The EU and Moldova: Can Both Partners Get “More for More”?
Politicians from the European Union (EU) like success stories; they need them. In that vein, they would like their neighborhood to be stable, secure, and prosperous, and assume that their neighbors can provide these commodities on their own. This assumption may prove to be correct. However, by focusing on the Eastern neighborhood’s latest hopeful for EU membership—Moldova—it becomes immediately apparent that, in addition to lending a helping hand, the EU may also be undermining the processes that could bring change to the country. READ MORE
Kazakhstan, Germany reached high level of mutual understanding and share similar positions on current int’l issues - Y. Kazykhanov
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kazykhanov has visited Belgium, Great Britain and Germany on July 18-20. READ MORE
Dispatch: Energy Pipeline Politics in the Former Soviet Union
Analyst Eugene Chausovsky examines the current politics of energy infrastructure from the Caucasus region to central Europe as the European Union seeks alternatives to Russia. READ MORE
Lithuania’s leadership in the region: opportunities of small EU Member States
To have a clear goal or a vision is important not only for humans but also for a state. Well-defined goals are the most effective tools facilitating the achievement of the desired results; therefore, the states should have a clear future vision. More than five years have passed since Lithuania has set a controversial vision - the ambition to become a regional political leader. Were the ambitions defined by the Lithuanian foreign policy-makers realized in reality? READ MORE
Croatia as EU's 28th member: Better late than never!
Croatia's membership of the European Union was delayed and the country was forced to be particularly tough on corruption because many in the EU believed Bulgaria and Romania's accession in 2007 was premature, argues Croatian journalist Augustin Palokaj. He provides an overview of the past, present and future of Croatia's EU journey. READ MORE
Advisor: Polish Presidency wants new 'European contract'
Poland wants to draw up a new 'contract' for the EU that would highlight the benefits of EU membership and redefine the joint responsibilities of member states, says Paweł Świeboda in an exclusive interview with EurActiv Poland. READ MORE
Finnish president: 'We've overestimated the Lisbon Treaty'
The EU has overestimated the importance of the Lisbon Treaty and the international community is still wondering who speaks for the European Union on the international stage, Finnish President Tarja Halonen said in an exclusive interview with EurActiv. READ MORE
Post-Soviet Integration - New Hopes
The process of the Common Economic Space launch preparation goes on. This is a new integration mega-project within post-soviet area. On July 1st 2011 starts a new formation stage of the Common Economic Space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Customs bodies finish the performance customs control over the goods within internal borders of the Customs Union states – the most important stage of the CES establishment. Its initiators underline success achieved within development of common internal market of the CU states undertime. The EU states spent 36 years on that; Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan with joint efforts managed to do that in a year. It is supposed that the CES starts operating on January 1st of 2012. READ MORE
Central Asia: the discourse of danger
From policy reports and academic studies, to computer games and television mini-series, Central Asia is routinely portrayed as overwhelmingly dangerous. Does it matter that serious analyses dovetail with fictional accounts? John Heathershaw and Nick Megoran argue that it does, because it indicates a common Western geopolitical vision of Central Asia that distorts policy towards the region. READ MORE
Interview with Donald Tusk, the Polish premier
Financial Times: Poland is beginning its European Union presidency at a momentous time for the Union – the euro crisis, Schengen, north Africa. What are the scenarios and solutions? READ MORE
