Time for a rethink: Kori Udovički, former deputy prime minister of Serbia and former governor of the National Bank, told Playbook in an interview that the EU has “looked the other way” while Vučić tightened his grip. She argued that Brussels’ focus on regulatory compliance is not equipped to address deeper governance problems in the country.
We the people: “For years, the EU has championed the rule of law in Serbia. Now, the Serbian people are demanding it,” said Udovički, who now chairs the Center for Advanced Economic Studies, a think tank in Belgrade. “The EU once saw Vučić as a stabilizing force in the region. But continuing to back him is far riskier.”
IN OTHER NEWS
ZELENSKYY IN PARIS TODAY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travels to Paris today. He’ll meet with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron this evening, ahead of Thursday’s summit of the so-called coalition of the willing — countries that may provide security guarantees to Ukraine after a peace deal.
Now read this: Casey Quackenbush has this story about the Ukrainian teens who took on Putin’s gulag archipelago — and won.
GOING NUUKLEAR: JD Vance will join his wife, Usha, on a trip to Greenland later this week, becoming the highest-ranking American official to visit the Arctic territory since Trump made it clear he wants the island. “Leaders in both America and in Denmark, I think, ignored Greenland for far too long,” the American vice president declared in a video announcing the trip.
Getting nervous: Growing concern across Europe about the U.S.’s reliability as a partner is not limited to issues like defense and trade. The Netherlands tightened its travel advice for LGBTQ+ people traveling Stateside, Csongor Körömi reports. The Belgian government is preparing to adjust its own guidance, Flemish public broadcaster VRT reported.
DEFENSE PLANS LATEST: Ursula von der Leyen’s ReArm Europe plan is facing resistance from Southern European countries worried that taking up the Commission’s offer of cheap loans to turbocharge defense spending would add to their already heavy debt burdens. France, Italy and Spain are leading the charge, report Gregorio Sorgi and Giovanna Faggionato.