Europeum

e15 | Summit in Switzerland will show the world that Ukraine wants peace. But it will not bring it

June 14, 2024

The luxury Alpine hotel Bürgenstock on the shores of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland will host the largest peace conference on Ukraine to date this coming weekend. Leaders and diplomats from nearly 90 countries will be there to seek ways to end the worst armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War. The ambitious event has been accompanied by criticism over the non-participation of Russia, China and US President Joe Biden. Even so, experts say the summit could be an important first step towards peace. Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of the Brussels office of EUROPEUM Institute, describes the possibilities the conference will offer for e15 journal.

e15 | Green Deal will not end after the EU elections. It needs to be brought back down to earth and wrapped in more attractive paper

June 07, 2024

This weekend's European Parliament elections will strongly influence the EU agenda for almost the rest of the decade. In particular, the future fate of Green Deal is of great curiosity. After the frenetic green activity of the last five years, the political winds are turning and the appetite for tackling climate change is waning. Filip Křenek, Project Coordinator and Analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, comments on the situation for e15.

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.

e15 | Enlargement of the Schengen area to include Romania and Bulgaria

March 31, 2024

The Schengen area of free movement of goods and persons will was extended to Romania and Bulgaria from Sunday 31 March. The two countries have been waiting seventeen years for this moment, since they joined the European Union. For now, only the maritime and air borders are removed, but land borders should follow in the next few months. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on both the economic benefits and possible risks of partial enlargement for the daily e15.

E15 | The dispute over money for Ukraine is coming to a head. The security of the whole continent is at stake, warns an expert

February 01, 2024

The presidents and heads of government of the European Union countries will try to secure additional financial and military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 50 billion euros (about 1.2 trillion crowns) at their extraordinary meeting starting on Thursday in Brussels. This has been blocked by Hungary since last December. Vít Havelka, a senior research fellow, answers why this summit could be a turning point.

E15 | Fico is "orbanising" Slovakia faster than expected. Presidential elections are the hope

January 30, 2024

In Slovakia, Robert Fico is preparing changes to criminal law that could seriously undermine the functioning of democracy and the rule of law. In particular, the planned abolition of the Office of the Special Prosecutor is a cause for concern. Our project manager Kristína Chlebáková assessed the situation for E15.

E15 | Europe is terrified of Orbán at the head of EU institutions. It must speed up the selection of a new "EU president"

January 13, 2024

The first media storm around the European Parliament elections was unleashed by the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, when he unexpectedly announced last weekend that he was going to run for the European Parliament himself in June and, if successful, would resign early from his current post. However, this means that unless the EU27 quickly agrees on his successor, the powers of the "European president" will pass to EU troublemaker Viktor Orban, whose Hungary will hold the EU presidency from the summer. Our head of the Brussels office, Žiga Faktor, commented for E15 on the likelihood of this happening and what it would mean for the functioning of the EU.

E15 | Summit in Brussels will show if Orbán is Putin's Trojan horse in the EU

December 14, 2023

Viktor Orbán is the only EU leader who has stated in advance that he does not intend to support the opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine. The question is what his motivations are and whether he will be softened by the unblocking of EU funding for Hungary. Our senior researcher Jana Juzová commented on Orbán's position at the Summit for the daily E15.

E15 | Frost, rats and a gloomy mood. Ukrainians prepare for a hard winter on the battlefield

December 11, 2023

Danielle Piatkiewicz, Research Fellow at EUROPEUM, comments in a new article on the ongoing winter phase of the war in Ukraine.

E15 | Regulation of artificial intelligence meets resistance in Brussels. Germany, France and Italy have changed their minds

November 29, 2023

There is a row in Brussels over the upcoming regulation of AI. Our junior research fellow Silke Maes assesses what arguments are being put forward by individual member states and what impact they will have on future developments in her commentary.