Democracy

According to the European Agency for Fundamental Rights data, Roma are the most persecuted minority in Europe. During the 49th session of the Human Rights Council, the international organization Minority Rights Group (MRG), operating in Ukraine, alarmed that human rights violations against Roma and Roma women have significantly increased since the beginning of Russian aggression.

The University of Rzeszów, Universität Leipzig and the Warsaw Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation are pleased to invite young researchers interested in the broadly understood issue of citizenship to participate in this year's edition of the Young Researchers Summer School, which will take place on July 3-9, 2022 in Rzeszów. Applications will be accepted until May 30, 2022.

On 10 March 2022, the politicised Constitutional Tribunal (CT) ruled that Article 6(1) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which guarantees everyone the right to a fair trial, is incompatible with the Polish Constitution.

In the pandemic year 2021, Germany has voted. It is already clear that what is needed is a new political culture of enablement and participation. Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung President Dr. Ellen Ueberschär comments on the results of the German federal elections.

This short sentence is all you need to understand why the German government committed an error of judgment concerning Afghanistan. An error of judgment that kills people every day – and democracy throughout the world as well, by the way.

On September 8, 2020, the fourth and last Internet debate took place as part of the project "Ost / East: Polish-German debates about the East". This time the focus of the discussion was on the influence of Russia and China in the region, their cooperation and competition and its impact on the relations of the European Union with the region.  

In the context of the Covid-19 crisis, the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union faces major challenges. Considering that the conditions and circumstances will constantly change, and that the EU will face increasing uncertainty and unpredictability, we need to reflect on how it should respond to vital challenges in the long term.

The Minsk agreements, though currently not effective and workable, remain at present the only option for the peaceful resolution of the armed conflict. It is obvious that Ukraine and Russia have different interpretations of the provisions, and these controversies are unlikely to disappear.

In the EU there is no long-term vision or strategy for these kinds of regimes like Belarus. Germany and Poland could cooperate on trying to make the European policies in Belarus more heard for the ordinary people, especially for younger people.