Europeum

ČRo Radiožurnál | Use of Russian assets under the European Peace Facility

March 20, 2024

The European Commission has proposed how to make use of frozen Russian assets in Europe after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Up to ninety percent of the assets would be used to buy weapons for Ukraine under the so-called European Peace Facility. The remaining 10% would be transferred to the EU budget and used for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. The proposal still needs to be unanimously approved by EU foreign ministers. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on what this proposal will mean for Ukraine and the European Union for Czech Radio Radiožurnál.

RTVS | Would the confiscation of Russian assets be in accordance with international law?

March 06, 2024

The G7 countries are considering the transfer of frozen Russian financial assets to Ukraine. This sum, ranging between $200 and $300 billion, could provide significant support to Kiev. However, such move would be unprecedented and raises questions about compliance with international law and concerns about creating a dangerous template. Martin Vokálek, executive director of the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke on the topic for Slovakian Radio RTVS.

TV Nova | Is democracy in Europe at risk?

January 17, 2024

"Democracy in the West is under threat and Europe must prepare for an existence without the United States of America," the Belgian prime minister told MEPs. He was referring to the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House. Is democracy in Europe really under threat? Our executive director Martin Vokálek commented on the topic in an interview with TN Nova.

Deník N | It's a nightmare for Europe, expert assesses the electoral triumph of the Dutch far right

November 23, 2023

The far-right populist Party for Freedom (PVV) won the Dutch general election. This will not only affect the Netherlands - it will have an impact on the direction of the country itself, but also outline a broader European trend for the upcoming European Parliament elections. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM, explained to Deník N what all this could mean not only for the Dutch, but also for the European Union, migrants, and Ukraine.

iROZHLAS | Relationship with Russia is important, but communication remains extremely challenging, says US undersecretary

November 12, 2023

"The partnership between the United States and the Czech Republic has never been as strong as it is now," told iROZHLAS.cz Sonata Coulter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Euro-Atlantic Affairs at the U.S. Department of State Antony Blinken, who attended the Transatlantic Policy Forum at the invitation of EUROPEUM Institute.

INVITATION | Pub quiz and discussion - Which way are you heading, Europe?

October 31, 2023

We cordially invite you to a discussion with experts and MEPs entitled "Which way are you heading, Europe?" followed by a pub quiz on Europe. Venue: Stodola, Litovelská 7, Olomouc 779 00 Participation in the quiz and the discussion is free of charge.

INFO.CZ: Serbia and Kosovo at the same table, but without a result. Instead of a solution, the upcoming agreement brought only more questions

March 23, 2023

After long negotiations, according to the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, on Saturday, March 18, the representatives of Serbia and Kosovo agreed on the final form of the agreement, which is supposed to ensure the normalization of relations between the two countries. Serbia does not recognize the independence of its former province, and relations have further escalated over the past year and a half over a dispute over the recognition of identity documents and vehicle registration plates issued by the two entities. The heated atmosphere in the war-torn region has attracted enormous attention from the US and the European Union, and both sides have invested significant efforts towards calming the situation and formulating an agreement to prevent similar situations in the future.

ČT24: Energy ministers discuss gas prices

December 13, 2022

The negotiations in Brussels are led by Czech Minister Jozef Síkela. According to him, a plan is ready and he believes in an agreement. Government representatives will try to agree on a cap on gas prices. Our researcher Vít Havelka commented on this topic for ČT24.

EURACTIV.cz | Macedonian identity at risk, EU must help resolve historic disputes with Bulgaria

October 21, 2022

On the occasion of the Think Tank Forum: EU enlargement conference, an interview with the Macedonian diplomat, politician and foreign policy expert Nikola Dimitrov was conducted. Dimitrov answers questions on issues such as the impact of the Russian invasion on the EU enlargement process and the importance of the Czech Presidency for the Balkan countries.

WNP.PL: From price freezes to temperature limits. Here's how Europe is tackling the energy crisis.

October 04, 2022

The energy crisis is forcing European governments to reduce energy consumption, but also to introduce mechanisms to protect consumers from rising heat and electricity prices. Our research fellow Michal Hrubý commented on the situation in the EU. "The Czech Republic and Italy are trying to diversify their gas supplies but have not yet decided on radical measures to reduce consumption. " "France has a problem with an ageing fleet of nuclear power stations and may not have enough electricity this winter. " "The French government, like the Czech Republic, has introduced a price cap on household energy bills and has decided to compensate the poorest households with a cost of between €100 and €200. "