Austrian chancellor says ‘nein’ to NATO – but keen on French nuclear shield
Source: Euractiv
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In today’s news from The Capitals:
VIENNA
Austria’s new chancellor said he would maintain his country’s status as one of Europe’s few remaining neutral states, despite calls for more robust solidarity against Russia and criticism that Vienna is freeloading on the security investments of its EU partners. Read more.
WESTERN EUROPE
BERLIN
Germany’s Merz tells EU to scrap supply chain due diligence law. The European Supply Chain Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) should be abolished rather than delayed, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Read more.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ATHENS
Greece mulls subsidised taxis to combat drunk driving. The Greek transport ministry is pushing a plan to curb drunk driving by subsidising the cost of taxi rides over weekends, but not everyone in Athens backs the idea. Read more.
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ROME
Meloni faces domestic criticism over absence from Kyiv summit. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing criticism at home for not attending in person the recent meeting in Kyiv with the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland. Read more.
EASTERN EUROPE
WARSAW
Tusk reacts to Putin’s proposal for negotiations. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded on X to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to resume talks with Ukraine.
“The war is ongoing, there are active hostilities, and we are proposing to resume negotiations – negotiations that we did not break off. What is wrong with that? Those who genuinely want peace cannot oppose this,” Putin told journalists on Sunday morning, as quoted by TASS.
He also expressed gratitude to foreign partners making efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis. Among those he mentioned were China, Brazil, several African and Middle Eastern countries, as well as the new United States administration.
“In response to our appeal, the Russians have proposed peace talks starting on 15 May. The world, however, is waiting for a clear decision on an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine is ready. No more victims,” Tusk wrote on X later that day.
His final sentence echoed a call by Pope Leo XIV, who, during his Sunday appearance for the Regina Coeli prayer, appealed “to the powerful of the world by repeating these ever-relevant words: never again war!”
The newly elected Pope urged that “every effort be made to reach a true, just, and lasting peace as soon as possible” in Ukraine.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)
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PRAGUE
French Commissioner Séjourné challenges Czech nuclear deal after EDF loses tender. French European Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has called on Czechia not to finalise a major nuclear contract with South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), in a move that has raised eyebrows in Prague. Read more.
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Bulgarian President рroposes controversial referendum on the euro. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, often accused by critics of promoting pro-Russian views, unexpectedly announced on Friday his intention to initiate a national referendum to delay the introduction of the euro, just weeks before the country is expected to receive approval for eurozone accession in 2026. Read more.
European Commission takes Bulgaria to court over road toll violations. The European Commission has referred Bulgaria to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to transpose EU rules on the charging of vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures. The case comes after three years of non-compliance with the 2022 EU directive that mandates road charges to reflect not only distance or travel time but also environmental damage caused by vehicles, including CO2 emissions, noise pollution, and congestion.
Under the “polluter pays” and “user pays” principles, the new rules were to be implemented by 25 March 2024. Despite a formal notice sent by Brussels a year ago, followed by a reasoned opinion, Bulgaria has not made the necessary legislative changes.
Bulgaria is a key transit country for land-based trade between Asia and Europe, with its border with Turkey frequently cited by Bulgarian authorities as the second busiest in the world, after the US-Mexico border.
So far, Bulgaria has only provided the Commission with a timeline for adopting the measures required to implement the EU directive, but the rules have yet to be introduced. As a result, the European Commission has initiated legal proceedings, requesting the imposition of financial penalties against Bulgaria.
Similar infringement actions have been launched against Greece and Poland, which have also failed to implement the new road toll requirements.
In a separate development, the CJEU has already imposed two fines of €1 million each on Bulgaria for a two-and-a-half-year delay in transposing two directives related to copyright law. The deadline for implementing the directives into national law expired on June 7, 2021, but Bulgaria only complied with the rules as of 1 December 2023.
(Krassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)
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BUCHAREST
Tens of thousands join pro-Europe demonstrations in Bucharest and other cities. A pro-European rally took place on Friday evening in Bucharest and other major Romanian cities under the slogan “One Path – Europe.” Participants carried the message “We go out to vote, we stay in the EU” and sang the Ode to Joy. According to protest organizer Mihai Rădună, around 20,000 people joined the march in Bucharest.
“We are still closer to Paris and London than to Moscow,” declared several speakers, emphasising that the demonstration supported not any political candidate, but rather democracy and freedom.
Most demonstrators called for a high voter turnout. “We go out to vote, we stay in the EU” and “We vote, we do not leave” were among the chants of the people. In Timișoara, western Romania, members of civil society, writers, and students also urged people to vote for a European Romania. “Putin, don’t forget, Romania is not yours!” they shouted.
Despite far-right leader George Simion’s claims that he has no ties to Russia and does not intend to take Romania out of the EU, many Romanians fear that his recent statements could weaken the country’s position within the Union.
“Europe doesn’t exist as a single entity, there are 27 states that make up the EU,” Simion said on Thursday evening during the first televised debate on Euronews between the two second-round presidential candidates.
Simion also declared that “Romania will not give a single penny to another country” and argued that Romania must align “perfectly” with the Trump administration.
Another statement that raised concern was his endorsement of Viktor Orbán’s “state policies,” which he pledged to implement if elected president.
(Cătălina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)
AGENDA:
- EU: Eurogroup convenes to discuss reports on banking union, European Stability Mechanism (ESM), digital euro, and more;
- Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council addresses disinformation impact, manipulation and threats in cyberspace for young people, European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education, and more;
- Informal meeting of energy ministers expected to focus on rebuilding Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, winter preparedness in Moldova, crucial clean technologies, and more;
- Commission President Ursual von der Leyen opens European Defence Industry Strategic Dialogue, and Future of the Chemical Industry in Europe Strategic Dialogue;
- High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas attends Weimar meeting, in London, United Kingdom;
- Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen holds meetings with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoji Muto, Minister for Digital Transformation Masaaki Taira, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Seiichiro Murakami, in Tokyo, Japan; Participates in EU-Japan Digital Partnership Council;
- Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius participates in EU-Ukraine Defence Forum;
- Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen attends 2025 Global Food Forum by Farm Europe;
- Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs debates 2025 State of Schengen Report;
- Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety debates post-2027 common agricultural policy;
- Parliament’s Committees on Foreign Affairs and Budgets hold joint meeting on Reform and Growth Facility for Western Balkans.
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[Edited by Vas Panagiotopoulos, Charles Szumski, Daniel Eck, Sofia Mandilara]
The original article: belongs to Euractiv .
