CEA Talk
57 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★ - 1 ratingThe Central European Affairs Talk podcast is delivered to you by Central European Affairs (CEA) digital magazine, publishing high-quality conversations that bring critical and innovative thinking to the fore and stimulate debate.Our podcast focuses on topics related to democracy, rule of law, human and digital rights, as well as culture and European integration in Central and Eastern Europe. CEA Talk is dedicated to informing and educating decision-makers, politicians, businessmen, scholars, researchers as well as interested persons from other professional areas. It features balanced treatment and a wide array of opinions from its debate partners.The main goal of the talks presented by CEA Talk is to provide in-depth knowledge of democratic actors and procedures as well as to promote critical and democratic thinking and behavior.
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Episodes
Wirtz: Prohibition Never Works
December 13, 2023 07:00 - 13 minutes - 9.15 MBProhibition has always looked appealing to lawmakers, and this has not changed in recent years. Moreover, we see more and more governments, both on the left and the right, that resort to bans and regulations. And not only governments but activists are also loud about protecting mankind from itself. In this edition of the CEA Talk podcast series, Zoltán Kész talks to Bill Wirtz, the Senior Policy Analyst from the Consumer Choice Center, who emphasizes that prohibition has never worked and it ...
Bottoni: The ideological journey of a liberal to being an autocrat
October 18, 2023 08:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBDo people in western countries understand Viktor Orbán? What are the differences and similarities between him and other politicians in Europe? CEA Talk is trying to find the answers with the help of Italian-Hungarian historian Stefano Bottoni, who has written extensively about Hungarian politics and the prime minister himself.
Kaddik: Decarbonization - the limits and challenges of e-mobility
August 02, 2023 17:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBDaniel Kaddik talks about the alternatives of fossil fuels for the next couple of decades. He mentions many challenges mainly focusing on Germany, where producing car is more than just sheer production, but also many other sectors are connected to it. Kaddik mentions the future of hydrogen and other alternative fuels, and talks enthusiastically how free market capitalism will solve transform petrol stations to being more service driven rather than only focusing on selling fuel. He also says ...
Panzaru: EU Overregulation Can Kill Busineness
July 16, 2023 10:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBCEA Talk's guest was Emil Panzaru, Research Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He has promoted consumer welfare as the standard for regulation in topics ranging from PFAS to agriculture. The European Union's Chemical Agency wants a world with zero risks. However, any hazard-based strategy is misguided and economically costly. And it will be Eastern European businesses and consumers that pay the cost of the Chemical Agency's missteps.
Vilén: All the red lines had been crossed
May 18, 2023 20:00 - 37 minutes - 25.7 MBOne of Finland’s most impressive diplomats in the last two decades has been Jari Vilén, an accomplished envoy who served in the Finnish Parliament and represented the National Coalition Party between 1999 to 2007. In August of that same year, Mr. Vilén was tapped as Finland’s Ambassador in Budapest, and by mid-February 2012, he was assumed as Ambassador to Warsaw, which he began later that fall. In 2014, Mr. Vilén was also appointed EU ambassador to the Council of Europe. During a wide-rang...
De Jong: The importance of human dignity in world a freedom and unfreedom
February 10, 2023 12:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBIn this episode of CEA Talk, our guest was Johannes de Jong, the director of the Sallux Foundation based in the Netherlands. Mr de Jong talks about the Christian democratic principles of Europe, how they are receding, and how crucial human dignity is for humanity. During the podcast, our guest talks about populist governments, autocratic regimes, and how the world has now been divided into two groups, countries where you have freedom and those where there is unfreedom.
Rácz: Ukraine as an independent country is going to survive
January 24, 2023 07:00 - 26 minutes - 17.9 MBIn this edition of CEA Talks, Russia expert Dr András Rácz analyzes the gesture Orban is making to the Russian Federation by asking to have oligarchs removed from the EU sanction list. He also gives ample explanation to the tank situation regarding Germany. As for the Russian aggression in Ukraine, he describes the present stalemate and talks about why Belarus will actively not join on Russia’s side. Dr András Rácz is Senior Research Fellow at German Council on Foreign Relations.
Amb. Bonis: Sanctions are meant to cripple Russian aggression
December 21, 2022 11:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBCEA Talks host Zoltán Kész interviews the ambassador of the Netherlands to Hungary, Désirée Bonis. The topics include the two countries’ business, cultural and historical connections, and some politics. Désirée talks about the NATO membership of Sweden and Finland and how she imagines the war ending. From the EU point of view, corruption is a big problem in Hungary, and populism is threatening democracy worldwide. But after all, the EU is still a unique society of liberty and freedom, which ...
Wirtz: The farming reform Europe may (not) need
October 27, 2022 13:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBAgriculture is an issue which is viewed very differently depending on which European country you look at it from. Whether it is the subsidies or the methods, it seems like there is no real understanding among all the EU member states. In this edition of the CEA Talks podcast, host Zoltán Kész is joined by Bill Wirtz, senior policy analyst at the Consumer Choice Center.
Landl: Back Vaping. Beat smoking.
October 01, 2022 09:00 - 12 minutes - 8.37 MBCEA Talks host Zoltán Kész is talking to Michael Landl who is the director of the World Vapers’ Alliance about their upcoming EU campaign tour which will also land in 2 Central European countries. They will be in Warsaw, Krakow, Brno and Prague. Michael talks about the organization’s ‘Back Vaping, Beat Smoking’ initiative, and also about their goal to reach policy makers, combat misinformation and the wish to make their voices heard all around the world. Michael Landl is the director of th...
EU enlargement should have a strong democratic core
July 23, 2022 09:00 - 11 minutes - 8.07 MBBalázs Sean Brandt president of the Young European Federalists of Hungary talks about the pressing issues of European youth such as Democracy, Rule of Law, etc. The response of the new generation to the rise in authoritarian figures across the EU, as well as the expansion of the European Union’s member states, with a focus on Moldova and Ukraine, are also topics in today’s episode of the Central European Affairs podcast. Host: Robert Dirk Giese
Amb. Kelly: Georgia was dress rehearsal for Ukraine
May 30, 2022 09:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBFormer US Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly talks about Russia’s war in Ukraine, Georgia as a prelude to the current crisis, what Vladimir Putin could count on with economic pain kicking in globally and whether the Russian President can be defeated in the political chess game with the Western world.
Hunyadi: Far-right Our Homeland party could grow in parliament
May 12, 2022 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.3 MBA new far-right party has started its work in the Hungarian Parliament as it passed the threshold of 5%. Its name is Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland). CEA Talks host Zoltán kész talks to Political Capital analyst Bulcsú Hunyady, who is an expert on extremism and radicalisation. They talk about what caused Our Homeland to get into the Hungarian Parliament, their Kremlin connections, their political agenda and what Hungarians can expect from them in the coming years.
Porčnik: Political turn in Slovenia
May 05, 2022 18:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBTanja Porcnik, the President of the Slovenian Visio Institute talks to Zoltan Kesz about the Slovenian elections. On April 24, a parliamentary election took place in the country. The results reflected a clear message from voters that the government needs to change. The ruling party led by Janez Jansa lost to a completely new party led by Robert Golob. Did Jansa's good relationship with Hungarian PM Orban play a role in the election? How did the pandemic play a role in his defeat? What led to...
Le Quiniou: Nobody knows what is Macron's election program
April 10, 2022 18:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBPolitical analyst Romain Le Quiniou talks about the French presidential election, the impact of the Ukraine war on the vote, why President Emmanuel Macron's support has fallen in recent weeks, how Marine Le Pen's popularity is surging, and whether the European Union faces another shock momentum or the French 'cordon sanitaire' will work again?
Le Quiniou: Nobody knows what is Macron's election program
April 10, 2022 18:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBPolitical analyst Romain Le Quiniou talks about the French presidential election, the impact of the Ukraine war on the vote, why President Emmanuel Macron's support has fallen in recent weeks, how Marine Le Pen's popularity is surging, and whether the European Union faces another shock momentum or the French 'cordon sanitaire' will work again?
Gressel: Next decades will be tough for European defense
April 08, 2022 21:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBMilitary expect Gustav Gressel talks about present and future of European defense policy, the main security providers in the continent, and why the Russian army is performing below its capabilities and expectations in Ukraine.
Gressel: Next decades will be tough for European defense
April 08, 2022 21:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBMilitary expect Gustav Gressel talks about present and future of European defense policy, the main security providers in the continent, and why the Russian army is performing below its capabilities and expectations in Ukraine.
Shamiev: Russia's military not as great as in Hollywood movies
March 24, 2022 19:00 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBRussian civil-military relations expert Kirill Shamiev talks about the expanded Russo-Ukrainian War, the heavy costs of an assault on Kiev, Russia’s military reform, the benefits of foreign mercenaries, and how incorrect intelligence from the FSB’s Fifth Service could have contributed to a miscalculation of the Kremlin in Ukraine.
Simonyi: Russians demanded elimination of Viktor Orbán in 1989
March 17, 2022 21:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MBHungary’s former ambassador to the NATO talks about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Hungarian approach to a war in the backyard, Viktor Orbán’s special relationship to Vladimir Putin, and how the Russians demanded the Hungarians to take him out in 1989.
Gyöngyösi: Brezhnev Doctrine or One Speed Europe?
January 23, 2022 12:00 - 30 minutes - 21 MBCEA Magazine talks to Hungarian MEP Márton Gyöngyösi, who co-initiated the petition “East or West?” after Russia demanded NATO roll back from Eastern Europe.
Barbashin: Russian troops along Ukraine border are a tool to force diplomacy
December 10, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBAnton Barbashin, editorial director ar Riddle Russia, talks about the rising tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, the necessity of a wider dialogue with the Kremlin and why a Russian military intervention in the Ukraine would not be the biggest priority for the Biden administration. Host: Balázs Csekő
Przybylski: Polish border crisis an aggression by Lukashenko
November 23, 2021 20:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBWojciech Przybylski, editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight, talks about the background to the Belarus-Poland border crisis, the (un)popularity of the governing PiS party and the high inflation causing major headache for many Poles. Host: Zoltán Kész
Hegedűs: A life after Merkel is possible
October 25, 2021 07:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBPolitical analyst Dániel Hegedűs sat down with CEA Magazine to analyze the upcoming German federal election, and explained why the FDP has the best chance to be the kingmaker after the ballot. He also talked about why he doesn’t expect a shift in the German-Hungarian relations and why Angela Merkel has a dark stain on her political legacy.
Hegedűs: A life after Merkel is possible
October 25, 2021 07:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBPolitical analyst Dániel Hegedűs sat down with CEA Magazine to analyze the upcoming German federal election, and explained why the FDP has the best chance to be the kingmaker after the ballot. He also talked about why he doesn’t expect a shift in the German-Hungarian relations and why Angela Merkel has a dark stain on her political legacy.
Jeszenszky: I can’t read Viktor Orbán’s mind
September 14, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBHungary’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs Géza Jeszenszky talks about Pope Francis’ Budapest visit, the alleged Christian and conservative nature of the Viktor Orbán-led government and the prime minister’s position in the European Union. He also explains the “strange” character of the opposition coalition, and why he would be “pessimistic” if Klára Dobrev became the joint opposition PM candidate after the upcoming primaries.
Novak: Pope’s Budapest visit will encourage the Quiet Ones
September 09, 2021 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBOn the eve of the Pope’s visit to Budapest, the CEA Magazine talks to Joseph Novak, the President of the American-Hungarian Baptist Church. He shares his views about why the historic event will possibly be a clash between the Pope and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, the rifts within the Catholic Church in Hungary, and the major change that the Hungarian-American community has witnessed in the last decade.
Novak: Pope’s Budapest visit will encourage the Quiet Ones
September 09, 2021 07:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBOn the eve of the Pope’s visit to Budapest, the CEA Magazine talks to Joseph Novak, the President of the American-Hungarian Baptist Church. He shares his views about why the historic event will possibly be a clash between the Pope and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, the rifts within the Catholic Church in Hungary, and the major change that the Hungarian-American community has witnessed in the last decade.
Breyer: Why not install CCTV cameras in private departments?
September 07, 2021 20:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBDigital rights activist and MEP Patrick Breyer explains “chat control” in detail, how the legislation got approved by the European Parliament, why it is missing its primary goal, violates the fundamental right to privacy, and what it means for free speech. The Pirate Party member also talks about why it would be better not to leave monitoring power in the hands of Facebook and Google moderators.
Guetta: The EU's future is in the hands of the Hungarians
July 21, 2021 05:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBFrench MEP Bernard Guetta (Renew Europe) talks about the European Union entering the phase of political unity and future fights between its member states. He also shares his views on the joint declaration of far-right EU forces and what he thinks is at stake for the European Union at next year’s parliamentary elections in Hungary.
Guetta: The EU's future is in the hands of the Hungarians
July 21, 2021 05:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBFrench MEP Bernard Guetta (Renew Europe) talks about the European Union entering the phase of political unity and future fights between its member states. He also shares his views on the joint declaration of far-right EU forces and what he thinks is at stake for the European Union at next year’s parliamentary elections in Hungary.
Tomaszevski: Russia’s Kaliningrad project is back
July 09, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBEnergy analyst Robert Tomaszevski from Polityka Insight shares exclusive information on alleged plans surrounding the Baltic Nuclear Plant in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region. Polish media mogul Zygmunt Solorz-Żak and Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán want to invest together in the construction of the Russian Rosatom’s nuclear plant and have been persuading the Polish government for months to support their plans. Poland hasn’t rejected the idea so far.
Bojár: Crony capitalism is killing the entrepreneurial spirit
June 28, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MBGábor Bojár, founder of Graphisoft, reveals how startup firms can keep young talents, why governments can never be a good customer and how it was to establish a firm in the Eastern Block during the 1980s. The entrepreneur also talks about “good products”, public procurement and crony capitalism in Hungary, him being a liberal, and his political preferences for his native country’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
Ligeti: Private foundations serve the goal to perpetuate PM Orbán’s personal leverage
June 21, 2021 06:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBMiklós Ligeti, Legal Director of Transparency International Hungary, explains the legal scheme enabling the Hungarian government to channel billions of Euros to private foundations. He reveals the most important legal details and tells us why the move is tailor-made for Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán’s personal leverage and outreach – even if being ousted from the head of government’s position.
Civitas Poll: Sympathy Index of Foreign Politicians
June 09, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBThe latest Civitas Institute poll measured the sympathy index of foreign politicians in Hungary. The results give a great overview of the ideological differences between pro-government and opposition voters. The perception of some of the most important global political figures could not be more contrarian between Hungarians supporting Viktor Orbán’s government and those opposing it.
Amb. Fried: Lukashenko’s assault on the rules-based international system
May 30, 2021 11:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBFormer US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried explains how Belarusian “air piracy” means more than a simple hijacking and why democracies should believe in their values. He also talks about sanctions “not working until they do”, the long arm of authoritarian leaders reaching beyond their own borders, and why Viktor Orbán is “no fool”.
Dzurinda: The EU needs to become a global power
May 21, 2021 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBSlovakia’s former head of government Mikuláš Dzurinda delivers an answer to his Hungarian colleague Viktor Orbán, who recently suggested him the creation of a “new axis” in the EU. The President of the Wilfried Martens Centre also talks about the future of the V4 cooperation, the necessity of reforms on the EU level, and how Moscow and Beijing favor certain European Union EU member states.
Cullinane: Hungary is one of Biden’s major issues
May 03, 2021 08:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBUS-European relations expert Scott Cullinane shares his thoughts on the differences between the Trump and the Biden administrations, the new president’s first international trip leading to the Old Continent, and why Hungary is one of the major policy questions the current US administration will have to tackle in the coming years.
Benner: Angela Merkel is the weakest link on China
April 29, 2021 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.1 MBPolitical scientist Thorsten Benner speaks about the EU-China investment deal, why EU-Chinese relations will have a discontinuation after the September election in Germany, how Aleksandar Vučić is used as a propaganda tool by Beijing and why hosting Fudan University in Budapest is one of the latest attacks by Viktor Orbán on academic freedom and democracy.
Stulík: Putin’s arch enemy is NATO
April 21, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutes - 6.23 MBDavid Stulík, a senior analyst at the European Values Center for Security Policy, spoke about the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic, the major depot explosion in Vrbetice linked to Russia’s intelligence services, and why the entire case is a “pleasant surprise” for prime minister Andrej Babiš. Host: Zoltán Kész
Unhack Democracy: “Make Ballot Counting Great Again”
April 19, 2021 14:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBThe Central European Magazine talked to the founders of the Belgium-based NGO Unhack Democracy. Zsófia Banuta and Garvan Walshe spoke about their report on anomalies surrounding the 2018 parliamentary elections in Hungary, how to improve the voting procedure and why to employ younger polling personnel.
Martin: Corruption performs better in Hungary
April 09, 2021 15:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBAnti-corruption expert József Péter Martin talks about widespread corruption in Hungary, why the European Union could do more about breaching of rule of law in its member states, and how young people favor transparency and democracy.
Pichler: We need digital citizens
March 31, 2021 16:00 - 29 minutes - 20.4 MBDietmar Pichler talks about the dangers of Internet 2.0, Donald Trump’s Twitter ban, how to combat disinformation, why deepfakes pose the next level of cyber danger and how to keep democracy alive in a manipulative digital space.
Faludy: Hungary needs a real conservative party
March 24, 2021 15:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBJournalist Alexander Faludy talks about Europe’s post-Merkel era, where Fidesz is going after the exit from EPP, why he is worried by recent statements by Momentum leader Fekete-Győr and why Hungary urgently needs a conservative party.
Kelemen: Orbán can’t afford to let the opposition win
March 16, 2021 07:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBPolitical scientist R. Daniel Kelemen explains how Orbán jumped from the EPP before being pushed out, and why he doubts the Hungarian prime minister would let the opposition win at next year’s parliamentary election. He also talks about what he would recommend President Biden regarding Hungary, and how EU politics could shift with Angela Merkel leaving the stage.
Bálint Magyar: The Orbán government is a criminal organization
March 05, 2021 13:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBBálint Magyar, former Hungarian Minister of Education, was the latest guest of the CEA Talks podcast series where he talked about illusions after the transition, categories of post-communist societies, and his most recent publication The Anatomy of Post-Communist Regimes.
Anita Posch: Bitcoin can eliminate corruption and retain privacy
February 28, 2021 17:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBCryptocurrency expert Anita Posch talked about different aspects of bitcoin, the blockchain technology revolutionizing the global financial system, the diminishing role of banks, how cryptocurrencies can help overcome Big Brother, and why every regulatory plan makes the crypto world stronger.
Martin Vlachynský: Next Generation EU is not a reaction to Covid
February 24, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBSlovakian economic analyst Martin Vlachynský talked in the CEA Talk podcast about why Europeans should be concerned about the EU’s €750 billion coronavirus Recovery Plan, criticized the European Union for moving in a centralized direction and the V4 countries for seeing Brussels as a source of money.
Roland Freudenstein: Full EPP membership of Fidesz will not be reestablished
February 19, 2021 07:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBWilfried Martens Centre Policy Director Roland Freudenstein talked with CEA about the future of foundations, Viktor Orbán being a gambler, the biggest challenges facing the EU, why Europe would be in a vaccination war without the EU and why Fidesz will never reestablish full membership rights in the EPP. Host: Zoltán Kész Read our article here: https://centraleuropeanaffairs.com/2021/02/19/roland-freudenstein-full-epp-membership-of-fidesz-will-not-be-reestablished/
Ádám Bartha: The UK will see some increased pain
February 18, 2021 21:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MBThink-tanker Ádám Bartha was the latest guest of the CEA Talk podcast. He discussed Brexit and its consequences, the relations between Brussels and Washington, and the chances of the Hungarian opposition at the upcoming parliamentary election. Read our article here: https://centraleuropeanaffairs.com/2021/02/15/adam-bartha-the-uk-will-see-some-increased-pain/