If a member state persistently breaches EU values (rule of law, democracy, human rights), Article 7 TEU allows the EU to suspend certain rights, including voting rights in the Council. But even then, the country remains a member — it does however lose influence. Perhaps it is time for Brussels...
Dubai “wallet”: how a Lukashenko ally evades EU sanctions through Lithuanian ventures
Lithuanian real estate empire In 2020, Puiki Investicija (“Great Investment”), a little-known real estate firm with minimal staff and profits, undertook an ambitious Klaipeda development project. Questions arose in the local city council about the source of its funding, with suspicions pointing to Belarusian money. The company, owned by Mohammed...
Czech opposition ANO extends poll lead ahead of 3–4 October vote
Czechia’s main opposition party, ANO, has widened its advantage over Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s ruling bloc less than three weeks before parliamentary elections. A new survey by pollster STEM for CNN Prima News places ANO on 31.3% support, with the centre-right SPOLU (Together) coalition on 20.2%. Voting will take place...
How Serbia could use EU digital services Act for state censorship
Two weeks ago, a leaked audio recording confirmed that the CEOs of the state-owned Telekom Srbija and the Netherlands-based United Group discussed plans to remove the chief executive of United Media, a subsidiary of United Group that operates several outlets in the country, including the leading opposition outlet N1 —...
Russian Assets: Milking the Sacred Cow
After years of hesitation, Europe and the UK are poised to seize Russian assets and hand them to Ukraine. Since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three and a half years ago, Europe has been dithering on what to do with more than $300bn of frozen Russian assets....
Hungary and Slovakia AWOL from EU’s “drone wall” talks
Commissioner Kubilius described the “drone wall” as a mix of detection sensors, jamming devices and defensive weapons Hungary and Slovakia will not participate in the first round of EU discussions on the creation of a so-called “drone wall” along the bloc’s eastern border, a project pitched as a response to...
Russian provocation in Estonia ‘part of pattern of unacceptable behaviour
Senior Estonian diplomat Jonatan Vseviov warns that last week’s Russian incursion was “part of a pattern of unacceptable behaviour, not an isolated event.” “Recent weeks have seen repeated air and drone incidents in the region, all happening on the background of Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine,” he said....
Vučić flexes muscles and rattles weapons with massive military parade in Belgrade
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić staged on Saturday (20 September) the largest parade in Serbia’s history, deploying 10,000 troops, 2,600 pieces of military equipment and a 300-metre Serbian flag. The display in Belgrade raised eyebrows in neighbouring countries and Brussels over the true intentions of the increasingly autocratic Serbian leader. Vučić...
Lukoil’s Bulgarian refinery sinks into €107million loss amid EU sanctions
Under the compensation programme for high electricity prices, Lukoil was granted €11.6 million from the Bulgarian state budget in 2024. The Russian-owned oil refinery Lukoil Neftochim near Burgas, the largest in the Balkans, reported a major loss of 213 million leva (€107 million) for 2025, meaning the company received more...
Macron’s UN gambit: statehood or setback?
This week, the spotlight is at the United Nations General Assembly and it isn’t just on global crises like climate change, war in Ukraine, or artificial intelligence. It’s also firmly on France’s Emmanuel Macron, who is pushing for formal recognition of a Palestinian state. But will this move, backed by...