We Need More Than Solidarity Now!
The European Parliament held its plenary session in Strasbourg this week. The main item on the agenda was an assessment of the Hungarian presidency’s achievements so far and a presentation of the remaining tasks and challenges facing the EU, which Mr Viktor Orbán PM, as head of the presiding member state, wanted to present.
Banning Airbnb in One Budapest District Sets a Dangerous National Precedent for Hungary
The recent referendum in Terézváros, one of the inner-city districts of the Hungarian capital, to ban Airbnb rentals reveals deeper issues in public engagement and policymaking. With only 6,083 votes out of 41,000 residents, the turnout was a mere 15%, signaling widespread indifference. The low participation calls into question the referendum’s legitimacy and suggests that many residents may not view Airbnb as a critical contributor to the housing crisis.
Ethical Remembrance & Solemn Recognition with Warsaw Ghetto Scholar Dr. Katarzyna Person
Dr. Katarzyna Person, the deputy director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum that is set to open in 2026, has been awarded the Dan David Prize. Headquartered at Tel Aviv University and established in 2001, recipients of the prestigious honor “reward innovative and interdisciplinary work that contributes to humanity.” Dr. Person’s focused commitment to Holocaust studies as a professor, researcher, and writer on a number of books and articles, as well as editing volumes of many documents from the Underground Archive, has collectively earned her much respect as a renowned scholar.
On The Ground at Mob-Filled Rally in Washington
Much has been made of the nasty and perverse anti-Israel demonstration on Saturday April 27 outside the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Hilton Hotel on Connecticut Ave in D.C. The glitzy affair featured President Joe Biden hurling jabs at GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump while also offering dire warnings of the fate of democracy in America if he isn’t re-elected in November.
Poland’s 2004 EU Accession: A Retrospective
Two decades have passed. Poland is on the brink of celebrating the 20th anniversary of its accession to the European Union in the vibrant Parc Cinquantenaire of Brussels. The festivities promise a lively May Day atmosphere, complete with games for children and a captivating country image campaign showcasing Poland’s diverse regions and municipalities to a cosmopolitan audience. One question lingers as Poland prepares to mark this momentous occasion: do they genuinely have cause for celebration?
Europe’s Response to Russia’s Presidential Elections
Recent international events have underscored the resilience of the West and its commitment to defending democratic values and Ukraine. Despite internal divisions, a bipartisan Congressional decision in the United States allocated $100 billion in foreign aid to support Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russia. This decisive action, supported by Republican and Democratic majorities, demonstrated a unified stance against Russian aggression.
Tucker Carlson’s Putin interview was a disgrace – but it would be wrong for Europe to sanction him
On 8 February, American journalist and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin. This was a highly anticipated and controversial event which drew much criticism: two liberal members of the European Parliament went as far as to suggest that Carlson could be sanctioned by EU authorities for acting as a mouthpiece of the Russian government – a possibility which the European Commission promptly ruled out.
Pesticide changes are not enough to appease protesting farmers. The real problem is subsidies
After a great deal of bureaucratic drama, Spain has finally decided to recognize Kosovo passports. The UAE has also joined the party by removing visas for Kosovan citizens, allowing them to travel to the Arab state with only their passport for the first time. These are long-awaited changes which represent a big step forward in Kosovo’s relations with the rest of the world. But there is still much more to do – starting with the rest of Europe getting on board with visa-free travel for Kosovars and recognising Kosovo’s sovereignty.
Spain finally recognising Kosovo passports is a good start – but it’s still not enough
After a great deal of bureaucratic drama, Spain has finally decided to recognize Kosovo passports. The UAE has also joined the party by removing visas for Kosovan citizens, allowing them to travel to the Arab state with only their passport for the first time. These are long-awaited changes which represent a big step forward in Kosovo’s relations with the rest of the world. But there is still much more to do – starting with the rest of Europe getting on board with visa-free travel for Kosovars and recognising Kosovo’s sovereignty.
EU smoke and mirrors on vaping laws don’t help anyone
The EU is preparing to amp up its never-ending fight against smokers. Any plan designed to force people to make healthier lifestyle choices is bound
Israel Copes with Heartbreak & Trauma Following Horrific Terror Attacks
As Hamas unleashed the worst multipronged terror attack on the State of Israel in recent memory, many there are still trying to grapple with these unconscionable systematic murders, which have befallen the Jewish people.
Possible Change Means Relief in the Essential Oil Business
A new red-tape mission is about to worsen the lives of Eastern European consumers, producers, and suppliers. Under the influence of the Green Deal, the European Union’s Chemical Agency (ECHA) will transition to a hazard-based approachpremised on preventing any potential threat. Regulators will no longer focus on concrete exposure levels to determine whether a product is safe for consumers, as they used to in the older risk-oriented assessments. Instead, policymakers will use lab-related hypothetical scenarios or advanced statistical tests to label a consumer good as dangerous or remove it entirely from store shelves if it could constitute a problem in any way, shape, or form.
Eastern Europe should reject the proposed EU chemical regulations
A new red-tape mission is about to worsen the lives of Eastern European consumers, producers, and suppliers. Under the influence of the Green Deal, the European Union’s Chemical Agency (ECHA) will transition to a hazard-based approach premised on preventing any potential threat.
Warsaw’s Painful Jewish Chapters Spawn Modern-Day Proud Remembrances
In April 2021, to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the start of the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto Uprising, a monument was unveiled in the heart of the Polish capital that consisted of a glass cube above an underground chamber. This great touchstone in Warsaw had been a long-forsaken Holocaust-era archive that was hidden by Polish Jewish volunteers. The Ringelblum Archive, named after the leading historian and teacher, Emmanuel Ringelblum, “gave new life to those who died and the testimony of those who witnessed the horrors.
‘All the Red Lines Had Been Crossed’: CEA Talk with Finland Amb. Jari Vilén
In late March, the Hungarian parliament ratified Finland’s NATO membership, which led to joining it as a member a week later. At the time, some Hungarian officials “spent months telling counterparts that they had no objections, and their parliament was simply busy with other business,” as reported by Politico. “Budapest changed its narrative… with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán… arguing the point that some of his legislators had qualms regarding criticism of the state of Hungarian democracy.” While taking longer than perhaps hoped, the Hungarian parliament ultimately voted to ratify it by a margin of 182 to 6 on March 27.