#24 Judicial Independence in Hungary
In Between Europe
In the last episode of 2019, we look at the state of play in the judiciary in Hungary and what the most recent amendments mean for rule of law and the independence of the court system. To make sense of it all, we are joined by Dávid Vig, the director of Amnesty International Hungary and Ágnes Kovács, a lecturer at ELTE’s Department of Human Rights and Politics. History minute: The history of courts in Hungary Resources: , Joint report by Amnesty International Hungary & Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 10 July 2019 , Amnesty International Hungary, 19 November 2019 , Zoltan...
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#23 Visegrad and Growth in Europe
In Between Europe
This episode is a forward-looking one, which builds on our previous discussion about the economic legacy of the transition. We discuss a new report from Visegrad Insight titled “European Futures,” the current state of EU budget negotiations when it comes to Central Europe, and the impact of regional politics on the economy. Guests: Daniel Gros, director of CEPS; Wojciech Przybylski, editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight; and Tomasz Kaszprowicz, economic editor of Res Publica Resources: , CEPS and Visegrad Insight, October 2019 , European Union , Balkan Insight, 13 November 2019 ,...
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#22 Transition@30: The Economic Legacy
In Between Europe
In this episode we talk to Dóra Győrffy, a professor at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Hungary, about the economic legacy of the transition. We take stock of the frontrunners and those who did things by the book implementing neoliberal reforms, but we also touch on the failures, and the apparent decoupling of political and economic success. Resources: , Dóra Győrffy, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018 , Dóra Győrffy, In: Jensen, J; Miszlivetz, F (eds.) Reframing Europe’s future : challenges and failures of the European construction, Routledge, 2015, pp. 93–114...
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#21 EP Elections in the Visegrad Four
In Between Europe
This episode is the first segment of a two-part series with Talk Eastern Europe (TEE) on the results of the European Parliament elections in Central Europe. We talk to Edit Zgut, a visiting lecturer at the Center for Europe in the University of Warsaw and discuss the V4 and what is next for the opposition in Hungary and Poland. Stay tuned for part two on Bulgaria, Romania, and more Poland with TEE! History minute: The Left That’s Not There — Social Democratic Parties in Central Europe Resources: , European Parliament , Edit Zgut, Politico Europe, 21 May 2019 , Marcin...
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#20 Presidential Elections in Slovakia
In Between Europe
Progressive newcomer Zuzana Caputova secured a surprise victory in Slovakia’s presidential elections this past weekend. We talk about what led to her success and what it means for the future of the country with Oľga Gyárfášova, the director of the Institute of European Studies and International Relations at Comenius University in Bratislava. History minute: Presidents and their Powers Resources: , Olga Gyarfasova, Visegrad Insight, 27 April 2018 , Dariusz Kalan, Foreign Policy, 28 March 2019 , Emily Tamkin, Washington Post, 1 April 2019 , Olga Gyarfasova, New Perspectives,...
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#19 What Future for the Media in Central Europe?
In Between Europe
We’re back! Here with us today is Marius Dragomir, the director of the Center for Media, Data, and Society at Central European University (CEU) and we discuss the crisis-ridden media environment in the region. Despite the doom and gloom around the failure of the old business model and increasing political control, there are some good examples emerging that provide reason for optimism. History minute: Media Pluralism in an Authoritarian Regime Resources: , Center for Media, Data, and Society, CEU, 2019 , Marius Dragomir, Journalism, Vol. 19, Issue 8, 2018 , Lenka...
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#18 Energy and Energy Security in Central Europe
In Between Europe
In a long-awaited episode we tackle the important question of energy security in the Central European region. For this, we talk to András György Deák, senior fellow at the Institute of World Economy of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and a former consultant to several large energy companies in the region. History minute: The Function of the Economic Clout Resources: , Expert Forum / NED, May 2017 , Rick Noack, The Washington Post, October 2018 , David Koranyi, Foreign Policy, February 2018 , Ivan T. Berendt, Révue Économique, Année 2000, 51–2, pp. 315–322 ...
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#17 Central European Futures
In Between Europe
In this episode we discuss a new report titled Central European Futures — Five Scenarios for 2025 that maps five possible futures for the region and offers insight as well as recommendations. A true discussion starter! The guests on the show are Joerg Forbrig, a director and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund and Wojciech Przybylski, the editor in chief of Visegrad Insight. History Minute: The Strange Case of Hybrid Alignments Resources: , Visegrad Insight, 2018 Recommended podcast: , New Eastern Europe, 2018 Subscribe via .
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#16 Slovenia's Politics = Normal?
In Between Europe
We talk to Aljaž Pengov Bitenc, a Slovenian journalist and fellow podcast host in this episode and navigate the not-so-choppy waters of Slovenian politics together. We talk about the outcome of the recent elections, the failure of Orbanization, the lack of illusions but also extremes, and many more. History minute: The Ambiguity of National History Resources: : A blog on Slovenian politics , Slavoj Žižek, The Independent, 4 June 2018 , Associated Press, 13 September 2018 , Nations in Transit, 2018 Subscribe via . Subscribe via .
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#15 Slovakia and the Coming post-Fico Era
In Between Europe
We’re back! In this episode we are talking to Milan Nič, a senior fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations. We discuss what has happened in Slovakia since the horrific murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancé this spring, how much influence does Russia have in the country, and where Slovak politics is going once former prime minister Robert Fico decides to fully retire.
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History Minute: Gramsci and the Rural Vote in Hungarian History
Resources:
Can Viktor Orban be Defeated on April 8?, Zsuzsanna Szelényi, Visegrad Insight, 2 April 2018
Viktor Orban is Just Getting Started, Zselyke Csaky, Foreign Policy, 12 April 2018
Orban Reloaded, Milan Nic & Peter Krekó, DGAP, 11 April 2018
Some Aspects of the Southern Question, Antonio Gramsci, 1926