Slovakia Offers Cautionary Tale for Czech Arts Scene
Budget cuts, hostile rhetoric, sackings: Czech cultural sector’s struggle for artistic freedom could mirror a process already well underway in neighbouring Slovakia. KAYNAK: Balkan Insight
Democracy Digest: Poland’s PiS Names Hardliner as PM Candidate to Shore Up Right
Elsewhere, Hungary and Slovakia see fallout from surging fuel prices; extremist Slovak activist convicted; Czech Television presenter quits over fears about editorial independence; and Orban shelved major plan to overhaul…
Democracy Digest: Poland in Talks with France on European Nuclear Deterrence
Elsewhere, Hungary’s foreign minister meets Putin just 5 weeks before election; Slovakia’s police inspectorate detains several officers linked to former anti-corruption agency; and Czech PM and far-right ally avoid having…
Democracy Digest: Hungary, Slovakia Step Up Pressure on Ukraine Over Oil Supplies
Elsewhere, Poland’s political cohabitation under strain as institutional clashes meet coalition fragility; Czech lower house to debate lifting parliamentary immunity of Babis and Okamura; Slovak coalition is working on changes…
Democracy Digest: Orban Goes to Washington and Receives Trump’s Endorsement
Elsewhere, Slovakia and Hungary blame Ukraine for lack of oil through pipeline apparently bombed by Russia; Polish bishop becomes first to stand trial over alleged failure to report sexual abuse;…
Children at Risk in Czechia: A System Struggling to Protect
A mix of systemic problems and a culture that tolerates corporal punishment has led to a broader national failure in the Czech Republic to detect and prevent violence against children.…
Democracy Digest: Brussels Takes Hungary, Slovakia to Task
Elsewhere, Slovakia’s top court suspends part of amendment to the Criminal Code; Rubio to visit Slovakia then Hungary; Czech PM inclined to back ban on social media for under 15s;…
Democracy Digest: Poland to Probe Possible Epstein Links to Russian Intelligence
Elsewhere, Hungary government pushes Budapest to brink of bankruptcy; reports suggest Czech PM’s conflicts of interest not quite resolved; Tusk makes Ukraine trip in show of Polish support; and Slovak…
Democracy Digest: Slovak PM Denies Describing Trump as ‘Dangerous’
Elsewhere, Hungarian minister denies his remark about Roma cleaning toilets was racist; more objects enter Polish airspace from direction of Belarus; and Czech president leaks foreign minister’s ‘blackmail’ texts. KAYNAK:…
Democracy Digest: Orban Signs Up to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’, Nawrocki prevaricates
Elsewhere, Slovak PM also gets sit-down with US president; Czech president and new government differ over military aircraft sale to Ukraine; and Tisza recruits ‘Kapitany’ of industry as its chief…