Before you start reading today’s edition of the Capitals, feel free to have a look at an interview with EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean by Sam Morgan: “EU transport chief cautions against green strings for airline bailouts”
Also listen to the Podcast of EURACTIV’s Agrifood Brief here.
**To stay up-to-date on everything to do with the coronavirus across the capitals, feel free to check out EURACTIV’s comprehensive overview, which is regularly updated with the help of our network of offices and media partners.**
In today’s news from the Capitals:
LISBON
Carrier TAP requests state aid. Portuguese flag carrier TAP has submitted a request for State aid, hoping that a response may be known “very soon”. The request comes after the carrier announced on 31 March that it would temporarily lay off 90% of its employees and reduce the normal working period by 20% for those remaining as the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis have severely hit the company.
TAP is 50% owned by the state, through state holding company Parpública, 45% by the private consortium Atlantic Gateway and 5% by its workers.
“The state aid will be to save the company, it is not a question of saving any shareholder,” the TAP chairman said.
Prime Minister António Costa said on Tuesday (14 April) that the government intends to maintain a timetable for the construction of the new Lisbon airport, which takes into account the economic consequences of COVID-19 that doesn’t rule out the nationalisation of TAP.
Referring to an internal European Commission document, EURACTIV’s Jorge Valero recently reported that nationalising companies in vital sectors of the economy “might be necessary”, at least temporarily, while additional capital could be injected into other companies and sectors.
In an interview with EURACTIV published yesterday (16 April), EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said the coronavirus outbreak means it is the wrong time to condition state aid for airlines on green measures, but warned the industry to stick to its passenger rights obligations.
(Lusa.pt)
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BERLIN
A few German states advocate greater caution. While Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) announced Germany’s cautious first steps to re-open parts of the country’s economy yesterday (15 April), a few Länder want restrictions to be in place for longer.
Given that states have different timelines for summer breaks and exams, the Chancellor suggested that COVID-19 exit schedules would have to be slightly changed as part of her government’s plan for relaxing the country’s COVID-19 restrictions proposed yesterday. EURACTIV Germany’s Sarah Lawton looks into how Länder representatives reacted.
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PARIS
Macron called for more help for Italy and Spain. In an interview with the FT, French president Emmanuel Macron warned of the collapse of the EU as a “political project” unless richer states help Italy and others recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Macron said that “there is no other option” than setting up a fund that “can issue mutual debt with a mutual guarantee” so that member states are funded according to their needs and not according to the size of their economy.
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VIENNA
Government to ramp up COVID-19-tests. The inhabitants and staff of Austria’s 918 care homes will be fully tested, Health minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) announced in a press conference on Thursday (16 April), adding that “this is the area with the highest risk”. As is already the case for medical staff, shop employees will also undergo increased testing.
As of Thursday (16 April), the number of confirmed coronavirus patients reached 14,416, of which 967 patients are hospitalised and 238 in intensive care. (Philipp Grüll | EURACTIV.de)
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BRUSSELS
Call for majority government. After the crisis, when there will be the need for an economic recovery policy, a government with a parliamentary majority will be urgently needed, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès (MR) told LN24. Alexandra Brzozowski has more.
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HELSINKI
A Finnish model to identify persons. Finland is examining ways to change the personal identity code and the management of identity guaranteed by the State with the aim of creating a national operating model to identify people in government information systems. The model would also change the way identity is connected to personal information. EURACTIV’s Pekka Vänttinen takes a closer look.
UK AND IRELAND
DUBLIN
Ireland quadruples WHO funding. Ireland is to quadruple its financial contributions to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney has announced. The move comes after US President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that his country would halt contributions to WHO for what Trump described as mismanagement of the coronavirus crisis. Samuel Stolton reports.
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LONDON
UK doubles down on Brexit threat, hints WTO terms offer more ‘flexibility’. Boris Johnson’s government doubled-down on Thursday (16 April) on its threat to walk away from the EU Single Market this year if a deal on a successor trade pact cannot be reached. It hinted that trading with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms would give the UK more ‘flexibility’ to manage the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Benjamin Fox reports from London.
EUROPE’S SOUTH
ROME
Regional pressure. Four regions in Italy have been pushing the government to ease the restrictive measures that have been in force for over five weeks. For the regions of Veneto, Sicily, Piedmont and Lombardy, the so-called phase two of the fight against the virus, which include the slow resumption of business activities, should start from 4 May, as the infection rate has slowed since the start of April. A member of the task force preparing phase two told EURACTIV’s partner ANSA that there will be differences between regions, as the pandemic had not affected all areas the same way. (Gerardo Fortuna | EURACTIV.com)
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MADRID
Government proposes national accord for reconstruction. As the number of COVID-19 related deaths rose by 551 to 19,130 on Thursday (16 April) while 5,183 new infections had been detected within the last 24 hours bringing Spain’s total to 182,816, the socio-economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus in Spain has prompted political parties to scramble for a national accord on the country’s reconstruction. The initiative was proposed by the Socialist Party-led government and is backed by the majority of the population. EURACTIV’s partner EFE has the story.
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ATHENS
Stricter fines for travel measure violators at Easter. The Greek government has doubled fines and included threats to remove car plates for anyone who travels without reason for Greek Orthodox Easter, Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said on Thursday. Athens-Macedonian News Agency has more.
VISEGRAD
WARSAW
Poland eases restrictions. Poland decided on Thursday (16 April) to ease some of its restrictions starting Monday (20 April). As a first step, the government will lift its ban on entering forests, increase the number of people in shops, and make it possible for people to move around for recreational purposes. However, minors under 13 will only be allowed to move in the company of adults. EURACTIV Poland’s Mateusz Kucharczyk looks into it.
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PRAGUE
Cyberattacks on hospitals. A number of hospitals and the country’s health ministry have been the target of – so far, unsuccessful – cyberattacks, said Health Minister Adam Vojtěch on Thursday (16 April). The same day, the National Cyber and Information Security Authority (NÚKIB) released a cybersecurity warning, which claims that crucial Czech communication and information systems, especially those of medical facilities, had been at a high risk of large-scale cybernetic attacks.
“This campaign can have serious implications for the availability, confidentiality or integrity of data in important information and communication systems,” NÚKIB warned. One hospital was attacked a month ago and could not function on full capacity for weeks. (Ondřej Plevák | EURACTIV.cz)
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BUDAPEST
High school exams to be held in May. The Hungarian government has confirmed its plans to hold national secondary school examinations in-person for which a maximum of ten students will be allowed in one room at a time. While students choosing to postpone their exams to fall will not be penalised, they will not be able to begin tertiary education as national exam scores are needed to enter. If all students who applied to begin their university studies choose to sit their exams, a maximum of 83,000 students will be passing them in May. (Vlagyiszlav Makszimov | EURACTIV.com)
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BRATISLAVA
Slovakia to join calls for green recovery. Slovak Environment Minister Ján Budaj (OĽaNO) initiated for Slovakia to join the calls from 13 EU environment ministers who have signed an appeal for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Slovakia is lagging behind in many environmental policy areas and does not use the full potential of green growth, new green technologies, circular economy, the minister said.
“For a successful restart…Slovakia needs qualitative changes“, said Budaj, adding that joining the call could mean a preferable political and economic position for the country when it comes to negotiations on the new 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). (Zuzana Gabrižová | EURACTIV.sk)
NEWS FROM THE BALKANS
SOFIA
Credit break. More than 20,000 people and companies have requested a credit break because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Association of Banks in Bulgaria reported. A credit break can be used by those who have or expect to have difficulties because of the restrictions imposed by the Emergency Act. Meanwhile, official data shows that more than 86,500 people, of which 40% had worked in the tourism industry, have registered as unemployed since 13 March, which was the day when the state of emergency was declared.
In other news, Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov was found to have breached anti-coronavirus measures by visiting a park and fined the minimum fine of 300 levs (€150) after a picture catching him in the act was published on Facebook. (Krassen Nikolov | EURACTIV.bg)
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BUCHAREST
Romania lifts ban on cereal exports. Exactly one week after banning the exports of cereal, other grains and food products, Internal Affairs Minister Marcel Vela announced that the authorities will once again allow such exports. The government had managed to make sure its state reserve will be completed so that it can ensure food security until the next harvest.
Romania is one of the largest cereal exporters in the EU, and last week’s decision surprised both the industry and the European Commission, which strongly disagreed with Romania’s ban on exports of cereals and other food products, feeling it was disproportionate and unnecessary. (EURACTIV.ro)
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ZAGREB
A drop in budget revenues. Budget revenues in the first half of April were only a third of those generated this time last year, Croatian Finance Minister Zdravko Marić told parliament, announcing that the ministry expects even worse results in May and June. Marić expressed hope that the government’s aid will be used in the right and honourable way, as it demonstrates the trust the government has put in the private sector and enterprises. Read more.
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LJUBLJANA
Government eases lockdown measures. The government has decided that some shops will reopen on Monday (20 April), chiefly DIY stores and those that sell technical goods or furniture. The time between 8 am and 9:30 am will be reserved for vulnerable groups such as the disabled, expecting mothers and those over 65. Dry cleaners and repair shops will also reopen, including car mechanics and bicycle repair shops, while beauty parlours and hairdressers will open their doors as of 4 May. (Zoran Radosavljevic | EURACTIV.com)
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BELGRADE
No more press questions sent via email. Belgrade daily Danas said it has decided to follow the example of the FoNet news agency and no longer send questions by e-mail for the daily coronavirus pandemic briefings. “Danas is showing solidarity with our colleagues at FoNet news agency and has decided to no longer send questions about the pandemic to members of the expert team who address the public every day without the media present,” a statement on the daily’s website read.
FoNet said on Wednesday (15 April) that it would no longer be sending questions by e-mail to the pandemic Crisis Staff after the Serbian government decided that all questions should be sent in before the daily briefing, which is no longer attended by reporters but only by the camera crews of the Tanjug agency and the state TV, RTS. (EURACTIV.rs betabriefing.com)
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox]