Europeum

ČRo Plus | Internal coalition battles for the Czech Commissioner

June 11, 2024

Who will take a seat in the European Commission for the Czech Republic? What portfolio should he/she focus on? And which government party has the right to nominate a new Commissioner? Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the topic for Czech Radio Plus.

Analysis | Conditions for Regional Preparedness to Draw on the Just Transition Fund

June 18, 2024

Through interviews with officials and other relevant actors at national and regional level, this research report identifies conditions for regional preparedness to draw on the Just Transition Fund. Researcher at EUROPEUM Institute Klára Votavová compares the situation in two of the three Czech regions that are drawing on the Fund: Moravian-Silesian and Karlovy Vary Region.

IEMED | Serbia: The Dilemma between European Accession and Alliance with Russia

May 30, 2024

With Ukraine’s defence against Russia heading toward a stalemate in the second half of the year and increased pressure inside the EU to deliver on its promises to provide the country with needed financial and military support, Serbia’s ambiguous relationship with Russia and the West has been brought increasingly into the spotlight in 2023. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), ruling since 2012, and President Aleksandar Vučić have been responsible for continued democratic backsliding and have failed to align with the Union’s foreign policy during Serbia’s lengthy EU accession process, pushing the situation closer towards a tipping point in Serbia-EU relations. Senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, Jana Juzová, describes this in more detail in her article for the European Institute of the Mediterranean.

RTVS | Does von der Leyen have a clear opponent after the Spitzenkandidaten debate?

May 23, 2024

Five candidates for the post of European Commission chief clashed in a Europe-wide debate on Thursday. Two factions did not field a candidate. The system of spitzenkandidaten, i.e. the leading candidates of each group for the post of president of the European executive, was created as an effort by MEPs to increase transparency in the filling of the highest posts in the European Union, which clearly includes the president of the Commission. Who will be the one who will form the majority after the elections and does the current head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have a significant opponent among the other spitzenkandidaten? Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, analysed the debate for RTVS.

e15 | Slovak government toughens up after attack on Fico. Violent acts may increase, experts warn

May 20, 2024

Democracy and the rule of law in Slovakia are in even greater danger after last week's assassination of Prime Minister Robert Fico than before. According to the local media, there are fears that government politicians, led by Fico's interim deputy Robert Kaliňák, will try to take advantage of the current situation to introduce repressive measures against the opposition and the liberal media, which could also affect local business. Project manager of EUROPEUM Institute Kristína Chlebáková comments on the situation for e15.

Timpul Prezent | European borders, EU enlargement and growing polarization in Slovakia

May 19, 2024

What are the borders of Europe and how do they coincide with the borders of the European Union? What are the prospects for EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans and the former Soviet states? These questions are addressed by Jana Juzová, senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute for the Timpul Prezent podcast. She also discussed the consequences of the recent attack on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and highlighted the growing polarization of Slovak society and the potential threat to media independence.

Report | Women in Digital Space (and AI): Looking into Central Europe: cases from Austria, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia

April 25, 2024

Our researcher Silke Maes in her latest report addresses issues of cyberviolence on women and examines whether women in the CEE benefit from digitalisation (and AI). The report looks into how women use and contribute to the digital space, examines opportunities and challenges and proposes recommendations for a more inclusive digital space.

ČT24 | Northern Macedonia elects new head of state

April 24, 2024

Polls opened in North Macedonia on Wednesday for the first round of the presidential elections. Seven candidates are running for the presidency in a country gripped by political tensions, disappointment with democratic reforms and aspirations to join the European Union. Jana Juzová, a senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, analysed the situation in an interview for ČT24.

TN.cz | The migration pact main topic in the Czech lower chamber, with meeting lasting hours

April 22, 2024

Czech MEPs debated the EU migration pact for over three hours. What came out of the session of the Chamber of Deputies on the migration pact? How do the government and the opposition feel about it? And what are the main issues that the Czech opposition have a problem with it? Deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute Viktor Daněk, commented for TN.cz

TN.cz | Politicians can't talk about migration because they would lose points with voters just before the European elections

April 15, 2024

The migration pact that European Parliament passed on Wednesday continues to stir emotions. Vít Havelka, senior research fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke to TN.cz about how migration is perceived in society and how politicians communicate it to the public.