Climate change: Merkel’s choices questioned

Germany is close to missing its goal as to reducing CO2 emissions. The Green party demands a coal exit in order to form a coalition with Angela Merkel.

GERMANY

Automotive executives admonish politics

Electric mobility and digitalisation are the keys to the future. While Daimler chief Zetsche warns of the danger of a “lowest common denominator” policy, VW chief Müller is thinking about a super-ministry for technology and infrastructure.

ITALY

Electoral law, yes to confidence vote. Napolitano makes accusation

“Pressure on Gentiloni”. M5S blindfold in street protest.

POLAND

New ministers, new ministries

According to unofficial information three ministers are currently to be replaced: Krzysztof Szczerski, Chief of the Cabinet of President’s Chancellery, Paweł Szefernaker, Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland and Mariusz Kamiński, Head of the Secret Services.

SPAIN

Catalan government set to declare independence

Puigdemont refuses to appear before the Senate and prepares the announcement during a session of the Catalan Parliament.

BELGIUM

Draghi announces the end of cheap mortgages

The ECB is ready to scale back its stimulus package.

CYPRUS

Phileleftheros

Vote for resettlement

Strange amendment for Maronites came from a German and was approved by the European Parliament.

DENMARK

Greenlandic minister wants to focus on English

The Minister of Education in Greenland has established an expert group, which is to examine the possibility of making English the most important foreign language in the country instead of Danish. This will not only threaten the Greenlanders’ Danish language skills, it will also affect Greenlandic as a minority language, says a language expert.

PORTUGAL

Government shocked with Marcelo: “Things were settled”

Costa informed President of date of dismissals in MAI and of measures to be implemented, Government source assures. Prime-Minister knew that speech would be harsh, but intervention left him perplexed.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Scary they are far from tax

As found by Kommersant, the government is ready to reduce the mineral extraction tax (MET) for joint mining projects of Gazprom and foreigners. First of all, we can talk about a joint venture with the German Wintershall and the Austrian OMV. The exact mechanism and extent of the benefits are still unknown. The Finance Ministry wants to stay within the parameters already laid down in the Tax Code, but companies may pursue more ambitious goals. According to analysts, the application of increased MET for Gazprom and its partners is really not justified by the higher yield of gas exports.