Europeum

e15 | European politicians boycott Hungarian presidency. Will Orbán continue to provoke?

July 24, 2024

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took over the EU Council presidency less than a month ago, but he has already managed to provoke the EU institutions and most member states with his unauthorized "peace" mission to Russia and China. During this mission, he presented himself as a representative of the European Union, despite having no authority to do so. European politicians have responded to this situation with initial retaliatory measures. How will Viktor Orbán proceed? What strategies and tactics might the Hungarian Prime Minister use during his presidency? Oszkár Roginer-Hofmeister, a research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this for e15.

STVR | Boycott of the Hungarian Presidency in Council of the EU

July 23, 2024

Most European Union states have decided to boycott the Council meeting in Budapest. This decision is a reaction to Orbán's "peace mission", during which he met with Russian President Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and former US President Trump under the banner of the Hungarian presidency without any mandate from the EU. Will EU criticism slow Orbán down in his next steps? Can Hungary's presidency be revoked? Does EU foreign policy even need to be unified? The situation is commented on by Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.

ČRo | The European Commission boycotts the Hungarian presidency due to Orban's unexpected visit to Russia

July 16, 2024

The European Commission has announced that, in light of developments since the beginning of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, it plans to boycott informal ministerial meetings and send only senior officials instead of commissioners. Viktor Orbán has come under criticism for his recent trip to Russia, which he described as a peace mission aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and which he did not consult with the leaders of other EU states. This move comments Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute for Czech Radio.

Czech Radio | Babiš will be seen as a pro-Russian politician due to his faction in the European Parliament

July 11, 2024

ANO movement leader Andrej Babiš recently co-founded a new group in the European Parliament with Viktor Orbán. Patriots for Europe, considered an extreme right-wing bloc, now include parties of Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders among others. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala labeled it as pro-Russian oriented. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on Babiš's actions for Czech Radio.

Seznam Zprávy | Babiš' political group in the European Parliament is dominantly pro-Russian

July 10, 2024

The ANO movement has joined the new group Patriots for Europe, which it co-founded to promote national interests in Europe more effectively. Now it is third-largest in the European Parliament and includes, among others, the French National Rally of Marine Le Pen, and the Hungarian Fidesz of Viktor Orbán. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute talked in the podcast 5:59 of Seznam Zprávy how this affiliation could affect the perception of the Czech Republic abroad.

ČT24 | Patriots for Europe group strengthens

July 08, 2024

The new group in the European Parliament, Patriots for Europe, is about to hold its inaugural meeting. They need 23 MEPs from at least seven EU member states. So far, it looks like they will meet that requirement. Comments Viktor Daňek, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.

RTVS | Expansion of the Patriots for Europe political group

July 02, 2024

Hungary takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from Belgium. However, a new European platform, which was founded in Vienna on Sunday, is more widely discussed on the Hungarian political and media scene. According to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, many will be surprised at how quickly it will grow. Vít Havelka, senior research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, comments for RTVS on the formation of the European political alliance and its expansion.

ČT24 | ANO establishes a political alliance with Orbán and Austrian FPÖ

July 01, 2024

The Italian League, led by Matteo Salvini, will join new European Parliament party announced by the ANO movement, along with Viktor Orbán's Fidesz and the Freedom Party of Austria. They have identified the sovereignty of countries, the fight against illegal migration and the revision of the Green Deal as priorities. The alliance, called Patriots for Europe, now intends to invite other parties, and the group must be made up of MEPs from at least seven countries. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, comments for ČT24.

ČRo Plus | Hungary takes over the European Presidency. How will the country considered to be the EU's troublemaker handle it?

July 01, 2024

Hungary took over the EU presidency today, giving Budapest, perceived as a troublemaker in the European institutions, a different role for six months. At the same time, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced over the weekend the formation of a new alliance in the European Parliament with the Czech ANO movement and the Freedom Party of Austria. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, comments on the formation of the new alliance.

Lidovky.cz | New political group in the European Parliament: under the baton of Orbán

June 28, 2024

Visegrad sovereigntists. This is the name given by European circles to the upcoming new faction of the European Parliament, which is expected to include seven MEPs from the Czech ANO movement. The leader of the Czech opposition, Andrej Babiš, who led his MEPs out of the influential liberal Renew Europe, is working with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to establish the new group. Martin Vokálek, director of EUROPEUM Institute, comments on its formation.