Georgi Gotev
The Brief, powered by EPRA — Guess who’s (not) coming to COP dinner
Last week, Queen Elizabeth was caught expressing her annoyance at world leaders snubbing the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
India reaches milestone of one billion vaccinations
India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive has achieved a historic milestone of administering 1 billion vaccine doses, mostly India-made, the authorities in New Delhi announced on Thursday (21 October).
EU candidate Serbia misaligned with EU foreign policy, Commission says
In its annual report monitoring Serbia's progress toward EU accession, the European Commission highlighted Belgrade's significant misalignment with EU foreign and security policy.
The Brief, powered by EPRA — Europe’s squeeze on sleaze
Is the sudden departure of a number of prime ministers, who have faced accusations of corruption, just a coincidence?
The Brief, powered by APPLiA — Stars align for nuclear
The current energy price spike is something of a storm. But it is also wind in the sails of nuclear energy in Europe, after many years of being given the cold shoulder.
Putin blames EU green policies for energy price spike
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (13 October) that the reason for the energy price spike is the shortage of electricity as a result of increased use of renewable energy.
The Brief, powered by APPLiA — Energising the EU bashing
The recent surge of electricity and gas prices to record heights across Europe has a huge potential for EU-bashing in member states, something the EU institutions should try to avert — if they can.
Putin says Ukraine gas pipeline system can ‘burst’ at any time
In the context of skyrocketing gas prices and calls for Russia to supply more gas to the EU, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to exclude Ukraine as a transit country for such additional supplies. However, he said Russia would fully comply with its present contractual obligations for the transit of gas through Ukraine to Europe.
Poland’s PiS party is pushing the country towards EU exit, EPP warns
The centre-right European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, sounded the alarm on Thursday (7 October), warning that Poland's ruling party is pushing the country towards ‘Polexit’.
Czech PM, named in Pandora probe, leads polls ahead of vote
A populist billionaire at odds with the European Union who featured in the Pandora Papers is the narrow favourite in Czech elections starting on Friday (8 October) that promise a tight result.
Ireland agrees to global tax deal, sacrificing prized low rate
Ireland dropped its opposition to an overhaul of global corporate tax rules on Thursday (7 October), agreeing to give up its prized 12.5% tax for large multinationals in a major boost to efforts to impose a minimum rate worldwide.
Kazakhstan minister: We steadily observe our obligations in the field of human rights
Kazakhstan is moving towards reforms progressively and steadily, with the state now supporting and financing NGOs and the political opposition enjoying full parliamentary rights, Aida Balaeva, the minister of information and social development, told EURACTIV in an interview.
The Brief, powered by GIE — Pipeline politics for dummies
It’s not easy to make sense of the thousands of stories about Nord Stream 2. To make it simple, Russia and Germany want the pipeline, while Ukraine, Poland, and the US are against it. But why should Ukraine, Poland, the US and others meddle into what looks like bilateral business?
Kazakhstan justice minister: We aim to create good conditions for foreign investors
In a wide-ranging interview, Kazakhstan's Justice Minister Marat Bektaev discussed Kazakhstan's relations with the EU, its ongoing multi-billion international court cases, and the Central Asian country’s strategic development plans and efforts to create good conditions for foreign investment.
The Brief, powered by GIE — French frigates to fight German submarines in the Aegean?
The EU is quick to call for de-escalation in case of conflicts, it is ambitious about setting itself targets such as “strategic autonomy”, and it succeeds to make its voice heard in the world.
Pandora Papers reveals hidden wealth of world’s most powerful
A massive leak of financial documents on Sunday (3 October) that allegedly ties 27 EU politicians and global figures including King Abdullah of Jordan, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, and associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin to secret stores of wealth.
Rich nations must commit more than $100 billion in climate fight, says India
Rich nations need to commit much more than $100 billion to help poor countries fight climate change due to their high historical share of emissions, India’s chief economic adviser said on Thursday (30 September), ahead of a UN Climate Change...
The Brief, powered by The Greens/EFA — The enlargement train stops at Brdo
The author of this brief was present at the Thessaloniki 2003 summit, where EU leaders pledged to the Western Balkan countries that they would join the bloc when they are ready. It was a critical juncture. EU enlargement was on its...
Gavrilita: Moldova voted for the European model
An exclusive interview with Natalia Gavrilita, Prime Minister of Moldova
EU working on a ‘presence on the ground’ in Afghanistan
Following the chaotic evacuation of international embassy staff from Kabul in August, the European External Action Service is now “working on a possible presence on the ground”, according to an EU official during an off-the-record briefing on Monday (27 September).
The Brief, powered by The Greens/EFA — Geopolitics without Merkel
The sudden rise of tensions between Serbia and Kosovo (adding Albania to the latter) coincided with the German elections held on 26 September. But is it a coincidence?
The Brief, powered by EHFG — Vucic, Orban and the Putinisation of Europe
The latest news is that Central European leaders signed a joint declaration today saying immigration should not be the answer to the EU’s demographic challenges and calling on the bloc to keep family policy under national jurisdiction. In other words, they want to have it their way.
The Brief, powered by EHFG — Macron has wind in his sails
The EU has had a glorious period of big projects — the single market, enlargement, the euro. Reform in this period, including treaty change, was driven by the sheer scope of these huge projects.