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EURACTIV: Bosnia prepares for elections, but will go nowhere without reform. Not even closer to the EU
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18. 8. 2022
18. 8. 2022The head of the Brussels office Žiga Faktor commented for EURACTIV. What are the chances of reforming the electoral system in Bosnia? How should parties work on it and what should it include? According to Žiga Faktor, it must not only reflect political proposals and ambitions, but it is necessary to think about what citizens themselves want and how the reform will affect them.
Hospodářské noviny: Breakthrough: Macedonians and Albanians start talks on EU accession, Fiala flies to Brussels for a U-turn
More info 19. 7. 2022
19. 7. 2022The leaders of Northern Macedonia and Albania will open their countries' accession talks to the European Union in Brussels on Tuesday, something for which Northern Macedonia has been waiting for over 17 years and Albania for eight. The head of our Brussels office, Žiga Faktor, commented on this fact for Hospodářské noviny. Žiga Faktor also comments on the agreement between Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria. In his view, the EU may have set a precedent by allowing bilateral historical and cultural disputes to become part of the accession process.
Aktuálně.cz: Macedonians and Albanians start negotiations on EU accession. Fiala flies to Brussels for this
More info 19. 7. 2022
19. 7. 2022The leaders of Northern Macedonia and Albania will open their countries' accession talks to the European Union in Brussels on Tuesday, something for which Northern Macedonia has been waiting for over 17 years and Albania for eight. The head of our Brussels office, Žiga Faktor, commented on this fact for Aktuálně.cz. Faktor also commented on the agreement between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, which opened the way for North Macedonia to join the EU. Faktor believes that the EU may have set a precedent by allowing bilateral historical and cultural disputes to become part of the accession process.
Le Figaro: Eurosceptic Czech Republic takes over EU reins
More info 13. 7. 2022
13. 7. 2022Žiga Faktor, head of our Brussels office, commented on the Czech EU Presidency for the French daily Le Figaro.
DW: Czech Republic takes over rotating European presidency
More info 1. 7. 2022
1. 7. 2022The Czech Republic has taken over the rotating presidency of the European council. It has vowed to focus largely on aid to Ukraine and the war's repercussions. Žiga Faktor, the head of our Brussels office talked in a brief interview with DW. Žiga Faktor finds the Czech Republic a perfect fit for trying to find a consensus on the situation and the position towards Russia.
iDnes: Czech sounds through Brussels. Spejbl and Hurvínek will be there with the Presidency
More info 1. 7. 2022
1. 7. 2022The Czech Republic will sit on the EU Council for the second time in July. Thanks to the presidency and the growing number of visiting diplomats, the Czech language is spreading through Brussels more than usual, so you can hear "ahoj" or "rád tě vidím" here and there in the streets, writes Žiga Faktor in his commentary for iDNES.cz.
Blisty: Rozhovor Britských listů 505. Are the Visegrad Four irrevocably discredited?
More info 1. 7. 2022
1. 7. 2022The head of our Brussels office Žiga Faktor gave an interview to the British Gazette. In the interview they compare how the Czech Republic and Slovenia are dealing with the legacy of populist governments.
LA LIBRE: Reputedly Eurosceptic, the Czech Republic is trimming its European suit
More info 1. 7. 2022
1. 7. 2022Our research fellow Žiga Faktor commented for the Belgian daily La Libre on the topic of Czech Euroscepticism. The positive attitude of Václav Havel (the so-called great European) towards Europe was also reflected in the incoming Czech presidency, specifically in the motto "Europe as a task". The motto is inspired by his speech in Cácy in 1996. Despite a positive attitude in the past, according to the latest data from STEM, only 33 % of Czechs have a positive view of the Czech Republic's EU membership.
DELO.SI: Prime Minister Fiala's presidency will be hampered by past mistakes
More info 1. 7. 2022
1. 7. 2022The Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU begins today. One of the challenges that the Czech Republic will face is the possible extension of sanctions against Russia, for instance in the gas sector. However, the geographical proximity of Ukraine to the Czech Republic should facilitate negotiations on this issue. Žiga Faktor, head of our Brussels office, commented on this topic for the Slovenian online daily DELO.
RTV: Fall of the bulgarian government
More info 24. 6. 2022
24. 6. 2022Our research fellow Žiga Faktor commented on the fall of the bulgarian government in the main news programme of Radio Slovakia. The government there lasted only six months in power. One of the reasons for the fall is, among other things, the dispute over EU enlargement. According to our researcher, recent weeks suggest that Sofia is willing to back down from its Veto, which would give the stagnant enlargement process a new impulse. He also mentions that the political instability in the Balkans suits pro-Russian parties.
TA3: Summit to decide Ukraine's fate
More info 23. 6. 2022
23. 6. 2022The head of our Brussels office, Žiga Faktor, in an interview for TA3 commented on Ukraine's possible membership in the European Union and the related views of the member states. The original critics of enlargement are now beginning to show support, but status alone is no guarantee of certain membership. What is the decisive factor at the moment?
Politico: Czech Republic braces for rocky EU presidency amid Ukraine war, high inflation
More info 23. 6. 2022
23. 6. 2022The head of our Brussels office, Žiga Faktor, commented for the news website Politico on the approach of the Czech government and the attitude of the Czech electorate towards the upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.