Reporting Democracy

03/12/2025

The difficult operating environment for NGOs in the region is about to get worse as Czechia under Andrej Babis’s populist coalition looks set to join Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia in hounding civil society organisations.
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The difficult operating environment for NGOs in the region is about to get worse as Czechia under Andrej Babis’s populist coalition looks set to join Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia in hounding civil society organisations.

02/12/2025

OPINION by Alejandro Esteso Pérez I The students’ refusal to frame their struggle in explicitly pro-EU terms is not mere indifference – it is the expression of a generational break.

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The students’ refusal to frame their struggle in explicitly pro-EU terms is not mere indifference – it is the expression of a generational break.

01/12/2025

Ostensibly, a Hungarian government promotional video for those “looking for a holiday destination this winter”, less than five months out from an election, there is inevitably a political sting in the tail.

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Ostensibly, a Hungarian government promotional video for those “looking for a holiday destination this winter”, less than five months out from an election, there is inevitably a political sting in the tail.

28/11/2025

Hungarian PM Orban meets with Russian President Putin in Moscow. Diplomatic sources say the visit wasn’t coordinated with EU allies. No press conference is planned for after the meeting.

The two leaders exchanged polite remarks, with Orban reiterating his offer of Hungary as a possible venue for peace talks and hopes current proposals would lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin responded he would welcome Budapest hosting talks.

Orban also said he valued reliable energy deliveries from Russia and intends to discuss energy ties further with Putin. There is speculation Orban is looking for MOL to buy Serbian oil company NIS, which is under sanctions because it is majority-owned by Gazprom.

Photo: EPA

28/11/2025

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban visited Serbia on Thursday to discuss increasing oil exports there, before jetting off to Russia on Friday to talk with Vladimir Putin about crude oil and gas supplies to Hungary.

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Elsewhere, Polish president slams ECJ over foreign gay marriage ruling; Slovak PM alleged to have misused tax office to gather information on family of opposition leader; and Czech president refuses to accept cabinet nomination of Motorist chairman Turek.

27/11/2025

One of Israel’s most vocal backers in the EU, Czechia has rejected any move to recognise the state of Palestine for now. But there’s a catch: it might have already done so.

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One of Israel’s most vocal backers in the EU, Czechia has rejected any move to recognise the state of Palestine for now. But there’s a catch: it might have already done so.

26/11/2025

🇭🇺 | Hungarian oil company MOL doubled oil exports to Serbia in November and will increase them by 2.5x in December, said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

Hungary still gets 90% of its oil from Russia and PM Viktor Orban is expected to fly to Moscow to meet Putin on Friday, with energy sure to be on the agenda.

Background 👇

It’s not logistical barriers, rather a lack of political will, an addiction to Russian money and pro-Kremlin sympathies that are behind Hungary and Slovakia’s refusal to reduce oil and gas imports from Russia. Time is running out, though.

26/11/2025

Both progressive Hungarian Jews and mainstream Jewish leaders are raising concerns about Trump’s appointment of Ben Landa to serve as the US ambassador to Hungary.
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Both progressive Hungarian Jews and mainstream Jewish leaders are raising concerns about Trump’s appointment of Ben Landa to serve as the US ambassador to Hungary.

25/11/2025

Denied extradition requests, strained relations and historical revisionism: the Nord Stream saga, a thorn in Polish-German ties for over a decade, is far from over.

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Denied extradition requests, strained relations and historical revisionism: the Nord Stream saga, a thorn in Polish-German ties for over a decade, is far from over.

24/11/2025

A Budapest district will ban short-term rentals like those on Airbnb from 2026 in response to overtourism and a housing crisis. The controversial measure will be the first of its kind in Hungary, though other districts of the capital could follow suit.

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A Budapest district will ban short-term rentals like those on Airbnb from 2026 in response to overtourism and a housing crisis. The controversial measure will be the first of its kind in Hungary, though other districts of the capital could follow suit.

21/11/2025

The Polish National Prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday that it has drafted charges against two Ukrainian men accused of carrying out last weekend’s sabotage attacks on the rail network, though the suspects have not been charged in person given they fled to Belarus on Sunday, TVP World reported.
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Elsewhere, advisor to Slovak PM appears in Epstein emails; Hungary’s main opposition party launches nationwide primaries for 2026 candidates; Czech President Pavel and prime ministerial hopeful Babis remain at an impasse.

18/11/2025

The election of firebrand far-right agitator Tomio Okamura as speaker of Czechia’s lower house of parliament has caused dismay and sparked worries about what’s in store.

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The election of firebrand far-right agitator Tomio Okamura as speaker of Czechia’s lower house of parliament has caused dismay and sparked worries about what’s in store.