Podcast Selection

How Putin’s grip on the east could influence EU’s Enlargement Package

Today, the European Commission unveils its 2024 Enlargement Package, a set of documents shaping Brussels' engagement with Eastern Europe. Last year's document introduced unprecedented policies, including a revamped accession process for the Western Balkans and…

Will Georgia be Brussels’ new nightmare? | Radio Schuman

Following recent elections in Georgia, EU High Representative Josep Borrell urged Georgian authorities to address reports of electoral irregularities and to undertake reforms. Brussels and Tbilisi are growing increasingly distant: the recent election victory of…

EU eyes Georgia amid election fraud allegations

Last weekend's parliamentary elections in Georgia have sparked significant controversy amid allegations of electoral manipulation before and during polling day. Key concerns include supposed vote-buying targeting vulnerable groups, misuse of administrative power, and possible tampering…

What an MP and EU observer saw happen in Georgia’s elections

Little consensus has emerged after Georgia's elections, in which the ruling Georgian Dream declared themselves victors after gaining a majority. The opposition, bolstered by Western observers, claim the elections were unfair. On Saturday, Georgia held…

Moldova and Georgia: how domestic struggles threaten EU dreams

Moldova and Georgia are at a crossroads in their paths toward European integration. Just recently, Moldova held a constitutional referendum where voters expressed their desire to enshrine EU aspirations. The contest turned out to be…

Are Moldova and Georgia the next Ukraine?

On Monday, Moldovans narrowly voted in favour of continuing the country's path toward EU membership, with the "No" vote leading until the final moments. The country's president Maia Sandu condemned Russian interference and accused "criminal…

Georgia… the day after tomorrow

Will North Macedonia jeopardise its EU accession process?

North Macedonia, one of the six Western Balkans EU hopefuls, inched closer towards membership of the European Union after accession talks were launched in July 2020. But the country’s newly elected president, hailing from the…

Fast-paced or sluggish? The EU accession of the Western Balkans amidst geostrategic rivalries

The Western Balkans are of high geostrategic importance for the European Union. Marina Vulović and Florian Bieber discuss how the European integration of the countries in the region can be achieved and how geopolitical shifts…

 Bulgaria and Romania to partially join Schengen – a bit too late?  | Euractiv

CER PODCAST: CAN EU ENLARGEMENT HAPPEN WITHOUT REFORM?

In this week's Centre for European Reform podcast Charles Grant, director at the CER, and Camino Mortera-Martinez, head of the CER's Brussels office, join senior research fellow Luigi Scazzieri to discuss the prospects for EU enlargement and institutional…

The EU’s report card: Ukraine, Moldova and other aspiring members

The EU made important steps this week toward bringing new members into the bloc — our POLITICO team explains in this episode of EU Confidential. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO’s Barbara Moens and…