Prigozhin's 'mutiny' explained, Italy's antifascist constitution does not stop the far right, Bulgarian political class strikes an impossible-sounding deal...
... and we try to offer an understanding of the societies, not only of political games.
What happened in Russia on 24 June? Why have Prigozhin’s columns stopped 200 kilometres from Moscow, despite meeting no resistance on their way? Could the whole aborted coup be a ‘maskirovka’, or a cover-up operation, and by whom? Cross-Border Talks’ expert on Russia, Veronika Susova-Salminen, commented on the events twice, pointing out to the long term consequences of this strange episode. In her view, no matter why the mutiny started, Putin in the end has not gained from it: an authoritarian regime stands firm if the leadership looks strong, and one can have doubts about this strength after the whole affair ended in a ‘deal’.
‘These guys are approving logging without any idea whether that logging would damage a key habitat or a species!’ This is the reason environmental activists quote when asked why they’re winning court cases against public authorities permitting logging in Natura 2000 sites in Romania. Yet, despite EU infringements and complaints, saws are louder than birds in protected forests. In a pre-European Parliamentary election year, are current facts sufficient for the EU to take Romania to the European Court of Justice? We republish an article of Crina Boroș, which is a part of a project supported by an IJ4EU grant for independent reporting.
Italy has one of the most anti-fascist constitutions in the world, but a party whose roots can be traced to Mussolini’s last attempt at holding power is now forming the government. David Broder, historian and commentator writing for Jacobin, comments on this paradox, as well as on other contradictions of Italian history and politics. In the interview given to Cross-Border Talks, he explains how extreme right was tolerated and allowed to grow in post-war Italy. Now when it is fully grown and enjoys support of millions of Italians, what kind of state reforms we can expect from Giorgia Meloni? For while the Fratelli d’Italia leader does not speak of rebuilding the Roman Empire like Mussolini did, she has ambitious plans as well.
Bulgarian society is undergoing severe polarization with differing perspectives on the path it should follow and a political identity, which may be difficult to understand even for Bulgarians themselves. In June 2023, a rotational formula for the governance was found and a coalition between two irreconcilable previously forces was formed - Change Continues-Democratic Bulgaria and GERB-SDS. To find out more about political climate of Bulgaria, read Cross-Border Talks’ Małgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat’s report from the country, written this spring.
In this context, Cross-border Talks’ Vladimir Mitev tried to look beyond the political facade of Bulgarian society and look for notions and phenomenon, which may help understand and connect with Bulgarians at a deeper level. He talked to David Bisset - a researcher and strategist at Equilibrium, the largest social services NGO in Bulgaria. The talk on social change in Bulgaria deals with the specifics of Bulgarian society, political issues (such as polarization or the Bulgarian attempt to bridge different international realities), the prospects of building a Bulgarian-Romanian mini-Schengen and the Bulgarian identity.
Find four parts of this in-depth exchange of thoughts here, here, here and there.
Perhaps the mechanism of centre-periphery relations in the European Unions could be helpful to understand at least some contradictions of Bulgarian politics. Cross-Border Talks’ Veronika Susova-Salminen has co-authored a study on these relations, arguing that the intra-european mechanism of competition would never allow peripheral states to grow their potential, and that the whole talk of ‘catching up with the core’ is, to a great extent, an empty talk. If the peripheries want to grow, it is time to negotiate an alternative paradigm of development. Read or watch more in the interview and/or reach out to the complete study, published by our partners from transform!europe network.
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