Balkans

Die Regierungen Polens und Ungarns verstossen gezielt gegen Grundwerte und Rechtsnormen der EU. Mit finanziellen Sanktionen kann die Union zurückschlagen, aber nicht gewinnen. Die Regierungen in Warschau und Budapest treiben die EU mit eiskaltem Machtkalkül vor sich her. Die jüngste Runde der Eskalation ist die Ankündigung der ungarischen Regierung, ein …

Valóban törvényszerű, hogy egy diktatúrában szocializálódott nép előbb-utóbb visszatér az autoriter rendszerhez? Magyarország és Lengyelország esete ugyan ezt mutatja, de számos ellenpéldát is mondhatnánk. A balti államok például gondolkodásban felnőttek a Nyugathoz, és bár Csehország és Szlovákia szavakban néha még próbál úgy tenni, mintha szolidáris lenne Varsóval és Budapesttel, a …

Belgrade breaks with EU consensus by being one of the first European countries to upgrade its relations with Damascus to ambassadorial level. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was sworn in July 17 for his fourth seven-year presidential term after winning more than 95.1% of the votes in democratically dubious elections held …

Nem szeretnék semmilyen sajtóhíreszteléssel foglalkozni – mondta Novák Katalin családügyi miniszter arra, foglalkozik-e a kormány a Direkt36 által vasárnap közölt lehallgatási botránnyal. Szijjártó Péter külügyminiszter nem tud semmiről, de vizsgálatot ígér.

Given Ankara’s revisionist (and expansionist) geopolitical stance, it is exceptionally important not to come across as split or divided and to be united in confronting Turkey’s destabilising moves. It will not be easy but it is urgent due to unfavourable developments and the provocative, grandiose celebration that Turkish President Recep …

“Europe will never allow parts of our society to be stigmatised: be it because of whom they love, because of their age, their ethnicity, their political opinions, or their religious beliefs.” President Ursula von der Leyen, (European Parliament, 7 July 2021)

In the margins of Greece’s booming IVF industry, women trade their eggs and clinics gamble with ethics while the state looks the other way.The working week was a grind but the weekends back then made it seem worthwhile. On Friday nights, between waitressing or whatever job she had taken to …

Production pressure, lax safety and outdated equipment are costing lives in Serbia’s arms industry. Yet those in charge are rarely held responsible. For residents of Cacak, a town in western Serbia, it was like a blast from the past – two explosions two weeks apart at the state-run Sloboda arms …

As the latest election fails to resolve the political deadlock that has gripped Bulgaria since April, the country is heading into uncharted territory. For the second time in just over three months, Bulgaria has seen parliamentary elections. While the April 4 vote resulted in a surprise, Sunday’s poll was hardly …

Aleksandar Vucic is never happier than when presenting awards – but who the real star of the show is on these occasions is another question. The awarding and receiving of medals has become one of the favourite performances of Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic. For each holiday, the head of state …