Polish press: The Kremlin is looking for Orbán’s successor
Moscow must also rethink its regional position after Fidesz’s defeat. Russia has lost its most stable ally in the region, while still needing partner(s) within the EU.
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Oil price shocks: how the energy crisis is dividing Central Europe
As Hormuz closes and Druzhba stays shut, the four Visegrád countries face the same vulnerability from opposite directions.
Markets cheer, agencies warn: Hungary’s new government faces a sobering economic welcome
Tisza’s landslide victory on April 12 sent the forint to a four-year high and Budapest stocks to a record, as investors priced in the end of the Orbán-era risk premium and the prospect of unlocking frozen EU funds.
Hungarian government change - Regional reactions
The Hungarian election results generated significant reverberations across the region. The reactions simultaneously reflected a sense of geopolitical realignment and each country's own domestic political considerations.
Hungary's political earthquake: the end of the Orbán era and the weight of what comes next
On 12 April 2026, Hungarian voters ended sixteen years of Viktor Orbán's rule in a landslide, handing Péter Magyar's Tisza party a two-thirds supermajority on the highest turnout since the fall of communism.
Prague and Bratislava patch things up
The Czech-Slovak bilateral reset, sealed at Nóva Horka on March 31, has reopened a diplomatic channel that was shut over Ukraine.
How Europe's defence shield became Romania's political battlefield
The EU's €150 billion Security Action for Europe programme was designed to protect the continent's eastern flank. In Romania - its single largest beneficiary - it has instead ignited coalition warfare.
Fuel price cap introduced in Poland
Poland has also been hit by the fuel price shock, to which the government has responded with a price cap. Most countries in the region are attempting to ease the burden on consumers through direct state intervention in pricing.
After a Deadlock: Where does Slovenia’s government formation stand?
Following the March parliamentary elections, Slovenia has entered a prolonged and uncertain government formation process. The election did not produce a clear winner, leaving the country in a classic coalition bargaining situation where smaller parties have gained increased importance.
The Polish press is once again writing about “Polexit”
The question of leaving the European Union regularly resurfaces in Polish public life whenever political or rule-of-law disputes between Warsaw and Brussels intensify.
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Czech public media reform raises questions over independence
The resignation of veteran broadcaster Václav Moravec from Czech Television in March brought to a head a long-simmering confrontation between the country's public media and the new coalition government of Andrej Babiš, which plans to abolish the licence fees that fund them.
Hungarian Ties Spark Domestic Political Debate in Poland
In recent weeks, significant domestic political debate has emerged in Poland over efforts by politicians from the Law and Justice party (PiS) – including Mateusz Morawiecki and Karol Nawrocki – to strengthen ties with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Czech Republic and Slovakia agree €40m deal to reverse Druzhba pipeline flow
The Czech Republic and Slovakia have agreed to invest approximately €40 million to reverse the flow of the Czech section of the Druzhba pipeline, creating an alternative crude oil supply route for Slovakia amid an ongoing energy crisis triggered by damage to the pipeline's Ukrainian stretch.
EU summit: V4 split over Ukraine
The European Union summit of March 19, 2026, clearly highlighted that the Visegrád cooperation can no longer be seen as a unified political bloc when it comes to the war in Ukraine.
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What Druzhba broke: competitiveness and Europe's energy dilemma
A Russian drone strike on Ukraine's Druzhba pipeline in January 2026 has triggered a diplomatic crisis between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava - but the real damage runs deeper. The dispute has forced into the open a question: whether the EU can remain industrially competitive while paying two to
Presidential veto in Poland – losing the EU defence loan?
A serious domestic political conflict has emerged in Poland after the head of state, Karol Nawrocki, refused to sign a law that would have enabled the country to join the European Union’s joint defence loan programme. The decision is not only a turning point in a specific economic policy
Oil crisis: Are the Poles getting off light?
In Poland there are no signs of fuel panic or dramatic price hikes. The key to this apparent mystery lies in successful diversification.
Hungary and Ukraine: How a broken pipeline became the centrepiece of an election campaign
With Hungary's parliamentary elections set for 12 April 2026, the relationship between Budapest and Kyiv has deteriorated into one of the most explosive bilateral disputes in Europe.
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Romanian agriculture: Self-sufficient small farms, growing large holdings, and looming climate risks
An overview of Romania’s agricultural sector - one of the more significant in the EU, both in terms of economic contribution and employment.
Czech parliament shields Babiš from prosecution in long-running EU subsidy fraud case
Czech lawmakers have voted to shield Prime Minister Andrej Babiš from criminal prosecution in a decade-old EU subsidy fraud case.
From the Gulf to Central Europe: a distant conflict with close-to-home consequences
The Strait of Hormuz is thousands of miles from Budapest or Prague. Yet the crisis unfolding there is already hitting Central European drivers at the pump.
Druzhba pipeline shutdown plunges Hungary and Slovakia into oil dispute with Ukraine
Oil still halted a month after a Druzhba pipeline strike, with Hungary and Slovakia blaming Ukraine for stalling repairs in a deepening row.
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Poland surpasses Spain in per capita income: PPP Data shows milestone in EU economic convergence
Poland has overtaken Spain in average income despite significantly longer EU membership.
Czech agriculture: angry farmers, rising oligarchs
To understand Czech agricultural policy, one must simultaneously examine economic factors, EU policies, and public-life conflicts centered around Andrej Babiš.
Government crisis in Poland?
One of Poland’s governing parties is splitting – but why, and what could this mean for the government?
A shift in Poland’s Ukraine policy: Planning for the long-term
Significant changes have taken place both in the status of Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
The Druzhba–Adria cost equation
A closer look at the economic realities behind a potential switch from Druzhba to Adria — and whether it truly makes financial sense.
Rubio’s regional tour: Who was the U.S. signalling - and what?
Following the U.S. Secretary of State’s partial regional tour, at least as many questions remain as the trip itself answered
Polish airports see biggest rise in passenger traffic
Among the large airports, Poland led the way in terms of passenger number growth in 2025, Airports Council International (ACI) data shows.
Polish agriculture: Catching up with Europe’s front-runners
Poland’s rapidly developing agricultural sector is now competing in volume with the European Union’s largest agricultural producers.