Warnings about a possible Russian attack against NATO have increased lately. Is the threat imminent, or is it just being used to increase readiness?
Communist-era monuments in Bulgaria were a point of fiery debates. Chaotic plans for their removal were not followed by a vision for the future.
A number of countries may boycott the coming Paris Olympics over the IOC’s decision to let Russian athletes compete. Latvia is one of those countries, but not all Latvians – athletes and fans alike – would support such of decision.
In the Baltic countries, parties traditionally defending the interests of the Russian-speaking minority are suffering losses as the war has alienated some of their voters.
“All that was and is the property of the Romanian nation must be returned within the borders of the same state”, said Claudiu Târziu, the chairman of AUR’s National Council. To Russian propaganda, Târziu’s statement is solid gold.
The leader of a far-right party in Hungary has laid claim to Transcarpathia, shortly after the AUR party in Romania lodged a similar claim to Northern Bukovina. The thesis is typical of Russian propaganda.
The Russian State Duma is planning to seize the assets of people distributing “war-related fake news”. The new law is in fact meant to silence anyone criticizing Putin’s regime.
The government says that the referendum on EU accession will clearly show the population's options. However, some see the public consultation set for fall as an electoral maneuver that could backfire against its initiators.
The consolidation of Turkey’s presidential regime, to the detriment of the rule of law and in defiance of Western partners, will generate instability in the Black Sea region and trigger a wave of migrants towards the EU.
Extreme weather phenomena and disinformation are considered by experts to be among the greatest risks facing humanity in the medium and short term. There are also concerns about the risk of societal polarization and cyber security, according to the report on global risks drawn up by the World Economic Forum in Davos (WEF).
Polish conservatives are seething after losing control over public media and two PiS MPs were arrested. Is it the end of Kaczyński-style politics, or the beginning of a lasting political war?
The US and the UK have bombed targets in Yemen. The operation, aimed at deterring further attacks by the Houthi militia in the Red Sea, could cause an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
Georgia was granted EU candidate country in late 2023, but it needs to undertake a number of reforms before the actual negotiations would start. The European Council’s decision came following a complicated year, when the ruling Georgian Dream was faced with criticism from the West and domestic turmoil for what were perceived as pro-Russian and authoritarian policies. Veridica spoke with the co-founder of the Center for Strategic Analysis (GSAC), former Georgian Ambassador to Russia Valery Chechelashvili about how the events of 2023 could affect the future of Georgia, considering the fact that 2024 is an election year.
2023 showed how serious the climate change issue really is. Although efforts have been made to switch to green energies and reduce emissions, the crisis is far from being resolved.
In 2023, Moscow used fake narratives to justify its aggression in Ukraine. In addition, NATO, the EU and the United States continued to be Russian propaganda targets.
2023 marked Bulgaria's exit from political crisis with the formation of a pro-Western government. On the other hand, he continued pro-Russian narratives continued to be promoted.
The narratives were launched / amplified by Moscow and pro-Russians, and the theses included Moldova’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, an attack on Transnistria and EU rapprochement.
The colonization of Romania, the war in Ukraine, conspiracy theories related to the "sanitary dictatorship" and climate change have been the favorite topics for most of the year’s false narratives.
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The Republic of Moldova will join the EU by 2030, believes President Maia Sandu. In an exclusive interview, Maia Sandu also spoke about Russia's pressure on Moldova.
The European Council's decision to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and to grant candidate status to Georgia indicates Brussels' desire to play a more active role in foreign policy. There are several reasons for this.
The recent scandal at the OpenAI company has refueled fears about a potential apocalypse triggered by computers, although for the time being the threat seems anchored in the distant future.
Finland closed its land border with Russia due to a hybrid threat, and Estonia may follow suit, although it has not done so yet.
The struggles of the Polish conservatives to retain power as much as possible after losing the elections, but also the process of taking over the government by pro-Europeans, were enjoyed as a public spectacle.
The European Council has greenlit EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova despite Hungary’s opposition. Veridica has examined Budapest’s counterarguments and the way the announcement was received in Kyiv and Chișinău.
A Russian-inspired sovereigntist law proposed by Viktor Orban's party targets the press, civil society and the opposition. In parallel, FIDESZ promotes anti-EU messages in the election campaign.
The Metropolitan Church of Moldova has criticized the Moscow Patriarchate, as Moldovan priests are calling for the annexation of their Church to the Romanian Patriarchate. The latest developments are tied to the Russian Patriarch’s support for the war in Ukraine.
The lack of progress on the front, domestic issues and allies’ fatigue may push Ukraine towards a peace with Russia. This would lead to a break with the West and fuel Moscow's imperialist ambitions.
Bulgaria is sobering for the fact that the uphill battle to become part of the Schengen Area is far from over and even out of the country’s immediate control of the events.
There are worries in the Baltic States that a new Donald Trump may mean chaotic US policies. If Joe Biden stays, it would be “business as usual”.
In Estonia, Hamas’ attack on Israel and the subsequent military operation in Gaza were perceived as a threat to the country’s own security.
Bin Laden’s “Letter to America” is an ultimatum and a death threat to the collective West. Many of those hailing and sharing it are the very people al-Qaeda would hunt.
The aggressiveness of Putin’s regime has been described as a trait of the Russian people. The same pseudo-scientific generalizations were also used to describe Nazi Germany.
