Good morning from Tbilisi, 

Thousands of protesters took the streets overnight and once again defied the ruling Georgian Dream party’s calls to stand down after the government voted through the Kremlin-style ‘foreign agent’ law.

But as the pressure on the EU is rising to provide a credible response, the bloc’s member states failed to agree on a common statement that would condemn the passing of the controversial bill, which Brussels warned defies ‘European values’ and could obstruct the country’s path towards accession.

Instead, a much-delayed EU statement, to be co-signed by EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, is expected to be issued later on Wednesday. 

Baltic foreign ministers, meanwhile, this morning will arrive on a mission to the country “to send a message that Georgia is Europe” and are expected to meet with key policymakers and members of civil society. 

Stay tuned as Euractiv’s Alexandra Brzozowski is on the ground to report on the latest developments.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to build up new capabilities and ‘structures’ at the EU level to battle foreign interference as part of her reelection campaign, while EU countries seek to review existing tools to maximise their effectiveness. Read more.

On the health front, a study has found significant delays in diagnosing rare diseases across Europe. 

Last but not least, EU ambassadors will debate lowering the protection status of wolves on Wednesday a controversial move that has no scientific justification, according to conservationists, who denounced it in an open letter.

BERLIN

The German regional court in Halle on Tuesday fined one of the leading figures in the far-right AfD €13,000 for using Nazi symbolism while the party struggles to shed its extremist image. Read more.

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PARIS

French industry minister Lescure welcomes Italian pharma company Chiesi’s investment in France. French delegate Minister of Industry Roland Lescure visited the production site of Italian pharmaceutical group Chiesi in the Loir-et-Cher area on Tuesday, after the company announced an investment of €10 million. Read more.

STOCKHOLM

Swedish coalition ‘undermined’ by far-right troll farm scandal. Sweden’s centre-right coalition of the Moderates, Christian Democrats (CD), and Liberals is now facing turbulent waters as revelations about its ally, the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD), allegedly running a troll farm, threaten to upset the political balance. Read more.

MADRID 

Ukraine’s President Volodymir Zelenskyy has cancelled his visit to Madrid, scheduled for Friday, according to sources at the King’s Household, after announcing that he was to meet Felipe VI and then have lunch at the Royal Palace. Read more.

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ROME

Meloni-Schlein planned TV showdown sparks backlash. Italian Prime Minister and Fratelli d’Italia leader Giorgia Meloni and Socialist Party leader Elly Schlein are to face off in a much-anticipated TV debate, but the decision has drawn criticism from analysts and other leaders who are trying to get it cancelled, saying it raises questions of fair play and clashes with the debate on the candidates for European Commission president. Read more.

WARSAW

Polish minister cites possible Russian involvement in recent fires. Russia may have been involved in the recent spate of major fires in Poland, including one at one of Warsaw’s biggest department stores, Polish Justice Minister Adam Bodnar has said. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Council of Europe blasts Slovakia over new broadcasting and NGO laws. Slovakia’s new draft law reforming public broadcaster RTVS and a new draft law on NGOs raise concerns, according to Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights. This prompts Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec to pledge his government will look into revising the proposed legislation. Read more.

ANKARA

Turkey’s Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek on Tuesday called for his country to be “firmly re-anchored” in the European Union, adding that Ankara and Brussels share “equal blame” for the deterioration in their relationship in recent years. Read more.

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SOFIA

Bulgarian far-right provokes clash with Ukrainian nuclear experts. Supporters of Bulgaria’s pro-Russian far-right Vazrazhdane (Revival) party clashed with a Ukrainian delegation of nuclear experts at the site where the Belene nuclear power plant was expected to be built, in a video shared by the pro-Russian party on social media on Tuesday. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania passes new law forcing fugitive convicts to pay repatriation costs. People convicted by the Romanian justice system who flee the country will have to pay for their repatriation, according to a law passed on Tuesday in response to the escape of several convicts in recent years. Read more.

• EU: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College of Commissioners meeting;
• Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks via video conference at Copenhagen Democracy Summit; Attends Joint Signing Ceremony of the Interinstitutional Ethics Body Agreement;
• Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates in ministerial plenary session at Belgian Presidency’s high level Offshore Energy Event, in Bruges;
• Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski holds video conference with European Court of Auditors Nikolaos Milionis; Attends 34th session of FAO Regional Conference for Europe online;
• Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit attends Antwerp Dialogue on quality industrial jobs in Europe;
• Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in Regional Western Balkans Leaders Summit on Growth Plan in Montenegro;
• International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen participates in EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples’ dialogue; Hosts Secretary General of the Finnish Red Cross Eero Rämö; Hosts governors of nine Brazilian federative states of the northeast region;
• Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Mairead McGuinness holds online meeting with Chairperson of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) Petra Hielkema;
• Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli delivers keynote speech at IDAHOT+ Forum, organised by government of the Netherlands and Council of Europe;
• Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts Switzerland’s President Viola Amherd;
• United States: Senate Intelligence Committee holds hearing “Update on Foreign Threats to 2024 Elections”;
• UN: Security Council meets on Bosnia;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Liene Lūsīte, Alice Taylor]