War is far from over this Christmas. While fighting continues to ravage Ukraine, road blockades erected by Serbs in north Kosovo are raising the prospect of new conflict stemming from an old and never resolved dispute.  

Serbia’s strongman President Aleksandar Vučić, who served as the country’s Minister of Information during the Kosovo War in the late 90s, put the Serbian armed forces on their highest alert level on Tuesday. Before Christmas, he requested permission from NATO peacekeepers for Serbian forces to enter Kosovo to protect the Kosovo Serb population from alleged aggression; unsurprisingly, the request was not granted.  ...  Continue reading

When news broke of an investigation by Belgian police into corruption in the European Parliament, it was assumed that the EU would be forced to face up to institutional failings — and even, perhaps, to learn a little humility along the way. The investigation has already seen four people charged, including a European Parliament vice-president, and around €1.5 million in cash seized by investigators. 

The money was allegedly used by Qatar to buy influence among MEPs, in a system of corruption which also implicates NGOs and lobbyists. There have been hints that Morocco also used shady connections between politicians and lobby groups to buy influence in Brussels.  ...  Continue reading

Late on Monday night, an agreement was reached in the EU’s long-running “rule of law” tussle with Hungary. Brussels’s plan to financially punish the miscreant member state will become reality but, in classic EU style, a compromise allows both sides to claim victory. Viktor Orbán has allowed himself to be bought off, having created significant political problems for the Union in recent weeks.  

The EU will approve Hungary’s pandemic recovery fund worth €5.8 billion and reduce the proportion of regular funding programmes to be withheld from Budapest, from 65% to 55%. In return, Hungary has relented in its controversial opposition to EU implementation of a global minimum corporation tax and loans for Ukraine.  ...  Continue reading

A corruption scandal which hit the news over the weekend is proving deeply embarrassing for the EU. Not only does it beg the question of whether the bloc should first clean up its own backyard before punishing member states for their alleged inadequacies in tackling corruption; it also appears to reveal a dark underbelly of the political machinations underpinning the progressive Brussels consensus.  

Four people were charged by Belgian prosecutors on Sunday in an investigation into alleged bribery and corruption at the European Parliament. The scandal revolves around an influence-buying campaign by a Gulf state, reportedly Qatar. Police seized around €600,000 in cash in searches on Friday.  ...  Continue reading

A meeting of EU finance ministers broke down on Tuesday amid the bloc’s ongoing “rule of law” standoff with Hungary, with the European Commission proposing to withhold billions of euros in funds for Budapest despite concessions made by Viktor Orbán’s government. Finance ministers had been expected to discuss the proposed funding block, with a final decision from member states due by December 19.  

Given the distaste for Orbán among many EU governments, this decision might have been assumed a foregone conclusion — but yesterday’s meeting showed that the bloc is belatedly realising the full ramifications of its rule-of-law crusade. A group of countries including France, Italy and Germany expressed frustration with the Commission’s unbending stance and sought a new evaluation which would reduce the amount of money to be withheld from Hungary, making it easier for EU member states to approve the plan.  ...  Continue reading

Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has walked a tightrope. He has backed EU sanctions on Russia despite claiming that they are a “step towards war”, and only after fighting for carve-outs for Hungary. His expressions of support for Ukraine have been half-hearted, emphasising the importance of peace rather than outright defeat for Vladimir Putin.  

Yet recent days have seen the first signs of a potential change in this awkward balancing act. Strong statements opposing Russia indicate that, ever the pragmatic strategist, Orbán believes the winds are now blowing in favour of Ukrainian victory.  ...  Continue reading

You have to hand it to him: Viktor Orbán knows how to make headlines. The world’s media are agonising over the meaning of a scarf worn by the Hungarian Prime Minister after a football match between his nation and Greece. The garment featured a map of the former Kingdom of Hungary before the loss of large portions of its territory following World War I. 

Greater Hungary included parts of today’s Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, Austria, Croatia and Serbia, and governments in those countries reacted with outrage to Orbán’s scarf. Kyiv is particularly upset, summoning the Hungarian ambassador “who will be informed of the unacceptability of Viktor Orbán’s act.”  ...  Continue reading

Prague

To what extent should a platform be given to those unhappy about support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia? This question loomed over Central Europe at the weekend following controversies at Czech and Slovak public broadcasters during a holiday to commemorate the start of the Velvet Revolution, when then-Czechoslovakia rid itself of Communist rule. 

Heads rolled at Slovakia’s public television and radio broadcaster RTVS after the airing of a speech by the Leader of the Opposition Robert Fico, who has been a critic of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia sanctions since the war in Ukraine began. Kyiv this summer put him on its blacklist of “disinformation” spreaders, to which he retorted: ...  Continue reading