12 May
Thanks to Trump, war in Ukraine is back in the spotlight of Czech mediaAfter months of "Ukraine fatigue", both Czech public opinion and newsroom are turning their gaze eastward again. Public opinion polls and media analysis have shown that interest in the topic of the Russia war in Ukraine and relates issues has increased among Czechs and the domestic medi Written by Kateřina Zichová| Euractiv.cz Translated by Martin Říha| Euractiv.cz Read more |
The Visegrad Four (V4), comprising the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, have long been united by geographical proximity and shared historical experiences. However, the panel discussion featuring experts and politicians from the V4 countries reveals a complex and evolving landscape of interests as the European Union (EU) enters its next mandate.
According to the government's self-assessment, Hungary is doing well in the fight against climate change, and there is no overt denial of climate change in the government's rhetoric. However, the positive self-assessment of the government's actions is in striking contrast to the assessment of experts and the relevant statistical data. In a comprehensive study of climate change skepticism, Political Capital looked at public opinion data, media articles and a small number of expert interviews, and coined the term climate relativism, which does not deny climate change or human responsibility, but questions and trivializes the seriousness of the problems associated with it. Climate relativism dominates both discourse and government action.
Written by Ráchel Surányi, Political Capital
As NATO warns of rising numbers of Russia's hybrid acts and EU sanctions pro-Kremlin websites, two out of four Visegrad countries seem to be loosening their caution towards foreign threats, creating more space for them in the process.
As the populist radical right-wing parties of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament gain momentum before the June elections, their efforts to move towards the center and cooperate with the mainstream could be disrupted by Fidesz's effort to join the group. At the same time, the parties in the Visegrad countries could make or break Fidesz's bid to join the ECR, as they see Russia's war against Ukraine very differently from Fidesz.