Analysis of Macedonian diplomacy, Callings from Georgia and Ukraine on the situation with the protests and the war.
The first guest in this edition of Labyrinth is the former Ambassador of Macedonia to Sweden and Romania, Tihomir Ilievski. We talked about the oath taken by the new President and the reactions it caused among our neighbors. Despite the reactions and difficulties in bilateral relations, the diplomat is still optimistic about the European integration of Macedonia, as well as about the normalization of relations in the entire Balkans.
In Georgia, massive civil protests are taking place over the law on "foreign agents" which moves the country away from the European path, but also seriously threatens the livelihood and freedom of Georgian citizens. From Tbilisi, we were joined by Ekaterine Basilaia - director of the Center for Media and Social Research of Georgia, who explained in more detail what this law is and why so many people took to the streets. We discussed the use of excessive force by the police in arresting peaceful protesters and the legal fight to protect those detained.
In Labyrinth, we also included the volunteer in the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, Volodymyr Sapekhin. Volodymyr has been going to the fronts and back for more than two years. We talked about the current situation on the fronts, about the progress of Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, but also about his personal feelings about the two realities he lives in.
-
Шпанците со поддршка за признавање на Палестина, но се исплашени од внатрешнитеосцилации на крајната десница
Does Spain fear a far right blockade to their progressive aspirations?
Spain is one of the countries that recognized Palestine. In its capital, European far right had the biggest summit ahead of the upcoming European elections. These are the subjects that we discussed with the journalist Roger Persiva from Madrid, who explained the situation in Spain into detail as well as the position of the Spanish government.
The second guest in Labyrinth is the political scientist and researcher Sonya Stojadinovic. We discussed the active wars, as well as Stojadinovic’s researches regarding Chinese investments and loans on the Balkans and in Europe.
-
Democracy should rely on active and organized citizens – says Ambassador Hulman
Interview with the Ambassador of Switzerland, Veronique Hulmann
Macedonian-Swiss friendship has lasted for more than 30 years, says the Ambassador of Switzerland, Veronique Hulmann, in a guest appearance at Labyrinth. We discussed the new cooperation program launched by the Embassy of Switzerland, as well as the experience with Macedonian institutions so far. We discussed the three areas in which Switzerland helps North Macedonia, democracy, economic development and the environment, and we asked the Ambassador what her favorite place for hiking in the country is.
Watch the full interview.
-
Dolidze: Georgians are not giving up on the fight for a European future – There will be protests even during the holidays
Georgians will welcome the New Year with protests and will not give up on their European future – says the Leader of the For the People party, Anna Dolidze. Dolidze is an expert in international law, until 2018 she was the legal advisor to the President, and then a member of the Judicial Council.
In Labyrinth we talked about the stolen elections and the Russian hybrid influence that managed to divert the country from the European integration path. The protests escalated, and the use of water cannons and violence by the police did not change the Georgians’ minds to continue fighting for their rights. About 500 protesters, including some injured, will spend the holidays in detention. We also discussed with Dolidze the international support and the sanctions imposed by the US and the UK on some of the Georgian authorities, but not by the European Union.
