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11/12/2019
French connections: How to revitalise the EU enlargement process
The new French EU enlargement reform proposal is a reasonable attempt to overcome the debate about Macron’s recent veto.
25/10/2019
After the French veto: The new scramble for the Western Balkans
Without a credible path to EU membership, the Western Balkans could easily succumb to the lure of regional nationalism – and to generous Russian, Turkish, and Chinese offers in the EU’s own back yard.
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![]( "Pic: Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Putin_and_Emmanuel_Macron_(2017-07-08)_04.jpg - CC BY 4.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/")
French connections: How to revitalise the EU enlargement process
Vessela Tcherneva- 11/12/2019
The new French EU enlargement reform proposal is a reasonable attempt to overcome the debate about Macron’s recent veto.
![Cover: The first beneficiaries of 1989]()
The first beneficiaries of 1989
Host Mark Leonard has an intimate discussion with our heads of offices from Sofia and Warsaw, Vessela Tcherneva and Piotr Buras about their experiences, hopes and dreams during the transition times of the 1990s. How did their life and future change the minute the Berlin Wall fell? What are this generation’s thoughts 30 years later and predications for Europe in the coming 30 years?
This podcast was recorded on 21 November 2019.
Bookshelf:
- "The light that failed" by Ivan Krastev
- "Bulgaria under Communism" by Ivaylo Znepolski et al.
- "Reflections on a ravaged century" by Robert Conquest
- "Die Welt braucht den Westen" by Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff
![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Северна Македонија - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vladamk/40495132711/ - Public domain")
After the French veto: The new scramble for the Western Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva, Tara Varma- 25/10/2019
Without a credible path to EU membership, the Western Balkans could easily succumb to the lure of regional nationalism – and to generous Russian, Turkish, and Chinese offers in the EU’s own back yard.
![Cover: How to deal with our Western Balkan neighbours?]()
How to deal with our Western Balkan neighbours?
North Macedonia and Albania wanted to start negotiations with the EU after having been candidate countries since 2005 and 2014. But the enlargement plans seemed to have stalled especially after opposition from France.
Host Mark Leonard is joined by Susi Dennison, José Ignacio Torreblanca and Vessela Tcherneva to get to the bottom of things and the divisions particularly between France and Germany on this issue.The podcast as recorded on 17 October 2019.
Bookshelf:
- The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" by Shoshana Zuboff
- "Spring" by Ali Smith
- "The light that failed" by Ivan Krastev & Stephen Holmes
- "State of the Union" Miniseries on BBC Two
![]( "Pic: European Parliament - . - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Borrell will face centrifugal forces in the Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva- 10/10/2019
The future high representative recognises the scale of the geopolitical challenge in the Balkans. But it won’t be up to him alone to meet this challenge.
![]( "Pic: European Union, 2018 - https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/photo/P-036773~2F00-10 - ©")
Europe’s new agenda in the Western Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva- 07/08/2019
The main message for the Western Balkans is clear: countries in the region need to demonstrate a sufficient level of political governance before any technical process of EU accession can begin.
![]( "Pic: Giuseppe Milo - https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/35031271856 - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
After the European Parliament election: Another chance to bridge Europe’s divides
Vessela Tcherneva- 24/06/2019
The recent European Parliamentary elections revealed that there is more to Europe's political geography than the traditional east-west divide
![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Македонија - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoran_Zaev_and_Emmanuel_Macron_in_Sofia.jpg - CC0 1.0 - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/")
The strange influence of the Macedonian model
Vessela Tcherneva- 09/05/2019
North Macedonia's recent successes have sent a ripple throughout the region
![]( "Pic: European External Action Service - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/35693929225/in/photolist-QvNphL-RxEFok-Wo9HAR - CC by NC 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/")
The price of normalisation: Serbia, Kosovo, and a risky border deal
Vessela Tcherneva- 13/11/2018
This is the time for EU and its member states to push for solutions to the Serbia-Kosovo landswap that have domestic support and that enhance wider stability in the region
![Cover: Macedonian referendum: What happens next?]()
Macedonian referendum: What happens next?
Mark Leonard speaks with Vessela Tcherneva and Robert Cooper about the contested result and how it might be solved.
Bookshelf:
Carnegie report on the Balkan wars
Safe Passage - The Transition from British to American Hegemony by Tori Schake
The Master and Margarita Reader’s Guide by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Age of Rubens: Diplomacy, Dynastic politics and the Visual Arts in Early 17th Century Europe
Breaking old habits in the Balkans by Robert Cooper
Macedonia’s looming war of interpretations by Vessela Tcherneva![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Македонија - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%9F%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%88%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE-%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BE%D1%82_%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80_-17.06.2018,_%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0-_(42853678821).jpg - CC0 1.0 - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/")
Macedonia’s looming war of interpretations
Vessela Tcherneva- 28/09/2018
A clear majority in favour of the name deal in the referendum on September 30 would help to relieve tensions in the Balkans
![]( "Pic: Photo: Crown Copyright 2014 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/defenceimages/14386519750 - CC by NC 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/")
Four things to know ahead of the NATO Summit
Joanna Hosa, Jeremy Shapiro, Vessela Tcherneva, Nick Witney- 06/07/2018
Our experts pick out four main topics to pay attention to ahead of the NATO Summit in Brussels
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![]( "Pic: Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Putin_and_Emmanuel_Macron_(2017-07-08)_04.jpg - CC BY 4.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/")
French connections: How to revitalise the EU enlargement process
Vessela Tcherneva- 11/12/2019
The new French EU enlargement reform proposal is a reasonable attempt to overcome the debate about Macron’s recent veto.
![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Северна Македонија - https://www.flickr.com/photos/vladamk/40495132711/ - Public domain")
After the French veto: The new scramble for the Western Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva, Tara Varma- 25/10/2019
Without a credible path to EU membership, the Western Balkans could easily succumb to the lure of regional nationalism – and to generous Russian, Turkish, and Chinese offers in the EU’s own back yard.
![]( "Pic: European Parliament - . - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Borrell will face centrifugal forces in the Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva- 10/10/2019
The future high representative recognises the scale of the geopolitical challenge in the Balkans. But it won’t be up to him alone to meet this challenge.
![]( "Pic: European Union, 2018 - https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/photo/P-036773~2F00-10 - ©")
Europe’s new agenda in the Western Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva- 07/08/2019
The main message for the Western Balkans is clear: countries in the region need to demonstrate a sufficient level of political governance before any technical process of EU accession can begin.
![]( "Pic: Giuseppe Milo - https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/35031271856 - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
After the European Parliament election: Another chance to bridge Europe’s divides
Vessela Tcherneva- 24/06/2019
The recent European Parliamentary elections revealed that there is more to Europe's political geography than the traditional east-west divide
![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Македонија - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoran_Zaev_and_Emmanuel_Macron_in_Sofia.jpg - CC0 1.0 - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/")
The strange influence of the Macedonian model
Vessela Tcherneva- 09/05/2019
North Macedonia's recent successes have sent a ripple throughout the region
![]( "Pic: European External Action Service - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/35693929225/in/photolist-QvNphL-RxEFok-Wo9HAR - CC by NC 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/")
The price of normalisation: Serbia, Kosovo, and a risky border deal
Vessela Tcherneva- 13/11/2018
This is the time for EU and its member states to push for solutions to the Serbia-Kosovo landswap that have domestic support and that enhance wider stability in the region
![]( "Pic: Влада на Република Македонија - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%9F%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%88%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE-%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BE%D1%82_%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80_-17.06.2018,_%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0-_(42853678821).jpg - CC0 1.0 - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/")
Macedonia’s looming war of interpretations
Vessela Tcherneva- 28/09/2018
A clear majority in favour of the name deal in the referendum on September 30 would help to relieve tensions in the Balkans
![]( "Pic: Photo: Crown Copyright 2014 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/defenceimages/14386519750 - CC by NC 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/")
Four things to know ahead of the NATO Summit
Joanna Hosa, Jeremy Shapiro, Vessela Tcherneva, Nick Witney- 06/07/2018
Our experts pick out four main topics to pay attention to ahead of the NATO Summit in Brussels
![]( "Pic: Photo: #G7Charlevoix - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gac-amc/28806691418/sizes/l - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/")
Trump vs. EU: The dead end of the normative approach
Vessela Tcherneva- 04/07/2018
A divided EU - with an unstable Germany, a UK on its way out and renegade central eastern member states - is only of interest to the US as an ally in competition with Russia and China
![]( "Pic: CC0 Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/de/mazedonien-flagge-land-republik-1798011/ - Own Picture")
Power words: Europe’s stake in the Macedonian name dispute
Daniel Stefanov, Vessela Tcherneva- 14/06/2018
By actively supporting Macedonia and Greece to settle their name conflict, the EU could energise other countries of the Western Balkans to engage in democratic reforms, while also strengthening their economic outlook – and counter an assertive Russia.
![]( "Pic: Shena Tschofen - https://www.flickr.com/photos/shenamt/32873090435/sizes/l - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/")
The End of the Concept of ‘the West’?
Vessela Tcherneva- 18/05/2018
The West is more and more divided and global strategic interests are diverging. The impact of the US President on views and transatlantic trust is significant.
![]( "Pic: Pixabay/sapviktor - https://pixabay.com/en/flags-bulgaria-european-union-ec-1617488/ - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Bulgaria: The unforeseen effects of the Presidency
Vessela Tcherneva- 09/01/2018
Bulgarian politicians and officials will have to challenge the stereotypes about Bulgaria during their six month presidency and learn to strike coalitions in the EU.
![]( "Pic: Flickr/EEAS - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/35088629073 - CC0 1.0 - https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/")
What Europe can do for the Western Balkans
Vessela Tcherneva- 13/10/2017
It is high time for the EU to move beyond ‘stabilocracy’ and stand up to ethnic nationalist kleptocrat political leaders.
![]( "Pic: Public Domain, by Helene C. Stikkel")
What is left from Kohl’s era?
Vessela Tcherneva- 23/06/2017
Much has changed, yet paradoxically, perhaps Europe is closer now to its 1990s vision than it has ever been.
MacMeltdown: Understanding the political crisis in Macedonia
Vessela Tcherneva, Fredrik Wesslau- 05/05/2017
The ongoing crisis in Macedonia could become destabilizing for the region unless the EU takes more decisive action.
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The European values in a changing world
Sofia - 16 Apr 19
The European values in a changing world: How can we respond to the populist wave?
The Threats for the European Elections 2019
Sofia - 09 Apr 19
The Threats for the 2019 European Elections from Foreign Interference: what can be done to withstand the attack?
Launch of EU - Turkey Power Audit
Sofia - 19 Mar 18
Presentation of a publication titled “EU- Turkey Power Audit”.
Discussion on the new Western Balkans enlargement strategy of the European Commission
Sofia - 13 Feb 18
ЕК представи стратегията за разширяване на ЕС към Западните Балкани, озаглавена „Надеждна перспектива за разширяване за Западните Балкани и засилен ангажимент на ЕС към тях“. Каква е позицията на България като председател на Съвета на ЕС и най-голям застъпник на разширяването и как документът се приема в Македония и Сърбия? Това са само част от въпросите повдигнати в нашата дискусия.
The Second Biennale of Citizen Participation
Sofia - 22 Jan 18
В партньорство с Европейския съвет за външна политика и фондация "БлуЛинк", сдружение "Форум Гражданско Участие "и Български център за нестопанско право, организираха второ Биенале на гражданското участие.
Future of Europe
Sofia - 03 Jul 17
Европейският съвет за външна политика – София (ЕСВП) и
Европейската комисия в България имат удоволствието да ви поканят на дискусия на тема „Бъдещето на Европа“ 3 юли 2017 г. (понеделник), от 11:00 до 13:00 ч. (начало на регистрация 10:30 ч.) в Дом на Европа, ул. „Георги С. Раковски“ № 124, София 1000What next for the republic of Macedonia on its European path?
Sofia - 21 Jun 17
Европейският съвет за външна политика – София има удоволствието да ви покани на дискусия на тема „Какво предстои за Република Македония по европейския път?“ на 21 юни 2017 (сряда) от 13:00 – 15:00 ч. (регистрация от 12:30) в зала „Роял 3“, хотел „Балкан“, пл. „Света Неделя“ №5, София 1000.
Narratives and Realities: Russia and the West in a competition for the hearts and minds?
Sofia - 09 Jun 16
Event with the support of the European Endowment for Democracy on information warfare, news‐making, propaganda, and how to deal with them.
Europe’s Dilemmas and Western Balkans’ Perspectives
Sofia - 17 Mar 16
The refugee push from North Africa and the Middle East is a European problem, to which only common European policies would be the answer.
The EU-Ukraine DCFTA: Strengthening Ukraine One Step at a Time
Sofia - 18 Feb 16
DCFTA is the most important element of Europe’s response to the crisis in Ukraine. Albeit technical in its layout, DCFTA is a very political act which alters EU’s neighbourhood and raises expectations and responsibilities on both sides.
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bnr
11th January, 2020
Ellie Geranmayeh on why the EU should preserve the Nuclear Deal at least until the US elections
BNT
05th November, 2019
Даниел Стефанов за "Референдум": Новата местна власт и работата на бъдещите общински съвети
Bloomberg TV
22nd October, 2019
Daniel Stefanov spoke to Bloomberg TV about the protests in Catalonia.
Deutsche Welle
21st October, 2019
Vesela Tcherneva quoted by Deutsche Welle, on the whether the CVM for Bulgaria will be lifted.
Darik
16th October, 2019
Vessela Tcherneva quoted on the consequences of the military offensive in northern Syria.
BNR
14th October, 2019
Даниел Стефанов за БНР: Орбан загуби Будапеща, но местният вот не показа категорично свалянето на доверието
BNR
14th October, 2019
Весела Чернева за БНР: Икономически санкции от Европа могат да стреснат Ердоган
_04_806.jpg "Pic: Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Putin_and_Emmanuel_Macron_(2017-07-08)_04.jpg - CC BY 4.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/")
.jpg "Pic: Public Domain, by Helene C. Stikkel")
