The Night is Darkest Before Dawn

Georgia will be freed from Ivanishvili’s “Russian dream”, writes Viktor Sparov Sakartvelo is now at the most important juncture of its development, perhaps since the dissolution of the USSR. In less than a week, the country will hold parliamentary elections that will definitively determine the future course of this small but proud country. At stake is…

Georgia: Between Russian Past and European Future

Georgia

In just mere weeks, the moment of truth for Georgia will set things straight, as the country suits up to make its existential choice for the civilised future. The people will cast their vote in the historical election that is set to define the country’s fate for decades to come, writes Viktor Sparov. On October 26,…

Russian Interference in Sovereign Countries

Russian interference in the affairs of sovereign nations poses a serious threat to the stability of global democracy. One of the latest examples involves Moldova, where Russian forces attempted to disrupt a referendum on joining the European Union. The Kremlin employed bribery, disinformation, and provocations, demonstrating its intent to undermine the sovereignty of neighbouring countries…

Call for More Democratic Europe

Photo by Antoine Schibler on Unsplash

  Photo by Antoine Schibler on Unsplash   The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted a resolution tracking democratic progress in the European Union and calling for a stronger EU with a new six-fold concept of security. It says the new European Parliament and Commission should, given the current multi-crisis, make use of the…

New Look Commission

European Commission Media Service

The new-look European Commission has been unveiled by its President Ursula von der Leyen.   Outlining the new team to MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the German official told deputies that gender balance had been uppermost in her thoughts.   The college, as it is formally called, comprises 11 women, 40 per cent of the…

The New European Commission

  Photo European Parliament Press Service   European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has presented to the European Parliament her proposal for the new European Commission.  On Tuesday, speaking in Strasbourg to MEPs, she told MEPs her thoughts on the new line up. The former German defence minister said, “We do not have the…

Michel Barnier Appointed as Prime Minister

New French PM Michel Barnier will give “some much-needed ballast to France’s somewhat unstable leadership”. That is the view of a former vice president of the European parliament. Edward McMillan-Scott was speaking to this website after Barnier’s appointment on Thursday. Known in France as Monsieur Brexit, Barnier, who is 73, is France’s oldest prime minister since…

ECR Group in Parliament Formed

The centre-right European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament has been constituted.  Nicola Procaccini (Fratelli d’Italia, Italy) and Joachim Brudziński (PiS, Poland) are the new joint leaders Assita Kanko (N-VA, Belgium), Hermann Tertsch (Vox, Spain), Alexandr Vondra (ODS, Czech Republic) and Charlie Weimers (Sverigedemokraterna, Sweden) are its deputy leaders. Meanwhile, Denis Nesci (Fratelli d’Italia) and Kosma Złotowski (PiS, Poland) have been elected as co-treasurers. …