The delay in making the Ukraine candidacy decision was apparently about debates over final statement on #Bosnia.
President Michel says the final agreed text promises to “breathe new life” into the country’s accession process. It has still not been given candidate status.
“There can be no better sign of hope for the citizens of Ukraine Moldova & Georgia in these troubled times” says 🇪🇺Commission President @VonDerLeyen. This strengthens them “in the face of 🇷🇺 aggression”
But she notes that they need to do their homework to move forward in process
“Right from the start of the conflict 🇪🇺 has been reacting” with a strong response, says 🇫🇷President @EmmanuelMacron.
“This strong united Europe has been up to the task”
Macron asked about this morning's Western Balkan summit debacle.
"Is it fair to North Macedonia? No. There's been a lot of pressure on Bulgaria in recent months, this is the result of a political crisis in Bulgaria, we can't pretend that's not happening."
#Macron expands on his European Political Community idea:
“We are seeing enlargement fatigue. Countries have been in this process for years and years, it’s terrible. But it’s difficult to carry out these reforms. That’s why I proposed EPC…”
“…OK you can join the EU, but it will take a lot of time. In the mean time we need to think much more quickly how we can stabilise our neighbourhood,” says #Macron.
“Let’s be honest, maybe we won’t always be living together in the same house. But we’ll be on the same street.”
Here is the carefully crafted final wording on #Bosnia#BiH that caused the delay in granting candidacy status to #Ukraine today.
#Croatia & #Slovenia said it was insulting to give candidate status to 🇺🇦🇲🇩 and not 🇧🇦 today.
#EUCO leaders will now discuss Macron’s proposed European Political Union tonight.
So far there hasn’t been any serious objection to the idea, probably because it is so lacking in detail.
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Breaking: The European Commission is opening an 'excessive deficit procedure' against France for the first time.
This should have happened long ago, but France's power in Brussels for years made the Commission look away.
How will this impact the 🇫🇷legislative election?
Procedure also started for 🇮🇹🇵🇱🇧🇪🇭🇺🇲🇹🇸🇰
Romania currently the only country already under the excessive deficit procedure. Commission announces it will stay there.
The rules are meant to prevent a repeat of the 💶debt crisis, making countries tighten fiscal policy or face fines.
🇫🇷 had the 2nd-highest deficit (5.5%) in🇪🇺 in 2023, after 🇮🇹
For years EU officials openly acknowledged that France was getting special treatment, with 🇪🇺President Juncker famously explaining why France wasn't being put under the procedure by saying: "Parce que c'est la France"
The problem with the first option is you need to take the metro between train stations in Paris to switch, whereas in Lyon it's the same station
But...
🇪🇸Renfe & 🇫🇷SNCF don't have a ticketing agreement, so there's no way to get the preferred option as a combined ticket.
It doesn't show up on either website (Renfe won't even let you choose Brussels as a destination). Even 3rd party sites like SNCB Intl & Trainline can't show it
Tonight is the first semi-final for #Eurovision2023 in 🇬🇧Liverpool.
It's happening on the 25th anniversary of the 1998 contest hosted in 🇬🇧Birmingham, a transformative year that marks the boundary between the 'old' and 'new' Eurovision.
In 1998 Dana International became the first trans (and 1st openly LGBT) person to win the ESC.
Following the '98 contest it was decided to make two major rule changes: countries no longer had to sing in their national language and they weren't required to use an orchestra.
Those changes transformed what had become a stale archaic-looking contest in '90s into the explosion of spectacle in 2000s - helped also by the entry of enthusiastic Eastern European countries unable to participate during Communism.
The bookies have 🇸🇪Sweden as the favourite to win, followed by 🇫🇮Finland and 🇫🇷France.
But Sweden's odds have gotten worse since rehearsals started.
The singer, #Loreen, already won for 🇸🇪 in 2012 with Euphoria, a global hit hitting number one on the charts in 21 countries.
Among fans, I keep hearing "I predict Sweden will win but I don't want it to win". People like the song but think a 🇸🇪win is too predictable. 🇸🇪has dominated the contest for 2 decades.
If 🇸🇪win again they'll match Ireland's record for most wins - 7.
As the 🇬🇧#Coronation takes place in London, here's some fun facts about monarchies around the world.
I find Americans have the mistaken impression that Europe has many monarchies. In fact, excluding microstates, there are just 8 - and only 3 have been there more than 200 years.
There are actually more monarchies in Asia than in Europe.
The world has 16 kings, and only one queen (🇩🇰). Then there are 4 princes, 3 sultans, 2 emirs, 1 pope and 1 emperor (🇯🇵).
There are 4 types of monarchies remaining in Europe:
🇬🇧British
🇸🇪🇩🇰🇳🇴Scandinavian
🇳🇱🇧🇪🇱🇺Low Countries
🇪🇸Iberian
🇻🇦🇱🇮🇦🇩🇲🇨Microstates
This map shows when other European monarchies ended (most give the year of national independence from a imperial monarchy)