Good morning from Athens,

BERLIN

Germany’s Foreign Ministry has been heavily criticised by the Federal Court of Auditors for wasting taxpayer money by acquiring lavish properties for its diplomatic representation in Brussels, according to a report published on Thursday. Read more.

Wagenknecht and Díaz disrupt left-wing politics in Germany, Spain. Sahra Wagenknecht in Germany and Yolanda Díaz in Spain have all but annihilated their country’s established left-wing parties, taking over their political space with brand new alliances – but how did they get there? Read more.

Move fast and break things: German coalition mired in chaos at mid-term mark. Two years after Germany’s first left-leaning coalition in 16 years took office, many of its ambitious reforms are overshadowed by inner contradictions and constant crisis mode. Read more.

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PARIS

Macron creates council of 12 researchers to guide French science policy. French President Emmanuel Macron brought together dozens of researchers and start-up bosses at the Élysée Palace on Thursday to call for a revival of French research and to announce the creation of a Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Read more.

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COPENHAGEN

Denmark votes to ban religious texts burning in public spaces. The Danish governing parties – the Social Democrats (S&D), the Liberals (Renew Europe), and the Moderates (Renew Europe) – voted in favour of a controversial bill making it a criminal offence to mistreat important religious texts such as the Koran or the Bible on Thursday. Read more. 

MADRID

Sánchez tries to curb Orban’s refusal to open EU doors to Ukraine. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez discussed several issues on the political agenda ahead of next week’s European Council in Brussels with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, including Kyiv’s possible accession, which Orban opposes as ‘premature’. Read more.

PRAGUE

The Czech Republic, currently not represented at the top diplomatic level in Moscow, will send an ambassador to Russia at some point in the future, President Petr Pavel told reporters after Thursday’s meeting of top constitutional officials on foreign policy issues, Czech Radio reported. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Fico’s government working to gain absolute control of arms industry, says opposition. Changes to the Competition Law, one of the first laws approved by Robert Fico’s government, will create a tunnel towards the defence industry takeover, the opposition’s For the People party and former deputy Prime Minister Veronika Remišová warned, adding that the new legislation gives the defence minister ‘unlimited powers’. Read more.

SOFIA

The ruling majority in the Bulgarian parliament has agreed to provide Ukraine with Bulgarian airspace for F-16 aircraft training, according to a draft decision proposed by the leaders of the three formations supporting the government. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania to have 30,000 charging stations for electric cars by mid-2026. Romania plans to enhance the national infrastructure for alternative fuels in road vehicles, which includes the installation of at least 30,000 recharging points by mid-2026, EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean announced at a sustainable mobility event in Bucharest on Thursday. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA 

Slovenia to purchase German air defence system. Slovenia will buy the German IRIS-T SLM air defence system, manufactured by Diehl Defence GmbH, under an agreement that they signed with the German Defence Ministry, the Slovenian Defence Ministry announced on Thursday. Read more.

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BELGRADE 

US Ambassador to Serbia: I hope Serbia will be part of EU enlargement plans. The EU is ready for a new phase of enlargement, and I hope Serbia’s accession will be part of that, US Ambassador in Serbia, Christopher Hill, told Euractiv Serbia, meanwhile the popularity of the EU among Serbians remains lowest in the region and Belgrade still refuses to align with the bloc’s foreign policy. Read more.

• EU: Economic and Financial Affairs Council convenes to discuss economic governance framework, possible introduction of a digital euro, and more;
• Competitiveness Council (Research and space) expected to exchange views on impact of research and innovation in policy making, framework to attract and retain research innovation and entrepreneurial talents, and more;
• Commission Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in panel discussion dedicated to the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action at COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Meets UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Kitty von der Heijden;
• Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson attends G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting, in Mito, Japan;
• Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton receive group of Critical Raw Materials project promoters;
• Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates at Gas & Hydrogen regulation trilogue meeting;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]