The return of Robert Fico to the post of Prime Minister in 2023 has launched the process of "orbanization" of Slovakia. Bratislava is increasingly copying the Hungarian model of governance in all key areas of the state. This course involves not only the dismantling of anti-corruption structures, the usurpation of...
How Central Asia became a main hub for evading Russian sanctions
Since the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions in 2022, the countries of Central Asia (CA) and the CIS have become a center of “gray” imports to Russia and the main channel for circumventing sanctions. Parallel imports through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Georgia have shown impressive growth rates over the past few years....
Science in exile: American scientists leave the US and what Europe gains in return
When Donald Trump began his second presidential term in early 2025, few observers predicted that this era would be a turning point for American science. However, over the past year, the US scientific community has become an unwitting participant in processes far from scientific. Many experts believe that grant cuts,...
Kremlin seeks to restore cooperation between Sberbank and Emirati fund Mubadala
The basis of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the UAE has always been trade, energy (cooperation within OPEC+) and the financial services market. Russia received significant financial investments from the Emirates in its large infrastructure and logistics projects. After 2022, the UAE, under sanctions, became a key financial and...
From legend to reality: How a “shadow fleet” turned sailors into prisoners of ghost ships
Historically, the term "ghost ship" was associated with legends of drifting vessels without crews. However, in the 21st century, it has acquired a new, far more sinister meaning. This refers not to mysterious disappearances, but to the systemic practice of abandoning seafarers by shipowners. According to the definition enshrined in...
Unequal opportunities and complexities of the electoral process in Hungary
Before Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010, Hungary was a relatively free democracy with a high level of freedom of speech and media pluralism. Freedom House in its assessments defined Hungary as “a free democracy with a high level of civil liberties and political rights”. Over the more than...
Russia’s energy terror in Ukraine has caused a shortage of charging stations in the EU
European countries have unexpectedly encountered a shortage of portable charging stations in their markets. As it turned out, this is due to permanent Russian air attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Massive attacks by Russian troops using missiles and drones against critical infrastructure in Ukraine have been ongoing for four consecutive...
Hybrid warfare at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic arena
A few days before the opening ceremony of the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italian authorities announced the thwarting of a series of cyberattacks targeting Olympic venues and Italian government websites. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani publicly announced this, stating that the attacks had a "Russian...
The Epstein Files, Mandelson and the Implications for British Politics
In early 2026, one of the most high-profile scandals of recent years erupted, involving Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party legend, former minister, European Commissioner and British Ambassador to the United States. A series of documents known as the Epstein Files, published by the US Department of Justice, revealed his long-standing...
Coalition on the brink, or how a dispute over appointments split Czech politics
In late January and early February 2026, the Czech Republic experienced one of the most acute domestic political crises in recent years. The conflict between President Petr Pavel and Foreign Minister Petr Macháček, which erupted just a month after the formation of the new coalition government, quickly escalated from a...