The borders of justice: Human rights violations at Hungary’s southern borders
The year 2015 hadn’t started off well for the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. After winning his second two-thirds constitutionalContinue Reading
Category: Insight
Dual quality products: Still an East vs. West debate?
Brno, Czech Republic – A long-standing claim and source of frustration among Central and Eastern European countries, including the VisegradContinue Reading
Viktor Orbán’s latest target: the Hungarian Academy of Science
The struggle for democratic and academic freedom in Hungary continues, with Orban’s latest attempt to consolidate power: after taking controlContinue Reading
What Zuzana Čaputová’s victory means for Slovakia – and what it doesn’t
Last week, Zuzana Čaputová was officially sworn in as the fifth president of Slovakia. Here’s why it matters – butContinue Reading
Meet V4NA, Orbán’s new (English-friendly) propaganda tool
Ever since the 2010 election and Orban’s rise to power, Hungary has not been the same: constitutional reform (threatening Hungary’sContinue Reading
The Trianon treaty and Hungary’s identity crisis
In early 1905, Ferenc Kossuth’s nationalist Party of Independence and 48 shocked the Hungarian electorate. The party, led by revolutionaryContinue Reading
LGBT rights in Central Europe (2/2): Poland and Hungary, gay rights in Europe’s illiberal strongholds
Brno, Czech Republic – The question of LGBT rights in Central Europe, including in Poland and Hungary, is not asContinue Reading
Should the Visegrad Group expand?
Brno, Czech Republic – The possible expansion of the Visegrad Group is a recurring topic in Central European politics, andContinue Reading
LGBT rights in Central Europe (1/2): Czech Republic and Slovakia, as different as can be?
Brno, Czech Republic – The LGBT question in Central Europe is not as much of a hot topic as itContinue Reading
Is mass tourism affecting Central Europe?
Since their accession to the EU 15 years ago, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have become more accessibleContinue Reading
Germany and the Visegrad Group: It’s complicated
Brno, Czech Republic – In February, the four Visegrad Group (V4) leaders met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to markContinue Reading
The ups and downs of Hungarians’ integration in Slovakia
Slovakia has many minorities living within its borders, from the historic Hungarian community in the south, to Ruthenians in theContinue Reading
Multi-speed Europe, or the Visegrad Group’s key conundrum
Multi-speed Europe, EU core, two-speed integration… All of these terms refer to one of the most debated ideas of EuropeanContinue Reading
The uncertain future of energy in Central Europe
In Central Europe – or among V4 countries –, energy security is becoming increasingly complex, with individual countries taking differentContinue Reading
The Czech Republic’s schizophrenic relation with the euro
Prague, Czech Republic – By many accounts, the Czech Republic has a lot to gain by adopting the euro. ButContinue Reading
Czech Republic, China’s Gateway to Europe (3/3): The fallout
Once one of the most vocal critics of China, the Czech Republic performed a diplomatic U-turn in recent years toContinue Reading
Czech Republic, China’s Gateway to Europe? (2/3): Broken promises
Years after Prague and Beijing decided to move closer to each other and increase their bilateral ties, the over-arching feelingContinue Reading
Czech Republic, China’s Gateway to Europe? (1/3): The honeymoon
Prague, Czech Republic – Overthrowing the all-powerful German neighbor, China became in 2010 the first market of Škoda, the CzechContinue Reading
Steve Bannon flounders in Europe’s illiberal heartland
Prague, Czech Republic – Steve Bannon, the chief architect of ‘America First’, came to Central Europe hoping to find theContinue Reading
Hungary: Why is the Trianon Treaty so controversial?
Budapest, Hungary – More than a hundred years after it was signed, the 1920 Trianon Peace Treaty remains one ofContinue Reading