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View from the Council - 26/06/2020
Hashim Thaci should resign
Carl Bildt, Vessela TchernevaThe indictment for war crimes against Kosovo President Hassim Thaci helpfully upends the poorly conceived US initiative to reconcile Serbia and Kosovo. But it fatally delegitimates Kosovo’s current leadership.
11/05/2020
A burning issue: How to restart the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo
It is the EU’s responsibility to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia in the long term. Therefore, the bloc should set the principles of, and drive, the dialogue between the countries.
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![Cover: The Biden effect and the future of US-Europe relations | Part II]()
The Biden effect and the future of US-Europe relations | Part II
After last week’s discussion with Matt Duss and Jeremy Shapiro, Mark Leonard follows up by gathering the European views on a possible Biden win and its effect on US foreign policy. Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director of ECFR and head of our Sofia office, Jana Puglierin, head of ECFRs Berlin office, Tara Varma, head of ECFRs Paris office and Jeremy Shapiro, ECFR´s research director and in-house US expert analyse what a potential Biden administration would mean for European sovereignty and EU foreign policies. How do expectations differ in France, Germany and Central and Eastern Europe? What would another Trump or Biden administration mean for European security? And could Biden also restore the public image of the US which has worsened during the coronavirus crisis significantly in Europe?
This podcast was recorded on 29 July 2020.
Bookshelf:
- "Falken im Sturm“ by Constanze Stelzenmüller in Internationale Politik
- "Counterpart“ TV show
- "Twilight of Democracy: The seductive lure of authoritarianism" by Anne Applebaum
- "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller
- "Quest for Status: Chinese and Russian Foreign Policy" by Alexei Shevchenko and Deborah Welch Larson
![]( "Pic: Estonian Foreign Ministry - https://www.flickr.com/photos/estonian-foreign-ministry/34312636750 - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Hashim Thaci should resign
Carl Bildt, Vessela Tcherneva - 26/06/2020
The indictment for war crimes against Kosovo President Hassim Thaci helpfully upends the poorly conceived US initiative to reconcile Serbia and Kosovo. But it fatally delegitimates Kosovo’s current leadership.
![]( "Pic: European External Action Service - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/16490099451/ - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/")
A burning issue: How to restart the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo
Vessela Tcherneva - 11/05/2020
It is the EU’s responsibility to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia in the long term. Therefore, the bloc should set the principles of, and drive, the dialogue between the countries.
![]( "Pic: European People's Party - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eppofficial/30149140040/ - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Bouncing back again: How past crises can help Eastern Europe fight covid-19
Vessela Tcherneva - 08/04/2020
Common standards of health security, tech and information sharing in research and development, and better integration within healthcare supply chains could help Europe take a big step forward.
![]( "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
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![]( "Pic: Estonian Foreign Ministry - https://www.flickr.com/photos/estonian-foreign-ministry/34312636750 - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Hashim Thaci should resign
Carl Bildt, Vessela Tcherneva - 26/06/2020
The indictment for war crimes against Kosovo President Hassim Thaci helpfully upends the poorly conceived US initiative to reconcile Serbia and Kosovo. But it fatally delegitimates Kosovo’s current leadership.
![]( "Pic: European External Action Service - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eeas/16490099451/ - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/")
A burning issue: How to restart the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo
Vessela Tcherneva - 11/05/2020
It is the EU’s responsibility to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia in the long term. Therefore, the bloc should set the principles of, and drive, the dialogue between the countries.
![]( "Pic: European People's Party - https://www.flickr.com/photos/eppofficial/30149140040/ - CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/")
Bouncing back again: How past crises can help Eastern Europe fight covid-19
Vessela Tcherneva - 08/04/2020
Common standards of health security, tech and information sharing in research and development, and better integration within healthcare supply chains could help Europe take a big step forward.
![]( "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.
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Live: Josep Borrell Hearing
Sofia - 07 Oct 19
On October 7th, the Foreign Affairs Committee questioned Josep Borrell, Spanish candidate for High Representative/Vice-President for foreign affairs and security policy.
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.
_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/")
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