According to the Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute Martin Vokálek European topics will be more frequently discussed in the public sphere. The reason for this are the newly elected MEPs, who met for the first time this week at a plenary session in Strasbourg. Their ranks include not only "traditional" politicians but also prominent figures with unconventional approaches. What challenges and changes can we expect from the new European Parliament? Listen to the Czech Radio podcast Bruselské chlebíčky.
Show moreŽiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of EUROPEUM Brussels Office, commented on the interim results of the June European Parliament elections directly from Brussels.
Show moreDemocracy and the rule of law in Slovakia are in even greater danger after last week's assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico than before. According to the local media, there are fears that government politicians, led by Fico's interim deputy Robert Kaliňák, will try to take advantage of the current situation to introduce repressive measures against the opposition and the liberal media, which could also affect local business. Project manager of EUROPEUM Institute Kristína Chlebáková comments on the situation for e15.
Show moreThe information about an EU-wide ban on gas and coal boilers, that has been recently circulating on social media, is not true. The aim of the new European directive is not to ban them, but to promote the phasing out of these boilers in line with the 2050 carbon neutrality targets. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, described the nature of the directive to the iROZHLAS.cz project Ověřovna.
Show moreOn September 30th, the long-awaited parliamentary elections held place in Slovakia drawing particularly strong global attention due to their perceived impact on the nation's democratic trajectory and their significance for the unity of the European Union. As a result, Robert Fico, leader of the opposition Smer-SD party, and a former Prime minister in three governments, emerged victorious once again, while his populist, aggressive, and anti-West rhetoric sparked further concerns among the EU leaders. Writes Simona Štibraná.
Show moreKristína Chlebáková, our project manager, commented in an article for Deník N on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Slovakia. The elections will take place at the end of September and may change the foreign policy orientation of Slovakia. Some political parties, including the biggest favourite, former Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer - Social Democracy party, are campaigning on refusing aid to Ukraine, being friendly to Russia and attacking the EU and the US.
Show moreOn Wednesday, June 7, a debate took place as part of the Café Evropa cycle, on the topic: "Turkey after the elections, which direction will it go?". The invitation to the debate was accepted by Lucia Najšlová, political scientist and author of the book Turkey and the EU: The Politics of Belonging, as well as by Deník N journalist Dominika Píhová and Břetislav Tureček, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the Metropolitan University in Prague. The debate was moderated by Žiga Faktor, the head of the Brussels office of the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy.
Show moreAt the turn of the year, Sweden took over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from the Czech Republic and will be responsible for leading the Union for the next six months. Although the Swedes have a reputation for being solid and liberal-minded partners, there are concerns about the great unknown because of the composition of their current government. For the first time in history, it is supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Our Senior Research Fellow Vít Havelka wrote this article for VOXPOT.
Show moreAn emergency meeting of EU ministers will be held today to discuss the dramatic rise in energy prices. The gas price cap is unlikely to happen, but other proposals are expected to be approved. Our research fellow Michal Hrubý commented on the situation.
Show moreThe new direction of the Slovak political scene and the significance of this development within the Visegrad region: that is the topic our Miroslava Pěčková deals with in her latest EU Monitor.
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