Reporting Democracy

Investigating democracy in the heart of Europe. Covering populism, nationalism, extremism and more. Brought to you by @BIRN_Network and @erstefoundation.

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

EU suspends subsidy payments to Czech PM’s business; Slovak PM pressures prosecutor general to resign; and Tusk ally elected to Poland’s constitutional court.

https://t.co/RtK0vtMAqX

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

Poland openly took in thousands of Ukrainian refugees at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then, though, that goodwill has been eroding and attacks against Ukrainians become more common.

Is the country really turning against them?

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

Hungary’s Foreign Ministry announced it has expelled 10 Russian diplomats. Coming on the heels of a new government in Budapest, this is the first time Hungary has taken punitive measures against Russian diplomats since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

https://t.co/XvRMzBbbJp

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

OPINION by Petr Cermak I At a time of growing threats from Russia, any hasty expansion of the EU’s border-free zone would not only be politically unfeasible and technically impracticable but also dangerous.
https://t.co/Z8j3hTlU9t

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

Polish authorities are investigating a deliberate arson attack at a defence industry plant as a possible act carried out on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.

https://t.co/NEP49hcDqe

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

Hungarians share stories about family breakdowns, painful personal experiences, career endings and loss of loved ones, in an oral history archive chronicling life under Fidesz.

https://t.co/fcAZzlKqNj

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

A recent disinformation campaign claimed Poland was about to occupy Czech territory, putting Prague’s response to hybrid threats to the test.

https://t.co/5bBZDl8Ia2

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

A quarrel over wartime memory and an election campaign that made Ukrainian refugees a political issue have left Poland's largest immigrant community more exposed than at any time since 2022.

https://t.co/wgzBaEuhjV

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

One of Central Europe’s biggest cryptocurrency scandals of recent years has entered a potentially explosive new phase.
https://t.co/uyqgY4QSCw

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

AI-augmented outsourcing is set to replace the traditional model based on low-cost labour and proximity to Western Europe, which has reached the limits of its potential due to employment shortages and wage growth.

Read more: https://t.co/bTDzTVKlKL

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

Locals in South Bohemia fear private developers are trying to strong-arm them into hosting a massive new warehouse of US retail and tech giant Amazon.
Read more: https://t.co/TZyR8XY6UO

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

When researchers studied the provision of assistance to victims of domestic violence in the Czech Republic in 2020, they described a system rife with communication gaps.

https://t.co/UPIpPnzuC9

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

The US on Tuesday charged four members of Mexico's powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for attempting to purchase ammunition and weapons in the Czech Republic.

https://t.co/lpsTgA5U0c

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

In a major U-turn, Prague City councilors this week approved the inclusion of the Stalin Cultural Centre to the city's so-called "market order", allowing the iconic Prague arts and community outdoors venue to continue operating.

Background: https://t.co/r7vgtma6uk

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

In the 12 months since Karol Nawrocki took office, Law and Justice – the party that brought him to power – is tearing itself apart, while the president is emerging as the figure around whom Poland’s right wing could eventually regroup.

https://t.co/oEc5wXAZbv

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

A new investigation by the French weekly L’Express ranked Slovakia’s Information Service (SIS) as the worst intelligence agency in Europe. The spy agency scored no points in the ranking, although Slovakia was not the only country to receive this score.

https://t.co/TRxdN9lcMe

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

❗️LAST CHANCE TO APPLY!
Have a story idea about the Balkans? 💡
If you’re a journalist from Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, or Slovakia, you can apply for a €2,500 Travel & Reporting Grant.
Applications close TODAY! 👇
https://t.co/xmGrCkpRaq
@erstefoundation

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

The Czech government is planning to give single women access to assisted reproduction services. Might the PM’s own stake in the fertility market have something to do with it?

Read more: https://t.co/hR6WWAkf2m

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

⏰ Don’t miss the August 7 deadline! Apply now for the BIRN Travel & Reporting Grants 2026. 👇

https://t.co/xmGrCkpjkS

@erstefoundation

[Reporting Democracy @Rept_Democracy]

⌛️ Only 2 days left to apply for Reporting Democracy Travel & Reporting grants!

Apply by August 7 for a chance to receive a €2,500 grant for your story. 👇

https://t.co/xmGrCkpjkS