Yes, that’s right. The caterers. At least, that’s what one of the organizers told me, hinting that they had to resort to a last-minute change of plan to feed ravenous attendees. Food eventually did make it into the venue — smuggled, some whispered — but maybe it should have stayed outside. Lunch on both days … Read more
Several members of ID, including Vlaams Belang MEP Gerolf Annemans and far-right German MEP Maximilian Krah, attended the event in the European Parliament, hosted by the ECR. The conference demonstrated that the parties share much common ground when it comes to attacking the EU’s new migration deal, bashing bureaucrats, and pillorying the Green Deal as … Read more
MCC Brussels, a Hungarian government-backed think tank and part organizer of the event, said a search is now on for an alternative venue. Frank Furedi, executive director of MCC Brussels, denounced the decision by the venue to cancel the event. “What has happened in these last few days represents nothing less than a crisis for … Read more
While the deal was hailed as historic by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it was sharply criticized by others, including NGOs, alongside both far-right and far-left MEPs. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk vehemently rejected the idea of a relocation mechanism, which would transfer migrants from frontline countries … Read more
Leading the country’s ideological assault is the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (commonly referred to as MCC), an Orbán-backed think tank. The government-affiliated organization opened a branch in Brussels in 2022, offering an unapologetically conservative take on EU affairs as it seeks to disrupt the Brussels think tank circuit. The Brussels branch, with a staff of about … Read more
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives to attend a European Council summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 21, 2024. Sameer Al-doumy | Afp | Getty Images Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has run into political trouble ahead of European parliamentary elections in June, with his ruling party shaken by two political scandals … Read more
Transparency campaigners and some political opponents have sought to put pressure on the Commission to discuss the case, but von der Leyen has so far avoided addressing it. In a reply to a direct question put to her by POLITICO about missing text messages, von der Leyen said: “Everything necessary about that has been said … Read more
Bolsonaro’s brief stay at the Hungarian embassy came four days after Brazil’s federal police confiscated his passport and arrested some of his former aides. Under international law, national authorities are not allowed to arrest individuals in foreign embassies. It’s not uncommon for politicians to go to prison in Brazil. Current President Lula Da Silva was … Read more
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is the EU leader with the closest ties to Putin and, to a lesser extent, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is also seen as pro-Russia. Nausėda’s view from behind closed doors is mirrored by public statements from EU leaders. The most dramatic shift has been by French President Emmanuel Macron, … Read more
“Now that Robert Fico is back in power, he is out for revenge. He’s hunting for journalists,” said Košice-based activist Ján Gálik, who is one of the founders of the For A Decent Slovakia initiative, a civil society group which organized the protests after Kuciák’s murder. “They are again creating an atmosphere where more journalists … Read more
