Eurotopics.net

The EU is cranking up the pressure on Poland over the rule of law. On Wednesday Brussels launched an infringement procedure against the country over the government's new law on Russian influence. Shortly before that the European Court of Justice ruled that Poland's 2019 judicial reform violated EU law on judges' independence and privacy rights.

After almost 10 months with an interim government, Bulgaria now has a regular cabinet once more. An coalition between the two pro-Western but hitherto irreconcilable parties Gerb-SDS and PP-DB has chosen Nikolay Denkov (PP-DB) as prime minister. In nine months' time he will be succeeded by former EU Commissioner Maria Gabriel (Gerb), who will be foreign minister in the meantime.

The Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River has been destroyed, dramatically changing the situation on the front line in Ukraine. While in the area below the dam tens of thousands of people have to be evacuated to escape the flooding, above it the reservoir that also provides the water to cool the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station is emptying. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of blowing up the dam. Europe's press examines the repercussions and potential motives.

Hungary is due to take over the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2024. However in a non-binding resolution, more than two-thirds of MEPs in the EU Parliament voted to call on member states not to allow the country to hold the rotating presidency due to deficits regarding the rule of law and non-compliance with European values. The move has sparked a lively debate in the press.

The election campaign for Spain's general election, which has been brought forward to 23 July, has begun. The conservative Popular Party (PP), which was the big winner of the recent local elections, remains silent on whether it would form a coalition with the far-right Vox. Its main focus is to topple Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Socialists. Sánchez is seeking to rally the support of left-wing voters with warnings about Vox.