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The outlook for Slovak-Hungarian relations after the 2012 parliamentary elections

Grigorij Mesežnikov — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:29:05 +0200

Slovakia has become the second Central European country after Hungary with a one-party government in power. And although – unlike Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in Hungary – Robert Fico’s Smer-SD party in Slovakia lacks a constitutional majority in parliament which would allow them to make fundamental changes to the political system, the strongest politicians in the two neighbouring countries are in a comparable position today. After election victories, they have both assumed exclusive responsibility for conditions in all areas of life in society under the government’s purview, especially in the area of social and economic policy.

Fairness in a Finite World - Rio +20 Dossier

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:54:47 +0200

20 years after the first Earth Summit, the international community will gather in Rio de Janeiro from the 20th to the 22th of June 2012. Rio 2012 is a call to action and an occasion to take part in political debate over the pressing issues of our time and the search for solutions. How much growth can a finite planet tolerate? How can we end hunger in a world of abundance? How can we use our wealth of natural resources fairly and sustainably?

Slovakia’s 2012 Election – Stakes, Results and Consequences

Juraj Mesík — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:49:48 +0200

Well – we shall see – but disaster looks very different from the results of Slovakia’s 2012 election and there appears to actually be some room for moderate optimism. The composition of the new government, the government’s program and the continuation – or not – of the Gorilla investigation by police will shed more light on these questions within few weeks.

Slovakia’s 2012 Election – Stakes, Results and Consequences

Juraj Mesík — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:01:21 +0200

“European Stocks Drop on Slovakia’s Uncertainty”, read one of the many newspaper headlines published in the international media back in early October 2011. As the European nations moved towards specific steps needed to save Greece from uncontrolled bankruptcy, one member of Slovakia’s ruling coalition – liberal “Sloboda a Solidarita” (Freedom and Solidarity – SaS) – found it difficult to honor its own name and to show solidarity towards troubled Greece and the European Union as a whole. On October 11, Slovakia was the very last of 17 eurozone countries to vote on support for the eurozone bailout fund known as the EFSF.

A New Start for the Czech Green Party

Martin Ander — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:10:37 +0200

The unsuccessful parliamentary elections in the spring of 2010 were the culmination of one stage in the history of the Czech Green Party. It was the party’s first participation in government as well as in parliament, a period of relatively good financing for the party, and what at the time was an unprecedented expansion in party membership. But this period will always be associated with sharp intra-party conflicts, the break-up of the parliamentary group and above all the gradual erosion of public trust, which completely collapsed in May 2010. Although public opinion polls show a return in support for the Greens to five percent (the threshold necessary for representation in parliament), the party must begin to build its future from the ground up if it is to contemplate a return to a place in the sun – in other words, it must undergo a sort of “restart”.

Syria's Revolution: Society, Power, Ideology

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:08:56 +0200

It is almost a year ago that Syrian citizens, inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, courageously took to the streets in protest against the decades-long denial of their basic rights by the Assad regime. The Syrian authors who contributed to this publication of Heinrich-Böll-Foundation Beirut, despite facing obstacles at home, expressed a concern for “helping foreigners understand the Syrian people”.

Climate, migration and security

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:45:36 +0200

The intersection of climate change, human migration, and conflict presents a unique challenge for US foreign policy in the 21st century. These three factors are already beginning to combine in ways that undermine traditional understandings of national security and demand a rethink of traditional divisions between diplomacy, defense, and economic, social and environmental development policy. This report and video provides the foundation and overview for a series of papers focusing on the particular challenges posed by the cumulative effects of climate change, migration, and conflict in some of our world’s most complex environments.

Viktor Orbán in Strasbourg: Veni, vidi, vici?

Eva van de Rakt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:10:33 +0200

Last week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán participated in a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The agenda included current political developments in Hungary. Shortly beforehand, the European Commission had launched three infringement proceedings against the country. The Hungarian prime minister had invited himself to this session.

SurVivArt - Umění, životní prostředí a genderová (ne)rovnost

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:04:43 +0200

Projekt SurVivArt byl inspirován iniciativou Über Lebenskunst, která vzešla z podnětu Německé federální kulturní nadace (Kulturstiftung des Bundes) a která chtěla prostřednictvím interdisciplinárního přístupu v umění hledat alternativní modely udržitelného způsobu života ve 21. století. Berlínská centrála Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung a její zahraniční kanceláře se připojily k této iniciativě prostřednictvím vlastního projektu “SurVivArt: Arts for the Right for a Good Life”.

SurVivArt - Arts, Environment, and Gender (In)Equality

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:30:04 +0200

SurVivArt - Arts, Environment, and Gender (In)Equality

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:52:22 +0200

SurVivArt has been inspired by the German Kulturstiftung’s initiative Über Lebenskunst and developed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation HQ with support from its offices around the world. By joining the “SurVivArt” initiative the Heinrich Böll Foundation Prague would like to contribute to the international mosaic with a rather different perspective. The Prague office has not approached any artists to elaborate a specific art project. The aim of the Prague project in its first phase is to provide a broader insight into contemporary artists’ practices, issues and projects in the Czech Republic and to outline whether and how they respond to current social and environmental challenges.

The beginning of the end? A subjective assessment of the political situation in Hungary

Kristóf Szombati / Foto:LMP — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:22:10 +0200

This is the fourth piece of a series of articles in which the author endeavors to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. Here his main concern is to assess the country’s predicament after the new Constitution came into force on the 1st of January and to spell out the dilemmas of the nascent democratic opposition. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party.

The public-private road to bankruptcy?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:26:11 +0200

A failure to book public-private partnerships on balance-sheets allows governments to drive a hole through plans to cap deficits in current fiscal and financial crisis, Juraj Mesík writes in his commentary.

Future of the energy systems

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:07:36 +0200

The international conference "What the future of energy systems willl be?" on 13. October in Prague fostered an international debate on the cost of nuclear power, the prospects of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. During the conference, The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2010-2011 and update was presented by its lead author, Mycle Schneider, and we offer you video of his presentation as well as PPTs presentations of other internationally and locally renowned energy experts.

Sharing Solutions: Transatlantic Cooperation for a low carbon economy

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:54:37 +0200

This publication analyzes conditions for progressive climate and energy policy at the regional and state level. It discusses how regions with a strong coal, manufacturing or rural economy are affected by climate and energy policies, and how way policies should be designed to soften the impact of structural change toward a low-carbon economy.

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:16:38 +0200

The attacks of 11 September 2001 represented a historic turning point of a scope comparable to that of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. This year’s annual foreign policy conference of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung took stock of the “war on terror” and formulated a vision for Afghanistan, the Middle East and global politics. Watch videos and read report from the conference.

Far right mobilization and the roots of anti-Roma sentiment in Hungary

Kristóf Szombati — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:15:28 +0200

This is the third piece of a series of articles in which the author endeavors to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. Here, he looks at right-wing extremism through the lenses of the recent ethnic conflict in the village of Gyöngyöspata, which rocked the Hungarian political scene and also made international headlines. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party.

Perceptions of the Fukushima disaster in Europe

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:36:28 +0200

While the full extent of the Fukushima disaster and its long term damage will remain unclear for some time to come, this dossier gathers snap-shots of how Fukushima is perceived in the different European countries. How do the people, the media and politics react to and deal with the events? And in what way and to what extent does it affect discussions about the future of nuclear power?

NGOs and Climate Crisis: Fragmentation, Lines of Conflict and Strategic Approaches

Barbara Unmüßig — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:19:39 +0200

Climate policy active NGOs and movements are fragmented and characterized by heterogeneous interests. Cleavages exist in important issues and the choice of strategies. A discussion of complementary strategies and division of labor is an urgent need.

"The beginning of the Post-Islamist Era" - Interview with Abbas Djavadi

Sun, 29 May 2011 23:08:07 +0200

Abbas Djavadi, Associated director of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's broadcasting to the Middle East, believes that the "Arab Spring" testifies to the beginning of the era of "Post-Islamism" and that the role of the "New media" is being overestimated. The interview was conducted at the margins of the Prague conference on the Turkey and the Middle East, organised by the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation.

People's Power - The Arab World in Revolt

Tue, 24 May 2011 16:08:09 +0200

The self-immolation of young and jobless Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi in the provincial town of Sidi Bouzid, being deprived of his vegetable stand and humiliated by the authorities, triggered popular movements and historic events in the Arab World completely unexpected in their magnitude...The renown authors in the special edition of “Perspectives Middle East”, a journal of the hbs office in Beirut, address many questions posed by this rapid development.

The betrayed republic. Hungary’s new Constitution and the “System of National Cooperation”

Kristóf Szombati — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:34:29 +0200

This is the second piece of a series of articles in which the author Kristóf Szombati intends to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. In what follows Szombati seeks to outline and interpret the most significant changes brought about by the new Constitution which the Fidesz-KDNP coalition has decided to bequeath to the country. The text is written from the perspective of a long-time member of the Hungarian green movement who co-founded the “Lehet Más a Politika” (LMP) party.

Sticks in the spokes of the “booth revolution”

Kristóf Szombati — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:51:51 +0200

This is the first piece of a series of articles in which the author intends to lift the veil on significant social, political and cultural transformations since the right-wing government came to power in Hungary. His main concern here is to assess and explain the political situation in Hungary.

When the Dust Settles in Arabia

Juraj Mesík — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:49:53 +0200

How could the desert feed 230 million people? The answer is simple and clear: it cannot. The desert has not been able to feed such populations in the past, cannot do so today, and will not be able to do so at all in the future. The Arab world has experienced a population bubble that cannot be sustained and will soon begin to rupture, although the real bursting of the bubble will evolve over the coming years and decades.

Myths of nuclear power - a guide

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:18:11 +0200

The Heinrich Böll Foundation has commissioned renowned international nuclear experts to deliver detailed facts central to the myths of nuclear energy. This overview provides the public with a current, facts rich and nuclear-critical know-how. Among others, Steve Thomas shows the true cost of nuclear power and makes it clear that nuclear energy in the free market economy without government support is not competitive.

Energy of the Future? Nuclear energy in CEE.

HBF's publication — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:40:57 +0200

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, in cooperation with Hnutí DUHA and the Czech branch of the international organisation WISE, has attempted to describe in greater detail the causes and manifestations of nuclear energy’s exceptional position in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The result is this publication, which contains contributions by experts from five countries in the region: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria.

What is happening to Hungary?

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:11:45 +0200

Prior to the Hungarian EU-Presidency the country’s new media law has caused an international stir and a lot of criticism from abroad. The new media law is only the tip of the iceberg: Since April 2010 the Orbán government has passed several bills in an incredible speed. This has been possible due to the two third majority of the governing party Fidesz within the Hungarian Parliament.

Český a slovenský parlament po Lisabonské smlouvě

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:11:01 +0200

Publikace je výstupem projektu "Nová role národních parlamentů v rozhodovacích procesech Evropské unie: předchozí zkušenosti a nové výzvy v souvislosti s Lisabonskou smlouvou", který realizoval Institut pro evropskou politiku EUROPEUM ve spolupráci s Institutem pro veřejné otázky ve Varšavě a Nadací pro vědu a politiku v Berlíně za finanční podpory Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.

The Czech and Slovak Parliaments After the Lisbon Treaty

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:26:00 +0200

This publication is an output of a project called "New role of the national parliaments in the EU decision-making processes: previous experience and new challenges pursuant to the Lisbon Treaty", undertaken by EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy together with the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw and Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin with the financial support of Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 23:56:42 +0200

On the 1st of December 2010 "Hnutí Duha", "Calla" and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague organized in cooperation with the Green European Foundation a seminar on the future perspectives of renewable energy in the Czech Republic. In this framework the latest of GEF´s analyses of National Renewable Energy Action Plans was presented by its author Petr Holub.

"Red mud" catastrophe in Hungary

Atilla Szuhi — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:24:56 +0200

The red mud catastrophe is one of Hungary’s largest ecological disasters. The red mud painted houses, arable lands, trees and rivers. The mud marked everything. Perhaps, if the daily but less-visible pollution of the air, rivers, food, and chemicals in our lives were as visible as the red mud, maybe the recent disaster would not have occurred either.

The Use of Proceeds from Emissions Trading in the Czech Republic

Aleš Kuták — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:23:45 +0200

International trading in greenhouse gas emissions has raised a number of questions from its very inception. Aren’t the wealthiest countries just using it as an inexpensive way to purchase purely formal relief from fulfilling their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol? The example of the Czech Republic illustrates how this mechanism can be used to reduce emissions as well as to support job creation in the regions.

European Union and its Eastern Neighbours.

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:48:55 +0200

On March 18-19 2010 experts, representatives of national administrations and the world of politics from Poland, Germany, other European countries, states taking part in the Eastern Partnership initiative and Russia met in Warsaw to discuss the perspectives for developing the European Union’s Eastern Policy for upcoming years – specifically during the period of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. The conference – an open meeting (March 18) for the general public and an expert meeting (March 19) – was organized by the Warsaw office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the German Bertelsmann Foundation and the Polish Centre for European Strategy demosEuropa.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:10:13 +0200

Erik Siegl — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:26:12 +0200

What is taking place in today’s Iran is not primarily a dispute between western influences and the concept of the Islamic state, as the country’s current leaders would like to present the issue.

Radar issue shows the need for a generational transition in Czech politics

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:25:23 +0200

In a recent lecture for the United States Institute for Peace, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the world cannot afford to continue to rely on recycling ideas from the Cold War era. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Czech politicians and media think in Cold War terms, and as a result Czech society does as well.

Czech EU Presidency – a Missed Opportunity

Mats Braun — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:46:37 +0200

When evaluating the Czech EU presidency, the first question we need to deal with is what we might expect from a successful presidency.

Refocusing Europe's Leadership Role in Climate Change

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:12:40 +0200

“What Europe must understand is that its real leadership ambition should concentrate
on being the first to create a low carbon economy. The real breakthrough for
climate policy will not come through diplomacy. Rather, the breakthrough will come
as countries learn to understand that saving the climate will help save their economies
and safeguard their security.”

Road to Copenhagen: The EU and the US – Driving Forces for a Succesful Post 2012 Agreement?

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:30:18 +0200

The conference organised by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Ministry of Environment provided good opportunity for exchange and debate among the climate diplomats, government officials, experts, business and NGOs representatives and interested public (over 160 participants). The main aim of the conference, the biggest of its kind in the new EU member states this year, was to assess where the EU, USA and other key players stay shortly before the Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP 15) this December.

Ways out of the Crisis in Europe

By Eva van de Rakt — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:26:26 +0200

The global economic and financial crisis, already a reality of everyday political life, has also become the main topic of the elections for the European Parliament – here in the Czech Republic as well.