MEPs in Strasbourg will vote on a loan of up to 900 billion crowns to Ukraine. This should be covered by the proceeds from frozen Russian assets. Other topics to be discussed include the EU's draft budget for next year and the situation in Lebanon. Martin Vokálek, executive director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for CNN Prima News.
Show moreCzech Industry Minister Jozef Síkela is to be the Commissioner for International Partnerships in the new European Commission. EU chief executive Ursula von der Leyen announced this at a press conference in Strasbourg. Political analysts are divided on Síkela's portfolio, they say the government expected more. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Czech Radio.
Show moreThe first session of the European Parliament after the elections is beginning. MEPs will elect the presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission. How does the plenary session proceed? And what will be crucial during it? Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of the Brussels office at EUROPEUM Institute, responds for Slovak STVR.
Show moreMEPs will elect the new leadership of the European Parliament at the inaugural session in Strasbourg. Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola from the European People's Party is once again running for the position of president. On Thursday, they will also choose the head of the new European Commission, with most leaders supporting the current president, Ursula von der Leyen. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ČT24.
Show moreAccording 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 moreMEPs who are running for re-election in the upcoming European Parliament elections emphasize their influence in Brussels and Strasbourg, as well as their ability to shape public opinion in the Czech Republic. The actual extent was examined by EUROPEUM Institute, which compiled a ranking of the influence of Czech MEPs based on a survey of 100 Czech EU experts. Vít Havelka from EUROPEUM Institute discussed this ranking in Hospodářské noviny.
Show moreThe MEPs discussed the difficulty of changing the seat of the European Parliament, which periodically moves from Belgium to France. Most agreed that they would welcome if this movement was canceled. However, France would probably veto such a change in the treaties. What are the arguments for and against moving the European Parliament periodically? Is there any way out of this problem, or will Strasbourg's role remain the same for decades to come? Martin Vokálek, Director of EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, commented for CNN Prima News on the issue.
Show moreThe last plenary session of the European Parliament before the June elections took place in Strasbourg, France. In addition to the ceremonial commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the biggest EU enlargement to date, which also saw the Czech Republic become a member state, MEPs also discussed the Iranian attack on Israel and a regulation to combat violence against women. Martin Vokálek, director of the EUROPEUM Institute, gave a detailed analysis of the meeting for TN.cz.
Show moreEuropean Parliament's moving from Brussels to plenary sessions in Strasbourg carry symbolic significance, but the logistics costs up to 3 billion CZK annually. Implementing a change would require amending the fundamental treaties of the European Union, which would need approval from all member states. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this topic for Radio Impuls.
Show moreThe future of cars with exhausts is stirring Europe. That is why Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) went to Strasbourg to discuss the promotion of "realistic" rules. He is partly right. However, in the fight for synthetic fuels, which has been launched by the Germans, realism is clearly on the side of a proposal that has long been on the table. And whose future is now being threatened by Kupka and co. The commentary was written by our senior researcher Vít Havelka.
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