The conversation then opens out into three tracks. First, the question of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia and why it carries such weight in Hungary's foreign policy. Second, the European game of the new Magyar government. Third, and most consequential, the emergence of a more ethno-national, post-Maidan Ukraine that, in Jarábik's reading, will lead with defence integration while EU accession slows, and will use its military weight towards its neighbours.

Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Dmitri Teperik, Resilient Futures Fellow at Visegrad Insight, joining from Narva on the Russian border. They discuss the political immaturity driving overreactions, the gap in intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, Russian disinformation framing the attacks as Baltic-originated, and the 18-month window before the Baltic Drone Wall becomes operational in early 2028.

Wojciech Przybylski, Editor-in-Chief of Visegrad Insight, is joined by Marcin Jerzewski, Visegrad Insight Fellow and Head of the European Values Center for Security Policy think tank in Taipei, to unpack the outcomes of the Trump-Xi summit of 17–18 May 2026.

They examine China's use of discourse power to shape the narrative around Taiwan, the strategic ambiguity now surrounding US arms sales, diverging EU member state approaches to China, and the concrete ways Central Europe and Taiwan can deepen cooperation, from drone supply chains to non-red technology partnerships.

This episode draws on an ongoing Visegrad Insight report on Central European perspectives on Taiwan scenarios through the lens of economic security. Watch this space.

Wojciech Przybylski is joined by Spasimir Domaradzki, assistant professor at the University of Warsaw and Visegrad Insight Fellow, for an immediate post-election assessment recorded on 20 April 2026, less than 24 hours after the results.

They examine Radev's two faces: his track record of pro-Russian positioning and ambiguous statements on Ukraine versus his image as an anti-corruption outsider and former fighter jet pilot; the collapse of state-capture actors Boyko Borisov and Delyan Peevski; and whether Bulgaria could follow Hungary's trajectory as a disruptive force inside the European Union.

Read Spasimir's article for Visegrad Insight: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgaria-votes-russia-hopes-for-new-orban/

Visegrad Insight Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgaria-radev-will-test-europe-resolve-on-russia/

In this episode, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Luca Flora Soltesz, a Budapest-based contributing editor at Visegrad Insight, about what this change means for Hungary and for Europe as a whole, how a new generation of voters helped decide Orban's future and what Hungarians feel and speak about after this 'revolution of dignity'.

They discuss whether globalisation can be reprogrammed, why China is winning the game of economic statecraft, how the United States has undermined the very coalition needed to counter Beijing, and what realistic strategies Europe has left — from the Mercosur deal to manufacturing partnerships with India, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The conversation also turns to the maritime order and how Iran, China, Russia and, increasingly, the United States are eroding the legal frameworks that make global shipping possible, and what the consequences will be for prices, security and Europe's economic resilience.

This episode was recorded on the sidelines of the Resilient Futures Fellowship programme, organised by the Res Publica Foundation and PZU Foundation in Warsaw.

In this episode, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Agata Kleczkowska, assistant professor at the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences and a Resilient Future Fellow, about where security policy ends and international law begins.

We cover:

- What Poland’s exit from the landmine ban signals for Central Europe

- Civilian protection, deterrence and the problem of ‘temporary’ weapons

- Nuclear umbrellas, French capabilities and the legal red lines of non-proliferation

- What ‘democratic resilience’ means in legal terms

- Why the international legal order is eroding, and why that matters for smaller states.

In this episode, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Visegrad Insight fellow Zsuzsanna Szabó, an energy and geostrategy expert based in Oslo, about Hungary’s deep dependency on Russian crude, the political economy of MOL’s margins and the ‘utility bill reduction fund’, and why the Druzhba standoff hits the Hungarian government where it hurts ahead of the April election.

They also discuss Hungary’s threats towards Ukraine, Croatia’s potential role via the Adria pipeline and why sanctions veto politics can look less like Hungarian national interest and more like Kremlin interest.

We discuss:

– Why ‘national interests’ rhetoric is back and what it means for the Euro-Atlantic community

– ‘Rearmament without warmongering’ and the politics of long war preparation

– Baltic ‘total defence’ thinking, societal resilience and the demand for measurable results

– EU defence industry modernisation and the coming competition inside Europe

In this episode:

– What daily life looks like in Kyiv at -20 degrees with rationed electricity and broken heating– Why Ukrainians reject the ‘resilience’ label and what it obscures– Poland–Ukraine cooperation after Donald Tusk’s visit and the shift from ‘emotional’ to ‘rational’ politics– The SAFE mechanism, EU defence funding and why Ukraine’s defence industry iterates faster– What to expect from the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk– Why ‘closing the sky’ matters more than any reconstruction cheque– Frozen Russian assets and what Europe signals by keeping them immobilised

In this videocast, Wojciech Przybylski and Pavel Havlíček discuss what the scandal means for Czech foreign policy, defence spending and the stability of Andrej Babiš’s coalition, including the influence of the ‘motorists’ movement and Filip Turek.

Our analysis on the topic: https://visegradinsight.eu/political-cohabitation-in-czechia-turns-into-a-house-of-cards-play/

In this episode:

– Why this Davos felt ‘geopolitically consistent’

– Reactions to the ‘Board of Peace’ idea from Central and Eastern Europe

– Greenland and the High North, Romania and Poland’s balancing act: economic security in the EU, hard security with the US

In this Visegrad Insight online discussion, Monika Sus and Wojciech Przybylski map out the key forecasts for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in 2026 and beyond: where democratic security is most vulnerable, and what ‘war fatigue’ and hybrid warfare can do to elections and institutions.

The conversation weighs plausible 2026 scenarios for the Russia-Ukraine war, including the risks of a ‘pause’ rather than a settlement, and assesses how the United States, Russia and China shape Europe’s security system. It also explores Europe’s readiness for turbulence: defence production, resilience against sabotage and disinformation and the strategic stakes of European Union enlargement, from Ukraine and Moldova to the Western Balkans.

They discuss alleged undeclared online support linked to Romanian far-right politician George Simion during Karol Nawrocki’s presidential campaign, what can and cannot be proven, and why Poland’s rules on in-kind support look outdated in the platform era.

The conversation also touches on the United States National Security Strategy and the European Union debate on a Democracy Shield.

This podcast is supported by the 4-year European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) framework programme. It is part of our "Foresight on EU Values and Democratic Security" that we have been running in 2023-2025.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZTkBEeP9os4

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/make-europe-great-again-and-the-cross-border/id1515725435?i=1000742479611&l=en-GB

In this episode of the Visegrad Insight Podcast, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Hungarian journalist Vilmos Weiler about the surge of Chinese and Korean battery investments in Hungary and what this means for European competitiveness, economic security and environmental safety.

This podcast is a part of our Europe Future Forum Polish-Hungarian Perspectives project. Through a programme of meetings with experts, political advisers and opinion leaders from both countries, we aim to explore Poland’s and Hungary’s perspectives on the transformations underway in the European Union at the threshold of an age of economic warfare. Supported by the Wacław Felczak Institute for Polish-Hungarian Cooperation.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ZVjpVC-rA

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rS975XzpvScfteSbUFuaM?si=fA_K_aAVSkytXZmjQ15A4g

In conversation with Ada Ámon, executive director of the Budapest Climate Agency, this episode explores:

– How deeply Hungary is locked into Russian oil, gas and nuclear fuel– Why successive governments chose cheap energy over efficiency and resilience

– How Hungarian households have already shown they can cut consumption by twenty to thirty per cent

– How EU funds were diverted away from citizens and into government buildings, weakening real climate action

– What smarter pricing, better incentives and local innovation could do for Hungary’s energy future

This podcast is a part of our Europe Future Forum Polish-Hungarian Perspectives project. Through a programme of meetings with experts, political advisers and opinion leaders from both countries, we aim to explore Poland’s and Hungary’s perspectives on the transformations underway in the European Union at the threshold of an age of economic warfare. Supported by the Wacław Felczak Institute for Polish-Hungarian Cooperation.

In this episode of the Visegrad Insight Podcast, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with Viktória Serdült, journalist at HVG in Budapest, about how Ukraine became the central prop of Hungary’s permanent election campaign.

Together they discuss:

• How the ‘pro-war / pro-peace’ propaganda line turned into a full-blown anti-Ukraine campaign in Hungary

• Why Zelensky, Ursula von der Leyen and Péter Magyar are glued together on Fidesz billboards as the alleged ‘pro-war’ trio

• What ordinary Hungarians actually think about the war and Ukraine’s EU membership, beyond government messaging

• The role of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine and long-term mistrust in shaping public opinion

• How agriculture, gas transit and EU funds quietly sit behind the slogans about peace and sovereignty

• Why Russia is barely mentioned in Budapest’s rhetoric about a war that Moscow started

• What to watch in 2025–2026 as Hungary heads into yet another high-stakes electoral cycle with Ukraine at the centre

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jdmBOuqQgLw

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6DjmhfAz6U2y4zOqa9zQ5u?si=z-nh1ZYNQj6dtGUp1V3Kbg

In this Visegrad Insight videocast, Wojciech Przybylski speaks with two insiders of Hungary’s economic and political transformation: former central banker and regional investment banker András Simor and former economy minister and governor of the National Bank of Hungary Péter Ákos Bod.

This podcast joins the series of conversations within the pilot Polish-Hungarian bilateral framework at the Europe Future Format by the Res Publica Foundation.

Learn more about this format: https://europefuture.forum/europe-future-forum-polish-hungarian-perspectives/.

Explore Europe Future Forum: https://europefuture.forum

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/r-l242SBIbM

Listen on Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435

Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

Learn more about Europe Future Forum: https://europefuture.forum/⁠

📌 What is inside this episode:

• Why Central and Eastern Europe was unfairly branded the 'wild East' after the financial crisis

• How unfinished banking union, weak capital markets and poor pension design hold the EU back

• Why funded second-pillar pensions are key to Europe’s green transition and ageing societies

• What better financial literacy, housing policy and cross-border cooperation could do for the region

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xiMxQmwjjJQListen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/194cGi2JMHdbNhQePx1pNz?si=99sQ1o7IT9WEJrKLnBvEKAListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/nationalism-in-banking-is-simply-stupid-can-central/id1515725435?i=1000737250724&l=en-GB

We discuss European Union trade unity under stress, the US–China rivalry, China’s rare earth leverage and why dialogue and flexible processes still matter. We also cover Finland’s shift after joining NATO in 2023, economic security, resilient supply chains and the balance between openness and strategic foresight.

Watch on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ https://youtu.be/4ts8BzOjNuY

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iO97FXH3JKgebrJTQadx9?si=-aD7NCjjTeKVtXXPmxVQIg

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/at/podcast/europes-trade-storm-with-jarno-syrj%C3%A4l%C3%A4/id1515725435?i=1000736111238&l=en-GB

From rare-earth chokeholds to failing diversification, Münchau and Przybylski expose why grand EU programmes mask a deeper inability to secure critical supply chains and strategic autonomy – Brussels and Berlin still opt for slogans over strategy.

So what Central Europe must do to escape the fallout? 

--

Watch on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52PCgrDNDoQqela9O-ZadsD35-GjRvXQ&si=qhYQFSHAHuJKZ10m⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

Next to the weekly democratic and economic security outlook, in this episode of the Visegrad Insight Podcast, recorded live at the Freedom Games in Łódź, Maia Mazurkiewicz – CEO of the PZU Foundation, part of the biggest Polish insurance company – unveils the first-ever comprehensive report on the dreams of Poles: “Czy Polacy potrafią marzyć?” (Do Poles Know How to Dream?), commissioned by her organisation.

Despite war on the border, economic pressure, and global uncertainty, 93.5% of Poles still dream – and this groundbreaking study reveals what they dream about, why, and how dreams build resilience in turbulent times.

English Version Coming November 2025 – Download the Polish report now:👉 https://fundacja.pzu.pl/czy-polacy-po...

Follow us and subscribe on https://visegradinsight.eu for the English launch and regional comparisons.

Watch on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52PCgrDNDoQqela9O-ZadsD35-GjRvXQ&si=qhYQFSHAHuJKZ10m⁠⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435

⁠⁠⁠Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

Wojciech Przybylski hosts Botond Feledy from Red Snow Consultancy who unpacks a multi-level strategic interests of the three actors and offer hypotheses on why Budapest is a focal point for their activities at this time.

Watch on YouTube:⁠⁠ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52PCgrDNDoQqela9O-ZadsD35-GjRvXQ&si=qhYQFSHAHuJKZ10m⁠⁠

Listen on Apple Podcast: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435⁠⁠

Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

Tune in for an insightful conversation with Piotr Matczuk, CEO of the Polish Development Fund (PFR), as he discusses PFR’s pivotal role as Poland’s 'investment traffic manager.' Learn how PFR facilitates capital flows, supports Polish businesses in their international expansion, and attracts global investors to strategic projects in Poland and beyond, including initiatives like Team Poland for Ukraine. Matczuk shares how PFR drives economic resilience, fosters green transitions, and bolsters Poland’s position among the world’s top economies, all while coordinating investment opportunities with a focus on commercial viability and developmental impact.

Watch on YouTube:⁠ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52PCgrDNDoQqela9O-ZadsD35-GjRvXQ&si=qhYQFSHAHuJKZ10m⁠

Listen on Apple Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435⁠

Listen on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

A New Gaza Rage Machine – with Polish Origins by Iván László Nagy https://visegradinsight.eu/a-new-gaza-rage-machine-with-polish-origins/

This Polish-German Border Community Still Believes In The European Miracle – LONG READ by Staś Kaleta: https://visegradinsight.eu/this-polish-german-border-community-still-believes-in-the-european-miracle-long-read/

Explore the global impact of Polish far-right media in this episode of the Visegrad Insight podcast. Host Wojciech Przybylski, with investigative journalists Ivan L. Nagy and Staś Kaleta, uncovers the origins and influence of Visegrad 24, a controversial “news aggregator” turned digital powerhouse, now expanding with Middle East 24. Learn how these platforms fuel nationalist narratives, from Central Europe to the U.S., and shape perceptions in Polish-German border communities. Recorded on 5 October 2025, post-Czech elections, this episode delves into Andrej Babiš’ political comeback, far-right propaganda, and the transatlantic spread of divisive media. Perfect for those interested in populism, disinformation, and global politics. Subscribe for more insights on Central and Eastern European trends!

Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52PCgrDNDoQqela9O-ZadsD35-GjRvXQ&si=qhYQFSHAHuJKZ10m

Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/pl/podcast/visegrad-insight-podcast/id1515725435

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aA9iqd8rUxFMYMemjikuw?si=68781dd9de824b6b

Raluca is a Research Fellow working on the nexus between European defence and emerging disruptive technologies like AI at Carnegie Europe. Staś Kaleta conducted the interview on the sidelines of our Europe Future Forum: https://europefuture.forum/.

We also have our regular overview of regional dynamics, including upcoming elections, further Russian airspace incursions – and the Polish President and Deputy PM travelling to New York together, but on separate planes.

This podcast was recorded in Warsaw on the sidelines of our Europe Future Forum, a platform to explore the Polish perspective on key European issues. It invites the participation of 200+ policymakers, directors of public policies and other influential stakeholders: https://europefuture.forum/

They explore how the spontaneous mobilisation signals growing anti-government sentiment, the strategic silence of opposition leader Péter Magyar and the troubling rise in surveillance and far-right obstruction backed by Orbán’s weakening regime.

Link to Luca Soltesz's article: https://visegradinsight.eu/the-pride-march-that-signalled-a-hungary-beyond-orban-commentary/

• Spasimir Domaradzki, a Researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw
• Krzysztof Izdebski, a Member of the Board and Director for Advocacy and Development at the Stefan Batory Foundation
• Edit Zgut-Przybylska, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology in the Polish academy of sciences, and a research fellow at the CEU democracy institute in Budapest
• Pavel Havlicek, fellow at the Association for International Affairs Research Centre in Prague
• Marzenna Guz-Vetter, Former Head and Spokesperson of the European Commission Representation in Poland
• Ruslanas Irzikevicius, Director at the Lithuanian Media Support Fund
• Radu Albu-Comanescu, Lecturer in European Integration at the University of Cluj-Napoca

Keep an eye out. Our brief, written with input from fellows around Central and Eastern Europe (some of whom you’ll hear from in this episode), will be out soon!

You can find the latest CEIAS report, ‘Contested narratives about China on V4 social media’, at the link: https://ceias.eu/situation-report-contested-narratives-about-china-on-v4-social-media/

We then respond to a recent report titled ‘When Democrats Govern Undemocratically: The Case of Poland’ – with input from Matthew Boyse, the report’s author and a former senior foreign service officer under Donald Trump 1.0. Find the report here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O1-Hev3KMPf8FSXSmP9XoyJmMQnJdcmF/view?usp=sharing

We hope you enjoy, and sign up for a number of online talks we’ll be running on the State of Germany after the elections by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGJL5GkZbasArUcdi9yP3HuyBQxtT3FAMJTqHlsNf6YdmqxQ/viewform 

Stay tuned for Part II, and sign up for a number of online talks we’ll be running on the State of Germany after the elections: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGJL5GkZbasArUcdi9yP3HuyBQxtT3FAMJTqHlsNf6YdmqxQ/viewform

Related Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-focus-on-security-in-gdansk-rutte-urges-war-readiness/

Click here to read the related Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/from-freedom-square-to-europe-civil-society-rises-against-slovakias-pro-russian-turn/

Read more in the Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/tusk-slams-door-in-hungarys-face-to-kick-off-eu-presidency/

References:

Our latest EU Values Foresight report ⁠https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/2024-shielding-european-democracy/⁠

European Democracy Shield Needs Defence Posture - Policy Brief ⁠https://visegradinsight.eu/reports/⁠

BONUS INTERVIEW:

A conversation with Christian Lequesne, a renowned French professor from SciencesPo about the importance of Paris embracing future EU enlargement. In this exclusive interview with Wojciech Przybylski, Lequesne proposes how to reframe the debate in France and the west of Europe.

European Enlargement Fellow Jan Farfal then interviews Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute, on EU strategy for the return of Donald Trump.

Read the interview here: https://visegradinsight.eu/a-win-win-strategy-how-europe-can-turn-trumps-trade-tariffs-into-cooperation/

They then break down the latest Weekly Outlook, including Sergey Lavrov’s first visit to Europe since February 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to Paris and lots more. 

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/2024-shielding-european-democracy/

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/romanias-presidential-surprise-far-right-georgescu-or-pro-eu-lasconi/

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/1k-days-of-war-poland-rallies-leaders-to-revamp-european-security/

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/georgia-has-orbans-dream-come-true-eu-yet-to-respond/

Then, Staś Kaleta and Stephanie Fenkart, Director at the International Institute for Peace, discuss the reality and direction of ‘peace’ negotiations and victory plans at the Europe Future Forum. 

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/moldova-votes-for-eu-membership-but-will-russian-interference-stop-sandu/

Then, Staś Kaleta and Srdjan Cvijić, President of the International Advisory Committee of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, discuss Serbia, Kosovo and the Western Balkans’ accession prospects – ten years after the Berlin Process began.

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/border-control-tusk-wants-the-eu-to-withhold-some-asylum-rights/

Wojciech Przybylski interviews them while Staś Kaleta narrates the most interesting points from our fresh weekly outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/poland-votes-for-eu-autonomy-from-chinas-electric-cars-against-berlin-budapest-and-bratislava/

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/austrian-far-right-victory-will-energise-central-european-nationalists/

url: https://visegradinsight.eu/a-fork-in-the-road-central-europe-split-on-chinese-ev-tariffs/

He is then joined by Eduard Hulicius, Deputy Minister at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss Czechia’s EU portfolio and this week’s local elections. Both interviews were conducted at Visegrad Insight’s Europe Future Forum in Warsaw this week.

Click here to read more about the portfolios: https://visegradinsight.eu/portfolio-decisions-poland-ready-to-lead-a-new-europe/

URL: https://visegradinsight.eu/law-and-justice-election-fraud-what-next-from-cees-civil-society-oppressors/

Weekly Outlook url: https://visegradinsight.eu/indian-pm-modi-visits-warsaw-and-kyiv-amid-europes-internal-strengthening-efforts/

As the Paris games come to a close, not without some controversies, also read about the most notorious Visegrad olympians in modern history – involved in silent protests, doping scandals, and gender controversies.

Jason Steinhauer's book - History, Disrupted: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-85117-0

Website: https://www.jasonsteinhauer.com/

Wojciech Przybylski spoke with Isabelle Lasserre – the Diplomatic Correspondent of Le Figaro and Paul Taylor –Freelance columnist for The Guardian and a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre about these questions and more.

Click this link to subscribe and attend similar events: https://visegradinsight.eu/membership-levels/

Read Alina Inayeh's article: https://visegradinsight.eu/peace-eludes-burgenstock-key-takeaways-from-the-ukrainian-summit/

Then, Future of Ukraine Fellow Valeriia Novak explains which sectors of Ukraine's economy can strategically address existing gaps in Europe, focusing on agriculture, IT and raw materials.

Valeriia Novak's article: https://visegradinsight.eu/ukraine-recovery-and-integration-even-more-beneficial-than-you-think/

Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/pro-russian-parties-surge-ahead-of-ukraines-recovery-and-peace-summits/

Then, Marcin Król Fellow Bart Wieliński breaks down the successes and failures of the current Polish government before outlining what steps still need to be taken to ensure a prosperous Polish democracy.

Read Šimalčik's text on the visit here: https://visegradinsight.eu/xi-jinping-in-europe-what-makes-his-trip-so-special/

Read the related weekly outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/tusk-and-ursula-plans-for-europe-against-russian-subversion/

By Wojciech Przybylski and Galan Dall

Recommended reads:

Wojciech Przybylski on Ursula von der Leyen speech in Poland: https://visegradinsight.eu/ursula-mobilised-europe-against-the-virus-now-tasked-against-the-evil-quick-take/

Matej Šimalčik on Xi Jinping's European visit: https://visegradinsight.eu/xi-jinping-in-europe-what-makes-his-trip-so-special/

CEE democratic security dynamics this week: https://visegradinsight.eu/tusk-and-ursula-plans-for-europe-against-russian-subversion/

Links:

Vladimír Špidla interview: https://visegradinsight.eu/if_not-for-the-european-union-central-europe-would-be-torn-between-germany-and-russia-interview/

Marek Suski: https://visegradinsight.eu/suski-affair-puts-a-lid-on-law-and-justice-election-campaign-quick-take/

Weekly Outlook - https://visegradinsight.eu/only-enlarged-eu-would-thwart-some-of-xi-jinpings-ambitions/

Wojciech Przybylski interviews Bálint Ruff, a political strategist and a host of Vétó show on Partizán YouTube channel

Recommended reading: https://visegradinsight.eu/new-political-geometry-boosts-europes-defence/

Read https://visegradinsight.eu/is-poland-mulling-its-own-nuclear-deterrent/

Weekly Outlook -

https://visegradinsight.eu/hungarys-forint-sinks-on-economic-gloom-and-orban-pressure-on-central-bank/

Weekly Outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/long-delayed-v4-summit-in-prague-unlikely-to-end-disunity/

Editorial: https://visegradinsight.eu/ukrainians-your-fight-is-our-fight-we-are-mutually-indebted-editorial/

Weekly outlook link: https://visegradinsight.eu/navalnys-killing-shows-putin-senses-leeway-as-us-wavers-over-ukraine/

For more information, follow this link: https://visegradinsight.eu/hungarian-president-katalin-novak-resigns-the-full-story-behind-the-pardon-scandal/

https://visegradinsight.eu/chaotic-hypocrisy/

https://visegradinsight.eu/hungarys-isolation-deepens-before-eu-council-on-ukraine-funding/

Then, Wojciech Przybylski discusses the role civic education can play in Europe with Caroline Hornstein Tomic, co-founder of THE CIVICS Innovation Hub. With the malign influence of growing revisionist powers increasing every year, it is the state of civic education which will determine the resilience of our societies.

Link to Networking European Civic Education - https://nece.eu/nece-festival/programme-2023/

Link to EU Values Foresight - https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/

This podcast is part of our #EUvalues foresight which outlines four possible foresight-driven scenarios for EU strategic policy. These scenarios stem from developments in the democratic security, economic and security arenas, as well as the state of transatlantic relations. Click the link below to learn more and download the report.

https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/

This podcast is co-funded by the European Union. The Foresight On European Values and Democratic Security programme is part of a 4-year framework partnership to support European networks, civil society organisations active at the EU level and European think tanks in Union values (CERV).

https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-values-foresight/

This podcast is co-funded by the European Union. The Foresight On European Values and Democratic Security programme is part of a 4-year framework partnership to support European networks, civil society organisations active at the EU level and European think tanks in Union values (CERV).

https://europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu/the-end-of-polands-illiberal-experiment/

Our guest this week, Richard Giragosian of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, an independent think-tank, argues that Azerbajan's military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh reflects the growing self-confidence of Baku and Russia's dwindling power in the South Caucasus. The West's passive approach so far must be replaced by a resolve to prevent another military attack by Azerbaijan on its democratic neighbour. 

This week's guest is Beata Balogová,  an award-winning Slovak journalist, who gave her take on what the possible return of ex-PM Rober Fico may mean for Slovakia.

Click here for information on our State of Slovakia event or insert this url: https://visegradinsight.eu/event-state-of-slovakia-video-recap/

This week's guest is Marjorie Castle, a professor at the University of Utah, who explains the need for right-wing populists to have international elites to fight against as well as their weaponisation of the enlargement process and the future of democracy.

Special guest: Spasimir Domaradzki, Visegrad Insight Fellow, sits down with Adam Jasser to discuss the death of prominent Bulgarian businessman Alexey Petrov, and how murders in Bulgaria are another opportunity for former political elites to secure their background to make sure that some of the potential threats are eliminated.

Special guest: Leszek Jażdżewski, co-host of the Liberal Europe Podcast, sits down with Wojciech Przybylski to discuss what a strategically autonomous Europe might look like.

To hear more conversations on the topic, check out these two episodes from the Liberal Europe Podcast:

• War and the Future of Europe


• European Union Strategic Autonomy

Special guest: Piotr Łukasiewicz, Former Poland Ambassador to Afghanistan, sits down to discuss the importance of Wagner group mercenaries in Belarus from a military and political perspective.

Special guests - Editor-in-chief Wojciech Przybylski, Vice President Magda Jakubowska and Visegrad Insight Fellow Jan Farfal sit down with Visegrad Insight Fellow Pavel Havliček and Assistant to the Czech Deputy Minister of European Affairs Marek Bičan to discuss the urgency for EU enlargement.

Special guest – Executive Assistant Agnieszka Homanska sits down with renowned British-Polish photographer Christopher Niedenthal to discuss some of his most famous photographs, from the Berlin Wall's fall to the Gdansk protests in 1989.

Special guests – Marcin Krol Fellow Iván László Nagy sits down with political scientist Cat Mudde to discuss how Europe has incorporated populism rather than creating effective tools to mitigate its rise. Mudde highlights how the West’s promotion of liberal democracy is rooted in strategy, not ideology.

Special guests – Christopher Coker (Director, LSE Ideas) sits down with Editor-in-chief Wojciech Przybylski to discuss the situation between China and the West. They discuss the global struggle between democracy and autocracy in the global world.

Special guests – Sigita Struberga (Marcin Krol Fellow, LATO) and Matej Kandrik (Marcin Krol Fellow, Adapt Institute): Editor-in-chief Wojciech Przybylski sits down with our guests to discuss the Ukrainian counter-defensive and what this means for next month’s NATO summit in Vilnius.

Special guest – Peter Balík (Minister for Investments, Regional Development and Informatization for Slovakia): Live at Globsec, our conversation with Minister Balík provides valuable insights into Slovakia's strategic utilisation of EU funds. In the upcoming months, the interim government will grapple with significant challenges, including the energy crisis and the ripple effects of Ukraine's refugee crisis. 

Read up on our foresight project on the future of EU 2024 Parliamentary Elections here.

Special guest – Deborah Enix-Ross (President of the American Bar Association): The rule of law hinges on three critical elements - civics, civility, and global collaboration across the Atlantic. We sat down with the President of the American Bar Association to discuss her recent trip to Poland and the crucial role that all legal professionals play in upholding justice.

This week's episode is a precursor for next week's State of Czechia, a week-long discussion hosted by Visegrad Insight including 4 panels across 4 days with 12+ Czech thought leaders, experts, and politicians. Subscribe now with our discount code CEEPOLITICS to register for the event: https://visegradinsight.eu/state-of-czechia/

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-Chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director)

Speakers:

• Goran Buldioski (Managing Director for Europe and Eurasia, Open Society Foundations)


• Michael Meyer-Resende (Executive Director, Democracy Reporting International)


• Zsuzsanna Végh (Visiting Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States)


• Wojciech Przybylski (Visegrad Insight, Res Publica Foundation)


• Moderated by Philipp Fritz (Warsaw correspondent for WELT, WELT AM SONNTAG)

What if Ukraine wins?

• Moderator: Oleksandr Kraiev - Visegrad Insight, Ukrainian PRISM (1:25)


• Alena Kudzko - GLOBSEC (2:43)


• Radu Albu-Comanescu - Visegrad Insight, Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai (5:10)

Will the War Break Europe's Social Contract?

• Moderator: Pawel Marczewski - Visegrad Insight, Batory Foundation (9:18)


• Amanda Coakley - Coda Story - GLOBSEC (9:35)


• Luke Cooper - LSE Ideas (14:02)

Will Europe Ever Be an Equal Partner to the US?

• Moderator: Michal Matlak - Visegrad Insight, Review of Democracy (16:22)


• Martin Ehl - Hospodářské noviny (17:04)


• Georgina Wright - Institut Montaigne (22:50)

Who Joins First - Serbia or Ukraine?

• Moderator: Jan Farfal - Visegrad Insight, University of Oxford (26:06)


• Milena Lazarevic - European Policy Center (28:00)


• Isabelle Lassarre - Le Figaro (30:20)

Our special guest this week is Zsuzsanna Szelényi, former Hungarian parliamentarian and the author of “Tainted Democracy, Viktor Orban and the Subversion of Hungary”. As a former Fidesz insider and then founder of an opposition party, Szelényi provides a concise yet captivating account of how the consensual set of rules between the Hungarian public and government has been undermined since the landslide victory of the ruling party in 2010. Hungary’s recent anti-corruption reforms —  half-hearted at best — are unlikely to undercut systemic corruption. If a post-Orbán point in Hungary’s history can be imagined, restoring the integrity of democratic institutions and sustainable economic growth would be vital first steps for democratic security. 

Against this backdrop, Visegrad Insight participated in the 11th Global Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy - a gathering of democracy fighters from around the world who come together to share experiences and reflect on their struggles against autocracies. It was the first international conference in Taipei since the end of the pandemic lockdown on the island, attended, among others, by Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese President and Joseph Wu, minister of foreign affairs, as well as Audrey Tang heading the ministry of digital affairs. We were also present at the Taiwan-Czechia-Ukraine Forum organised by the European Values Center for Security Policy – a Czech think tank with an office in Taipei.

Guest speakers:

• Žygimantas Pavilionis, Deputy Chair of the Committee on European Affairs at the Lithuanian Parliament


• I-Chung Lai, President of the Prospect Foundation in Taiwan

Hosts:

• Malek Banat, Podcasts editor


• Wojciech Przybylski, Editor-in-Chief

Links:

• https://www.movedemocracy.org/networking/global-assemblies/11th-global-assembly


• https://visegradinsight.eu/taiwan-explores-gap-left-by-china-in-acee/

Download our latest foresight report with one month free access outlining four scenarios on the War and the Future of Europe.

Sign-up for the official presentation on our latest foresight report outlining four scenarios on the War and the Future of Europe, this Thursday 15 September, at 11:30 AM CET.

In the second part of the podcast, Jana Juzová, Senior Research Fellow at the European Institute for European Policy in Prague, discusses the start of the Czech EU presidency and the Slovak presidency within the Visegrad Group, along with their plans and obstacles that these presidencies might be faced with.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director).

In the second part of the podcast, Andrew Michta, a Dean of the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, discusses the larger security architecture in the CEE region and the shift away from grand theory to the on-the-ground reality unfolding. The interview also previews what to expect from the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director).

In the second part of the podcast, Emilia Sercan, an investigative journalist in Romania, discusses her hundreds of journalistic investigations which revealed the plagiarism of doctoral theses of high-ranking Romanian politicians, including Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Opera and Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), and Kamil Jaronczyk (Managing Editor).

In the second part of the podcast, Christine Karelska, a Future of Ukraine Fellow, discusses the role of sports diplomacy in the battle against Russia due to its unjustified invasion of Ukraine. She specifies what role FIFA plays and teases what's ahead in her series featuring several national Ukranian football players who are taking up the fight against Russia.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director).

In the second part of the podcast, Krzysztof Izdebski, a Marcin Krol fellow and lawyer specialised in access to public information and re-use of public sector information, discusses the mirage of anti-corruption policies in Poland the unfulfilled promises to bring the state back to the people.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), and Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor)

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-Chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), and Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

In the second part of the podcast, Wojciech Przybylski talks with Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan on contemporary Russian migration after the invasion of Ukraine. What happens to Russians when they migrate away from Russia? A sociological picture is given on this latest phenomenon.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-Chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), and Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

In the second part of the podcast, Editor-in-chief Wojciech Przybylski talks with Václav Štětka Principal Investigator of the Illiberal Project at Loughborough University and Sabina Mihelj (co-investigator), Professor of Media and Cultural Analysis in the School of Social Sciences, Loughborough University on the illiberal turn in the region and the role of media, at a key point in time when the region is undergoing dramatic changes given populism, illiberalism, and democratic backsliding.

Speakers: Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director)

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

In the second part of the podcast, Pavel Havlicek, a Research Fellow at the Association for International Affairs (AMO) Research Centre, highlights some of the major foresights for the month of May, with a particular focus on security, 9th of May celebrations, and the future of the Eastern Partnership.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief) and Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director).

In the second part of the podcast, Petr Čermák, a Researcher at the Charles University in Prague, highlights the upcoming EU Presidency of the Czech Republic and its priorities towards the Western Balkans.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

In the second part of the podcast, Ledion Krisafi, Researcher at the Albanian Institute for International Studies, discusses Albania's perspectives on EU integration. What are the potential scenarios for the country and its main challenges on the way to gain the EU membership? Listen for insights.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

As the war in Ukraine rages for over a month now, we sit down with Tomáš Strážay, Director of the Bratislava-based Slovak Foreign Policy Association, to discuss its impact on the Western Balkans region. Will anything change in terms of the EU accession for the region and should we expect any destabilisation actions by Russia there? Listen to the podcast to learn more.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

In the second half of the podcast, we focus on the two elections in the region with two interviews. The first is with Edit Zgut, a doctoral researcher at the Polish Academy of Sciences, who highlights the unfree and unfair Hungarian elections and Hungary’s geopolitical future after Orban’s victory. The second interview is with renowned Serbian journalist currently working with Reuters, Aleksandar Vasović. The conversation revolves around April 3 elections in Serbia and touches upon potential Serbian sanctions against Russia.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (Editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

In the second half of the podcast, Dimitar Nikolovski, Executive Director of EUROTHINK - Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia) discusses the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell's most recent visit to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. Listen to how it connects with Visegrad Insight's most recent Five Scenarios for Western Balkans 2030 report.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), and Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

On the second half of the podcast, Adéla Klečková, a security analyst who focuses on hybrid warfare and is a non-resident fellow of the German Marshall Fund, discusses the current cyber warfare situation in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Adela assesses the current cyber operations in Ukraine and explains why this is new terrain in the field of warfare, as hundreds of thousands of hacker volunteers join the fight.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

The second half of the podcast gathers some highlights from Visegrad Insight's State of Hungary Conference. In it, you’ll hear about the state of Hungarian democracy, politics, and defense. The expert panelists are: Andras Bozoki (Central  European University), Edit Zgut (Polish Academy of Sciences), Tamás Csiki Varga (Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies), Weronika Grzebalska (Polish Academy of Sciences) and Péter Siklósi (Defence Advisor of the Hungarian Permanent Delegation to NATO).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

The second half of the podcast highlights one of the panels from Visegrad Insight's State of Hungary Conference on foreign policy, trade, and alliances. Daniel Hegedus (the German Marshall Fund of the U.S.) and Dalibor Rohac (American Enterprise Institute) discuss the degree and quality of Hungary's inclusion in global alliances. Hungary's multi-vector foreign-policy is highlighted and zeroes in on the Orban regime's domestic and international narrative that challenged the Western alliance network for Hungary.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

Marcin Król Fellow Oksana Forostyna and Visegrad Insight Project Manager Tetiana Poliak-Grujić give their perspectives and insights into the situation unfolding in Ukraine. What more can be done in order to stop the war? The discussion on why a no-fly zone over Ukraine is needed now gives a stark answer.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

Radomir Kračković, journalist at TV Vijesti from Montenegro, discusses the fight against corruption and organized crime in the region. How are Western Balkans countries doing in terms of tackling corruption? Who is succeeding in the region? Do international partners have any role in the process?

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

Ian Brzezinski, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, answers whether the Three Seas Initiative is forever locked to the original 12 countries—and more.

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor).

Zoran Necev from the Institute for Democracy "Societas Civilis" — Skopje, North Macedonia, speaks about efforts to enhance cooperation between V4 and Western Balkans, as well as new trends in the Western Balkans’ accession to the EU, also in light of the French EU presidency. 

Speakers: Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief), Miles R. Maftean (Editorial Director), Kamil Jarończyk (Managing Editor), Tetiana Poliak-Grujić (Project Manager).

The conversation is part of Visegrad Insight’s #Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. Also participate in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

In the second part of the episode, Visegrad Insight’s Editorial Director—Miles R. Maftean—speaks with Tomasz Kasprowicz on the grim news revolving around cryptocurrency. A sharp fall in cryptocurrency prices hit the market after Russia announced a potential ban on the use and mining of cryptocurrency. Is it the latest Russian response to the U.S., as the Federal Reserve just released a long-awaited discussion paper on the possibility of creating a digital version of the U.S. dollar? And where does the Central and Eastern European region align its own interests?

In the second part we have a special edition episode that focuses on Hungary’s role in the region’s accession to the EU delivered by Visegrad Insight’s Programme Manager Tetiana Poliak-Grujić. She talks to Ferenc Németh from the Budapest-based Institute for Foreign Relations and Trade (IFAT) who offers his insights on Viktor Orban's EU enlargement to Western Balkans advocacy efforts. Given the very little progress the countries have made on their way to joining the EU, what’s behind Orban's policy?

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Also participating in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

MEP Miriam Lexmann, Brussels Program Director at the International Republican Institute Joanna Rohozińska and Visegrad Insight Editor-in-Chief Wojciech Przybylski take stock of Biden’s Summit for Democracy and draw conclusions on future expectations for Central Europe in a discussion moderated by Andrea Pipino, Europe editor at Internazionale. This podcast is part of a project co-funded by the European Parliament aimed at encouraging debate on democratic security in the Visegrad region.

This podcast is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Also participate in the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Péter Márki-Zay, prime ministerial candidate nominated by Hungary’s united opposition for the April 2022 elections stops by to talk with Visegrad Insight as part of a working trip to Warsaw, outlining what a victory of the opposition would entail compared to the continuation of Viktor Orbán’s ‘one-party state’ system. As a summary of that visit Wojciech Przybylski chats with Zoltan Kesz, Central European Affairs podcaster and political adviser to Márki-Zay, on the future of Hungarian politics and strategic direction of the campaign.

More about the meeting with Péter Márki-Zay here. 

More questions arise rather than were answered after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s press conference marathon with journalists last week. As Western security agencies sound the alarm over Russian troop build-up at the border with Ukraine, Zelenskyy confirms to receiving information over an alleged coup attempt involving one of the most powerful Ukrainian oligarchs Rinat Akhemetov.

Visegrad Insight Editor-in-Chief Wojciech Przybylski re-unites with Richard Youngs, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, after a panel discussion on Central Europe and Biden’s Summit for Democracy at the Open Eyes Economy Summit in Kraków. Youngs elaborates on his latest book that explores the shortcomings and successes of democratic resilience in the face of illiberal populism, the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Visegrad Pact of Free Cities, digital activism and more in this week’s interview.

This week we host Rémy Bonny — Executive Director at Forbidden Colours, an EU-wide advocacy group for LGBQTI groups — for a discussion on the recently leaked document which revealed that 76 billion euros in EU funds are being blocked due to LGBTQ+ discrimination in Poland.

Exits polls grant the victory of Sunday's elections in Bulgaria to newcomer ‘We Continue the Change’ party. We discuss with Ognyan Georgiev, editor of Bulgaria’s leading business publication Capital and Marcin Król fellow at Visegrad Insight, the current projections favouring the centrist party headed by the finance and economic ministers of the caretaker government. Is the Harvard-educated duo up to the task of brokering a coalition government capable of reversing the tide of democratic backsliding in the country? Are we to expect a shift in Sofia's approach vis-a-vis Macedonia or accession to the Eurozone?

Poland faces two hearings from the EU's legal bodies: a verdict from the European Court of Human Rights on the Extraordinary Audit Chamber of the Polish Supreme Court and the National Council of Judiciary, as well as another ruling on the Turów coal mine dispute with Czechia. Warsaw is offering the Czechs 50 million euros in ‘financial contribution’ in hopes of brokering an agreement.

Bulgarian parliamentary and presidential elections are on Sunday — incumbent President Rumen Radev is the favourable candidate while the new party headed by finance and economy minister of the caretaker government, ‘We Continue the Change’, is gathering potential to break the country’s political deadlock.

Scott Cullinane, Helmut Schmidt fellow at the German Marshall Fund, breaks down the testimonies on democratic backsliding in Hungary and Poland delivered last week at a Congressional hearing of the Helsinki Commission; including the advocacy for a reassessment of US ‘force posture’ vis-a-vis Poland and NATO suggested by Heather Conley, head of the German Marshal Fund think tank.

Special addition episode on the potential for conflict escalation in Bosnia delivered by Visegrad Insight’s Programme Manager Tetiana Poliak-Grujić. To understand why the political crisis is becoming more and more inflammable with the potential of undermining all post-Balkan-War stability efforts in the region, she speaks with Professor Miloš Šolaja from the University of Banja Luka (BiH) and Marta Szpala from the Centre of Eastern Studies (PL). This conversation is part of the Visegrad Insight's Western Balkans Futures project that is supported by the International Visegrad Fund. 

Other participants of the project: Albanian Institute for International Studies (Albania), Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (Serbia), EUROTHINK – Center for European Strategies (North Macedonia), Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Hungary), Prague Security Studies Institute (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia).

Romanian Prime Minister Florin Cîțu’s government ousted by a motion of no confidence over inefficient spending of EU recovery funds and a dire pandemic situation at home; previous minister of defense chosen as the caretaker, but he too is unlikely to survive yet another vote of no confidence. This makes president Klaus Iohannis the only stable element in Romanian politics. Poland meanwhile refuses to pay-up fines imposed by the ECJ, making ambiguous promises to reform its judiciary. Slovakia’s energy independence potentially under threat: Hungarian state-owned company is a front-running bidder for minority shares in what is the country's second-largest energy producer. 

Weronika Grzebalska, sociologist and analyst at Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, talks to Visegrad Insight about the proposed bill to reform Polish defense forces and how the opposition can capitalize on non-military defense issues ignored by the ruling PiS party.

Historic moment in Strasbourg as majority of the European Parliament took a harsh stance against Poland’s rule of law troublemaking. European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen continues to urge Warsaw to comply with the ECJ’s ruling that calls for the dissolution of the disciplinary chamber. David Sassoli and the European Parliament are planning to sue the Commission if the latter does not invoke the conditionality mechanism against Poland by 2 November.

Chris Walker, Vice President for Studies and Analysis at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), talks with Visegard Insight on the main global challenges facing democracies and the liberal world order. How are authoritarian states re-writing the operating language of key international institutions like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)? With what degree of success? Tune in to find out.

Read more from Chris Walker here.

Hundreds of coal miners and energy workers rally in Sofia to protest against closure of coal plants in Bulgaria. Job insecurity is further fueled by fear of a huge spike in in heating bills this winter as the continent faces a shortage of gas supply. Ukraine accuses the Russian gas giant Gazprom of sending less gas to Europe than specified in the current transit contract. Czechia, facing significant budget constraints, seeks financial compensation from the Turow coal mine dispute as the European Commission is expected to send Warsaw a formal payment request in penalty fees. 

Péter Márki-Zay, a conservative candidate with no party affiliation, beats Klára Dobrev in Hungary’s opposition primaries. Márki-Zay is not just an underdog backed by most of the opposition camp, but an experienced local politician with a clean slate running against the corrupt practices of the ruling Fidesz party. As shown by Czech elections, the centre-right is becoming a powerful counterforce to the populist right in the region. 

At the sidelines of the sixteenth annual Riga Conference, Visegrad Insight Editor-in-Chief Wojciech Przybylski sits down with the chairwoman of the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation, Žaneta Ozolin̦a, to discuss the preparation, execution and theme of this year’s conference. Ozolin̦a elaborates on recent panel topics like Afghanistan, women in peace and security, and technology. 

Romain Le Quiniou, managing editor at Euro Créative, a French think tank focused on the CEE region, talks to Visegrad Insight about the French consideration of Central European perspective as France strives to take the lead on Europe’s strategic autonomy. More dialogue, the development of alternative diplomatic tools (i.e. think tanks) and reinforcement of interpersonal links between France and the CEE is needed to reach a more common understanding on the future of the continent.

Three major Polish media outlets launched an investigation of their own thoroughly examining positions awarded in state-owned or controlled public companies. The findings shed light on how such posts are distributed based on the level of loyalty to the ruling party rather than merit - a sign of nepotism within the PiS echelons. Government coalition in Slovakia remains shaky as the leader of the nationalist party is accused of abusing power to drop prosecution charges against a corrupt Slovak politician. Klára Dobrev, wife of former Hungarian PM Ference Gyurcsány, remembered for his corrupt past, outperforms others in Hungary’s opposition primaries.

An interview with Senior Associate at Visegrad Insight Marcin Zaborowski explores Central Europe’s reaction to the AUKUS fiasco. What does strategic autonomy mean for the region, EU Battlegroups and more in this week’s podcast.

4 dead bodies found on the Polish-Belarusian border sheds light on the humanitarian crisis at EU’s external border. Pushback of migrants from both sides and Warsaw remains reluctant to accept assistance from the EU's Frontex. Constitutional Tribunal to decide on the relationship between European and Polish law. European Commission continues to withhold recovery funds from Hungary, Poland and Czechia on similar grounds of insufficient rule of law, transparency and good governance.

Politicians like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán use Pope Francis’s visit to the CEE to carve out political dividends while the national agenda of local bishops in the region as well as their lack of conviction in the Pope's conservative credentials carries over tensions from the Vatican. 

Meanwhile, divisive issue over Afghanistan reinvigorates political campaigns of populist parties like ANO in Czechia and SDS in Slovenia. The fate of PM Janez Janša’s SDS party — currently leading in popularity polls — is undecided due to the alienation of the opposition and potential cracks in the ruling party ahead of parliamentary elections. Czech PM’s Andrej Babiš’s ANO party no longer trails behind the rival liberal Pirates party. Euroscepticism, hard-line immigration stance and allegiance to Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán has formed a grand narrative that attempts to define Central Europe in opposition to its western neighbours.

In an attempt to unpack this stability-distorting dynamic, we speak with Gregory Feifer, executive director of the Institute of Current World Affairs, author of "Russians, The Great Gamble and Spy Handler", and a former NPR Moscow Correspondent. Gregory Feifer also co-hosts "The Cable", a podcast with Johnathan Katz from GMF and the Transatlantic Working Group in Washington D.C.

https://visegradinsight.eu/3si2025/ In the last six years, Central European (CE) countries have initiated an unprecedented format that would aim at bettering connectivity in the European Union and increasing the investment potential of the whole block. They formed a joint investment fund and have regularly met to push for common development policies. This builds upon the ambitions of CE to reinforce Transatlantic cooperation while extending the idea of a secure and free Europe. But in order to build up the region and attract investment, a secure civil society actively participating in governance, as well as strong, independent media, are required. These two institutions would assert the societies’ control over their future and act as a bulwark against corruption. 

https://visegradinsight.eu/online-terrorism/ Opportunistic authoritarian and illiberal politicians make use of the public’s support to curb the growth of extremist groups online, but in doing so hamper the civic freedoms of everyday citizens critical to their messages. What is needed is a cohesive, internationally supported policy which — at the moment — is lost in the maelstrom of hyperpolarisation.  

Read Visegrad Insight's featured piece by Asya Metodieva, who asks if online terrorism can be effectively combated by illiberal states:

https://visegradinsight.eu/online-terrorism/

Central Europe pushes to revive democracy: https://visegradinsight.eu/ces-push-to-revive-democracy/

Borisov and his cronies have lost US patronage: https://visegradinsight.eu/borisov-and-his-cronies-have-lost-us-patronage/

Russia's image projection in Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/russia-central-europe-rejects-disregard-justice/

Slovenia brings manipulation and extremism to mainstream EU politics: https://visegradinsight.eu/embroiled-in-scandals-janez-jansa-slovenia/

#UnitedStates #Biden #Russia #NATO #EU #G7 #Putin #Hungary #Bulgaria #RRF

Monthly foresight: Biden’s European Tour Exudes Optimism: https://visegradinsight.eu/bidens-european-tour-exudes-optimism/

Viktor Orbán Beefs Up Support in Neighbouring Slovakia: https://visegradinsight.eu/viktor-orban-beefs-up-support-in-neighbouring-slovakia/

The Conference on the Future May Divide Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/conference-on-the-future-may-divide-europe/

Thibault Muzuergues' Europe champ de bataille: https://www.editionsbdl.com/produit/europe-champ-de-bataille/

#Biden #EU #NATO #Putin #Salvini #V4 #Christianity #Orban #United States #Germany #France #Bulgaria #Czechia

How to co-opt the Conference on the Future of Europe: https://www.politico.eu/article/conference-on-the-future-of-europe-suggestions/

Air piracy by KGB must be a game-changer: https://visegradinsight.eu/air-piracy-by-kgb-must-be-a-game-changer/

Online discussion: Joerg Forbrig and Serge Kharytonau on air piracy by Belarus: https://visegradinsight.eu/subscribers-event-international-response-to-belarusian-air-piracy/

#Belarus #piracy #Protasevich #Lukashenka #KGB #Russia #EU #Biden #Poland #Czechia #COVID19 #Turnów #climatechange

NATO’s Eastern Flank Summit in Bucharest: https://visegradinsight.eu/natos-eastern-flank-summit-in-bucharest/

The Unseen Experience of Physical and Sexual Violence in Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/unseen-experience-of-physical-and-sexual-violence-in-central-europe/

Searching for a Common European Response: https://visegradinsight.eu/searching-for-a-common-european-response/

#V4 #Hungary #Poland #Czechia #Slovakia #Romania

Also, Visegrad Insight Fellow Radu Albu-Comănescu explains what underlies Central Europe's not so favourable predicament and how it can start to rethink and rebuild society at home and emerge victorious in the fight for pluralism and democracy. 

Rebuilding Central Europe's lost relevance: https://visegradinsight.eu/rebuilding-central-europe-lost-relevance-in-european-integration/

The potential of a V4-Nordic coalition: https://visegradinsight.eu/connecting-v4-regional-expert-networks/

Only five countries expelled Russian spies after Vrbětice: https://visegradinsight.eu/russian-spies-prague-czechia-only-five-countries-expel/

#V4 #CentralEurope #FutureofEurope #COVID19 #vaccines #1989 #EUintegration

The EU should never let crises go to waste: https://visegradinsight.eu/never-let-crises-go-to-waste/

The chances for Bulgaria's anti-post-communist revolution: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgaria-chances-for-anti-post-communist-revolution/

#EU #futureofEurope #civilsociety #NGOs #Poland #ordoiuris #Bulgaria #elections

Contested court forces removal of the Polish ombudsman: https://visegradinsight.eu/contested-court-forces-removal-of-the-polish-ombudsperson/

Less convincing illiberal narratives: https://visegradinsight.eu/illiberal-narratives-less-convincing/

The first 100 days of Joe Biden's presidency - debate with MEPs: https://visegradinsight.eu/discussion-with-meps-on-eu-us-relations-at-100-days-of-bidens-presidency/

#ombudsperson #adambodnar #Poland #Hungary #Czechia #Slovakia #V4 #ruleoflaw

CEE adds diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin: https://visegradinsight.eu/cee-to-add-diplomatic-pressure-on-kremlin/

Russia encircles the CEE gas market and bullies Ukraine: https://visegradinsight.eu/russia-encircles-cee-gas-market-bullies-ukraine-energy/

#V4 #Russia #Czechia #Poland #Hungary #Slovakia #NATO #Ukraine

Global unrest over the Ukrainian conflict: https://visegradinsight.eu/global-unrest-over-ukrainian-conflict/

Zelenskyi is bad for the show: https://visegradinsight.eu/ukraine-zelenskyi-is-bad-for-the-show/

Clashes in Czechia over Dukovany expansion: https://visegradinsight.eu/dukovany-power-plant-clashes-czechia/

#Ukraine #Russia #V4 #Poland #Czechia #Slovakia #Hungary #Donbas #Sputnik

Bulgarians reject the political establishment: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgaria-elections-reject-the-political-establishment/

Bulgarian winner's defeat: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgarian-winners-defeat-elections/

#Bulgaria #elections #Borisov #GERB #EU

Edward Heger, Slovakia's new prime minister: https://visegradinsight.eu/eduard-heger-slovakias-new-prime-minister/

Clubhouse leads politicians on to straight talking: https://visegradinsight.eu/clubhouse-leads-politicians-on-to-straight-talking/

A partnership in the shadow of Russia:  https://visegradinsight.eu/eastern-partnership-russia-shadow/

#Slovakia #Czechia #PPF #Bulgaria #elections #clubhouse #CentralEurope #V4

Summary of the conversation, “Cool Jobs in the Future”: https://visegradinsight.eu/cool-jobs-in-the-future/

The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have a global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.

In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).

Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Blooming relations between Hungary and Azerbaijan: https://visegradinsight.eu/hungary-azerbaijan-blooming-relations-pragmatism/

Bulgaria’s upcoming parliamentary elections: https://visegradinsight.eu/bulgaria-challenge-cost-removing-gerb-elections/

Visegrad Insight weekly outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/orban-wants-to-remould-the-eus-far-right/

Does the Eastern Partnership have a future? https://visegradinsight.eu/does-the-eastern-partnership-have-a-future/

#EU #EaP2030 #Russia #Bulgaria #Slovakia #Poland #Czechia #Hungary #Azerbaijan

This episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030)  project supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. – Black Sea  Trust. Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

MEPs debate on media freedom: https://visegradinsight.eu/debate-with-meps-freedom-of-media-in-ce/

Daniel Obajtek's transparency problem: https://visegradinsight.eu/corruption-daniel-obajteks-transparency-problem/

The recovery funds' role in a V4 economic transition: https://visegradinsight.eu/can-the-recovery-funds-enable-a-visegrad-economic-transition/

#media #pluralism #covid19 #sputnikv #Russia #EU

The EU has competences to deal with media freedom: https://visegradinsight.eu/eu-has-competences-to-deal-with-media-freedom/

Is European judicial cooperation more than pulp fiction? https://visegradinsight.eu/poland-european-judicial-cooperation-pulp-fiction/

Tribal politics in a pandemic: https://visegradinsight.eu/tribal-politics-in-a-pandemic-monthly-foresight-march/

This episode is part of a project co-funded by the European Union.

Coercive clientelism on the rise in Poland: https://visegradinsight.eu/coercive-clientelism-is-on-the-rise-in-kaczynskis-poland/

For Borrell's Europeans, Sputnik AK-47 is here to save you: https://visegradinsight.eu/for-borrells-europeans-sputnik-ak-47-is-here-to-save-you/

This episode is organized in partnership with the National Endowment for Democracy.

#Romania #Poland #Hungary #Slovakia #SputnikV #vacccine #justice #corruption

Biden gears up to take on Russian energy influence: https://visegradinsight.eu/biden-gears-up-russian-energy-influence-poland/

No appeasement from Biden in Munich: https://visegradinsight.eu/no-appeasement-from-biden-in-munich/

This episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030)  project supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. – Black Sea  Trust. Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

#Biden #Russia #energy #Munich #security #EaP2030 #NordStream2

Ten Things You Should Know about the Visegrad Group: https://visegradinsight.eu/ten-things-you-should-know-about-the-visegrad-group/

Can France and Central Europe Truly Reconcile? https://visegradinsight.eu/building-europe-can-france-and-central-europe-truly-reconcile/

Bringing Real Competition to the CEE Gas Market: https://visegradinsight.eu/bringing-real-competition-cee-gas-market-russia/

#V4 #Visegrad #Czechia #Hungary #Poland #Slovakia #France #Romania #diplomacy #energy

Read a public appeal (in French) for Europe to respond with a firm voice against Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia: https://legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2021/02/07/tribune-leurope-et-les-gouvernements-democratiques-doivent-marquer-un-coup-darret-a-la-repression-du-peuple-russe/

This episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030) project supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. – Black Sea Trust. Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

#Russia #Belarus #Moldova #Azerbaijan #Armenia #Ukraine #Putin #Georgia #EaP2030 #COVID-19

Summary of the conversation, “The Economic Casualties of COVID-19”: https://visegradinsight.eu/economic-casualties-of-covid-19/

The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have a global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.

In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).

Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Serbian telecommunications market is PPF's latest target: https://visegradinsight.eu/serbian-telecommunications-market-is-ppf-latest-target/

Czech business empire with a political tinge: https://visegradinsight.eu/czech-business-empire-with-an-unsavoury-political-tinge/

#Czechia #business #politics #PPF #investment #China #Serbia

This  episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030) project  supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. - Black Sea Trust.  Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

#Russia #Belarus #Moldova #Azerbaijan #Armenia #Ukraine #Putin #Navalny #EaP2030

Summary of the conversation, “COVID-19’s Long-Term Impact on Education”: https://visegradinsight.eu/covid-19-long-term-impact-on-education/





The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have a global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.





In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).





Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

#freedomofspeech #socialmedia #V4 #TrumpBan

Law and Justice party’s conquest of digital media: https://visegradinsight.eu/digital-empire-in-the-making-media-poland/

Visegrad Insight weekly outlook: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/weekly-outlook/

Vacuum for chaos - monthly foresight for January 2021: https://visegradinsight.eu/vacuum-for-chaos-democratic-security/

January 1991 events in Lithuania: https://visegradinsight.eu/thirty-years-ago-and-thirty-years-later-lithuania/

Digital empire in the making in Poland: https://visegradinsight.eu/digital-empire-in-the-making-media-poland/

EU-membership of Czechia and Slovakia: https://visegradinsight.eu/czechia-slovakia-eu-membership-history/

#US #Capitol #Lithuania #Czechia #Slovakia #history #Poland #media

Summary of the conversation, “Plastic versus Cash”: https://visegradinsight.eu/plastic-versus-cash-payments/

The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have a global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.

In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).

Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Summary of the conversation, “Fintech in Action”: https://visegradinsight.eu/fintech-in-action/

The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have a global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.

In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).

Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Wojciech  Przybylski talks with Eva Maydell, Member of the European Parliament,  about what education should look like in order to make future for  Central European businesses brighter.

Summary of the conversation, “Central Europe’s Digital Divide”: https://visegradinsight.eu/central-europes-digital-divide/

The New Europe 100 network is a project by Res Publica Foundation that brings together people who have global impact through their groundbreaking expertise, unique skills and social outreach.

In partnership with Visegrad Insight, StartUp Hub (Poland), SAPIE (Slovakia), Skool (Hungary) and Dataweps (Czechia).

Supported by the International Visegrad Fund.

Weekly outlooks and monthly foresights: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/democratic-security/

Our special reports on Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/democrace/

#V4 #Central Europe #Poland #Czechia #Slovakia #Hungary #EU #Belarus #Biden #COVID19

Weekly outlook

https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/weekly-outlook/

Monthly foresight

https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/foresight/

#EU #Hungary #Slovakia #Poland #Czechia #ruleoflaw #V4 #CentralEurope

Radu Albu-Comănescu's analysis of the parliamentary elections and implications for Central Europe:

https://visegradinsight.eu/romania-elections-drawing-a-defence-line-in-europes-east/

Weekly outlooks and monthly foresight at Visegrad Insight:

https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/democratic-security/

Read our weekly foresight on Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/this-week-in-central-europe-30-nov-6-dec/

Martin Ehl’s recent contribution on the Biden administration and how the region should rise to the challenge: https://visegradinsight.eu/best-recipe-biden-central-europe/

#Czechia #economy #taxes #COVID-19

Wojciech Przybylski on why Hungary will give up its veto: https://visegradinsight.eu/hungary-will-give-way-to-tactical-pragmatism/

The veto strategy of Budapest and Warsaw analysed by Daniel Kelemen for Politico: https://www.politico.eu/article/time-to-call-hungary-and-polands-bluff/

This  episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (#EaP2030) project  supported by the German Marshall Fund of the United States - Black Sea  Trust. Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

Change in Moldova: find out what Maia Sandu will focus on in her presidency in an analysis written by Denis Cenușa: https://visegradinsight.eu/what-will-change-for-moldova/

#Moldova #EaP2030 #EU #Russia #MaiaSandu

This episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030) project supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. - Black Sea Trust. Read our scenarios for the Eastern Partnership region: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

What role do women play in the protests? Find out in ‘From Beauty Queens to Freedom Fighters’: https://visegradinsight.eu/women-belarus-beauty-queens-freedom-fighters/

#Belarus #protests #Germany #EU #Russia #UnitedStates

This episode is part of the Eastern European Futures (EaP2030) project supported by the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. - Black Sea Trust: www.visegradinsight.eu/EaP2030/

Find Wojciech Przybylski’s analysis on Central Europe and the next US president here: https://visegradinsight.eu/central-europe-already-embraces-the-next-us-president/

#Georgia #EaP2030 #Elections2020

Read NDI country reports on youth attitudes here: https://www.ndi.org/publications?country=-1&region=1040

Find out more about the next New Europe 100 Forum events: https://ne100.org/

#V4 #youth #politics #digital #innovation #education

New Europe 100 Forum Agenda: https://ne100.org/download/840/

100 free tickets, register by 25 October: https://forms.gle/G9QnzD7sykNhtFn9A

#3SI #ThreeSeasInitiative #Czechia #NE100

Read Pavel’s electoral analysis for the German Marshall Fund: https://www.gmfus.org/blog/2020/10/13/electoral-litmus-test-survival-czechias-government

Find recent articles about Czechia on Visegrad Insight: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/czechia/

#Czechia #elections #foreignpolicy #EU

Read Monika’s recent article on Lithuania in the EU: https://www.gmfus.org/blog/2020/09/28/can-lithuania-become-eu-regional-leader-midst-belarus-crisis

Recent publications about Lithuania on Visegrad Insight: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/lithuania/

#Lithuania #EU #Belarus

Scenarios for the recent outbreak of open warfare: https://visegradinsight.eu/brace-for-impact-scenarios-for-nagorno-karabakh/

Azerbaijan's realignment in favour of a Turkic alliance: https://visegradinsight.eu/azerbaijan-turkey-short-term-trump/

#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Turkey #Russia #EaP2030

Who is responsible for the free press? How illiberals are taking advantage of COVID-19: https://visegradinsight.eu/who-is-responsible-for-the-free-press/

Read the latest report of the Ethical Journalism Network about Hungary: https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/resources/publications/building-trust-in-journalism-hungary

#V4 #informationsovereignty #journalism #media

Read about Slovakia’s measured political action: https://visegradinsight.eu/slovakia-treats-covid19-pandemic-unlike-the-v4/

Recent recent articles on the V4 region: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/v4/

#V4 #Czechia #Slovakia #Hungary #Poland #COVID19

Find out what a Joe Biden victory could mean for the Balkans: https://visegradinsight.eu/balkans-biden-restoring-americas-role/

Read more about the Western Balkans: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/western-balkans/

#Serbia #Kosovo #Trump #Israel

We  speak with Anthony L. Gardner, a former US Ambassador to the EU under  President Barack Obama who has recently published a book entitled Stars  with Stripes: The Essential Partnership between the European Union and  the United States. This podcast features also Marcin Zaborowski, senior  associate at the Visegrad Insight and editor in chief of Res Publica  Nowa, who comments on the book. Material for this podcast has been  recorded before summer as part of an exclusive Visegrad Insight  Breakfast meeting for senior diplomats, experts and journalists from  Europe and the USA.

• All the Bad Instincts - Interview with Anthony L. Gardner, a former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union by Julia Jabłońska  https://visegradinsight.eu/all-the-bad-instincts-trump-transatlantic-relations/


• Stars with Stripes book https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030348205


• More on Visegrad Insight Breakfasts https://visegradinsight.eu/visegrad-breakfasts/

Tags: USA, EU, Trump, Central Europe

More on this topic:

https://visegradinsight.eu/germany-complicated-sometimes-ambivalent-partner/

Germany, security, Carlo Masala, CEE, Russia

Read the Eastern European Futures scenario-based report: https://visegradinsight.eu/eap2030/

Find out more about the Kremlin’s strategy towards Belarus: https://visegradinsight.eu/belarus-kremlin-scenariosraising-the-stakes/

#Belarus #Lukashenko #EaP2030

Find our latest analysis about China and the V4 here: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/china/

Read more about MapInfluenCE: https://mapinfluence.eu/en/

#China #EU #V4

Further reads:

https://visegradinsight.eu/eap2030/

Read David Marples' analysis of the latest developments before the election: 

https://visegradinsight.eu/belarus-year-something-different-russia/

Find out more about Belarusian political parties and their Kremlin partners: 

https://visegradinsight.eu/belarus-russia-no-equal-partnership/

Tags:

Lukashenko, Belarus, Eastern Europe

On 12 July, more than 20.5 million votes were cast in the Polish presidential election by just over 30 million registered citizens. Many observers claimed that the result of this neck-to-neck race is a turning point for Poland and its role in Europe. Is it true that the votes for the two candidates were distributed across an East-West divide of the country? Or is the Polish electoral divide more complicated than meets the eye? Wojciech Przybylski, Editor-in-Chief of Visegrad Insight, discusses the Polish Presidential Election Result with Ben Stanley, Associate Professor at the Centre for the Study of Democracy (SWPS University).

Watch the video of the discussion: https://visegradinsight.eu/presidential-election-voting-behaviour-poland/

Read more about the Polish presidential race: https://visegradinsight.eu/poland-presidential-race-last-mile/

#Poland #presidentialelection

Read a recent special report on Human Security: https://visegradinsight.eu/human-security-in-central-europe/

Read the #WomenAreNATO special edition of Visegrad Insight: https://visegradinsight.eu/womenarenato/

#genderequality #domesticviolence #V4 #istanbulconvention

More on this topic:

https://visegradinsight.eu/journalism-as-a-service/

https://visegradinsight.eu/hungary-lacking-information-sovereignty/

https://visegradinsight.eu/we-need-to-be-more-than-right/

Just published: Wojciech Przybylski's international perspective on this election: https://visegradinsight.eu/poland-presidential-race-last-mile/

Read the latest articles about Poland: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/poland/

#WyboryPrezydenckie #Poland

Read the latest analysis about the Visegrad Group: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/v4/

Read Vit Dostal's article Coronavision for Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/coronavision-for-central-europe-better-future/

#V4 #EaP2030 #Germany #Czechia #Poland

Read more about the US and Central Europe: https://visegradinsight.eu/not-turn-blind-eye-us-central-europe/

The latest analysis on Germany's partnership with the region: https://visegradinsight.eu/germany-complicated-sometimes-ambivalent-partner/

#transatlantic #CentralEurope #security

More on the Three Seas Initiative: https://visegradinsight.eu/estonia-and-the-three-seas-initiative/

Read the latest analysis about the V4: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/v4/

#V4 #recoveryfund #3SeasInitiative

More on the report: https://visegradinsight.eu/civil-society-futures/

Read the latest analysis about civil society: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/civil-society/

More on the subject: https://visegradinsight.eu/tag/multi-annual-financial-framework/

https://visegradinsight.eu/ad-hoc-regionalism-v4/

https://visegradinsight.eu/disinformation-home-hungary/

https://visegradinsight.eu/time-to-tax-eu-covid-19/

https://visegradinsight.eu/the-other-frugal-four-v4-eu-budget/

Budget, MFF, disinformation, information sovereignty, Visegrad Group, V4, EU, Hungary, Poland