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In today’s news from the capitals:

TIRANA

Albanian authorities thwarted a second cyberattack over the weekend after Tirana, backed by the United States with pledges of support and new sanctions against Iran, severed all diplomatic ties with Tehran, whether it accused of “sabotage”.

Meanwhile, hopes of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal continue to fade as major European countries have expressed “serious doubts” about Iran’s intentions. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germans decide to support Ukraine despite gas prices as FM travels to Kyiv. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock paid a surprise visit to Kyiv over the weekend to express continued solidarity – backed by new polls showing most Germans want to continue supporting Ukraine despite high gas prices . Read more.

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PARIS

Macron asks Putin to withdraw the weapons from the Ukrainian nuclear power plant. Heavy and light weapons must be removed from the Zaporizhzhia power plant, French President Emmanuel Macron urged President Vladimir Putin during a conversation on Sunday about the plant, which is besieged by Russian forces. Read more.

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VIENNA

The official resignation from the party shakes the conservatives in power in Austria. The resignation of Laura Sachslehner, general secretary of the ruling conservative ÖVP party, has rocked the coalition government and strengthened opposition parties after she criticized the country’s new climate bonus which also benefits refugees. Read more.

NORDIC AND BALTIC

STOCKHOLM

The centre-right bloc, dominated by the far right, is expected to win the Swedish elections. With 94.4% of the electoral constituencies counted, Sweden’s right-wing bloc is poised for a narrow victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections against the centre-left alliance led by ruling Social Democrat Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. Read more.

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HELSINKI

The Finnish minister praises self-sufficiency in electricity. Finland will be energy self-sufficient within two years or less, Economy Minister Mika Lintilä told the Finnish television YLE news program on Saturday. Read more.

SOUTHERN EUROPE

ROME

Poll: Italians want “sustainable” energy bills, strong voice in the EU. Two weeks before the September 25 general election in Italy, voters are prioritizing economic issues, particularly the need to make electricity prices sustainable, according to a new poll. In addition, a majority say that their country should “count more in Europe”. Read more.

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MADRID

Spaniard wait six months for a new car. Customers now have to wait an average of six months for a new car due to global chip shortages, up from just one month in 2019, new data from Spanish car dealers association Faconauto has revealed. Read more.

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LISBON

The Portuguese president is sworn in to the new health minister in a short ceremony. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was sworn in to new Health Minister Manuel Pizarro on Saturday at the Palácio de Belém. Read more.

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ATHENS

The Greek spyware and wiretapping scandal is now on the EU agenda. EU lawmakers are set to discuss the recently reported hacking of Greek politicians’ phones by spyware Predator following an earlier hearing on a journalist also targeted. Read more.

VISEGRAD

PRAGUE

The Czechs prefer to negotiate energy imports with Russia rather than cut ties. Czech citizens are more in favor of negotiating energy imports with Russia than completely severing ties despite the resulting high costs and necessary savings, a Kantar survey published by Czech television on Sunday showed. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovakia could nationalize its main electricity producer, indicates the Minister of Finance. If necessary, Slovakia could nationalize electricity producer Slovenské elektrárne to guarantee cheap electricity to the population, Finance Minister Igor Matovič announced on Sunday. Read more.

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WARSAW

Unfinished waterway to bypass Russia and open in Poland. A new canal connecting the Vistula Lagoon to the Gulf of Gdańsk is to be launched on Saturday September 17, although it is currently unfinished. Read more.

BALKAN NEWS

SOFIA

Bulgaria offers Azerbaijan an electricity contract for gas. Bulgaria has offered to export electricity to Azerbaijan in return for increased gas supplies, Acting Economy Minister Nikola Stoyanov announced on Sunday during his visit to Baku. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia will subject heating oil to price regulation. Fuel oil will be subject to price regulation from September 13 under a decree the government passed to ease the cost of living crisis ahead of the heating season. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Thousands march in Belgrade against EuroPride. Thousands of religious and right-wing activists marched through the Serbian capital on Sunday, calling on authorities to ban EuroPride, which is scheduled for next weekend despite being canceled by the government. Read more.

The United Arab Emirates grants Serbia a $1 billion low-interest loan. The United Arab Emirates and Serbia have signed an agreement to lend Belgrade $1 billion on highly favorable terms, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on Sunday.. Read more.

AGENDA:

• Germany: Defense Minister Lambrecht delivers a keynote speech on the new national security strategy. Chancellor Scholz receives Israeli Prime Minister Lapid in Berlin.
• Greece: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Paris, where he will meet French President Emmanuel Macron at 7:30 p.m. at the Elysee Palace.
• Slovenia: President Borut Pahor will host a Brdo-Brijuni process summit attended by leaders of Western Balkan countries.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Vlad Maksimov, Daniel Eck, Benjamin Fox, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Eleonora Vasques]