Section: Visegrad Insight (Poland)
We, the Visegrad Citizens, Neighbours and Allies
Judging by the intensity of political communication our regional cooperation seems to be flourishing. However, public opinion research brings a sobering reflection on how societies in V4 countries perceive each other and the format of the Group. The Visegrad Group is primarily a political project. But the “flash and blood” of the living organism...
Uncanny under-performer: fixing V4 digital gap
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has experienced unparalleled GDP growth in recent decades, nearly doubling the growth of the Eurozone in 2015, mainly through multinational companies’ investments and generous EU structural funds, yet has only slightly climbed the global value chain ladder. As multinational companies tend to flock to CEE due...
Energy security in V4
In the recently published report on energy security and Visegrad Group the NCSS points out that our countries have yet a lot to accomplish to adjust internal regulations to the EU recommendations. How important is the relation to EU energy policies for V4 energy security? Indeed, today it’s multi-faceted problem to establish friendly...
Hungarian gatekeepers
Despite failure of the Hungarian referendum on 2 October 2016 due to low turnout Prime Minister Viktor Orban triumphed and quickly announced constitutional changes regarding migration. Contrary to general account of the result his government has succeeded in three areas: internal politics, European affairs and demographic policy. Only 43 per cent...
Intellectual courage versus industry of fear
MICHAL HAVRAN: Is there any sense in speaking about the project of the ‘new’ Enlightenment today given, first, a history of criticism against the flawed original project, and second, taking into account our contemporary political reality? Patrik Ouředník: I do not have any problem with the notion of the ‘new Enlightenment’. While...
European Security ‘impossible’ Without a Democratic Belarus
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has been in power since 1994, the often-called ‘last dictator in Europe’ has rightfully earned his name by jailing and killing journalists and opposition leaders since the late 1990’s. Given Lukashenko’s role in the Minsk ceasefire agreements, he might be trying to get a clean slate with...
