PART III: Geopolitical Struggle for the Black Sea Region - EU´s role in the Black Sea Region 🎬

PART III: Geopolitical Struggle for the Black Sea Region - EU´s role in the Black Sea Region 🎬

The shores of the Black Sea bring together countries of diverse economic, political and cultural orientations. Bulgaria and Romania are EU and NATO members, while Turkey is a NATO member and a prominent actor in the Middle East. Russia is the biggest regional power with a strong military presence and political clout in the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have problematic relations with Russia, and they aspire for closer ties with the EU and NATO. Armenia and Azerbaijan are less ambitious with regard to the EU and look towards other regional actors, namely Russia and Turkey respectively. Considering these diverse and sometimes adversarial relations, does the Black sea unite or separate the countries on its coast and its wider regional context?

China and Multilateralism: China after the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) 🎬

China and Multilateralism: China after the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) 🎬

The 13th National People's Congress was held in Beijing mid of March 11, 2021. The panelists look at its results. At the domestic level, the NPC adopted a Five-Year-Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives through 2035. It passed a decision on adapting the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The panel will also ask how resilient China is against the pandemic.

IIP TALK - What Future for Albania? Reflection on the Election Results 🎬

IIP TALK - What Future for Albania? Reflection on the Election Results 🎬

Once again, on the 25th of April this year the Albanians elect 140 members of a new parliament and a new government. The deep polarization in the last elections (2017) led to the opposition members to leave the parliament in February 2019 due to claims of voter fraud and government corruption. This strengthened even more the existing polarization between position end opposition. The, on purpose created, tense pre-election atmosphere did not help but increased incidents and heated debates. The leader of the ruling Socialist Party and Prime Minister Edi Rama argues that he needs a third term to “finish what he started” while the leader of the Democratic Party (Opposition), Lulzim Basha, wants to change Albania. In the slow election count the current Prime Minister takes a lead, yet it is still a tight race to secure a majority in parliament.