Europe’s post-Covid recovery plan: a perilous lack of transparency
Who pocketed the €750 billion from the European recovery plan? Without traceability of funds and uniform auditing standards, the risk of fraud is high.
Standstill in RRF funding between Hungary and the EU
Growing number signs, including the complete lack of progress in the realization of the infrastructural investments planned under Hungary’s RRF program and no visible progress in the interlocked rule-of-law conditionality super milestones, point to the conclusion that Viktor Orbán’s government gave up on using and developing Hungary through the earmarked EU grants and loans.
Rail, construction, public works, carmakers, local authorities – who gained from the EU’s post-Covid recovery stimulus?
France's Banque Publique d'Investissement; the Spanish rail network operator Adif; and Rete Ferroviaria Italian, its Italian equivalent – these are just three examples of the entities that have received the most funding from the EU’s post-Covid Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Who comes next? We now know the 100 biggest beneficiaries of the RRF
Missed opportunities: Europe’s post-Covid recovery fund enters the final straight
Where did the €750 billion of Europe's post-Covid stimulus go? With time running short before the 2026 deadline, some EU countries may have made unwise spending choices.
Post-covid recovery plan: EU money is taking its time to arrive
Of the €750 billion in grants and subsidies made available by the NextGenerationEU programme, much has yet to reach its destination. For some EU countries the delays will have serious consequences.
The fire capital of the EU
Portugal burns more than any other country in the European Union, and the leading cause is arson—the act of starting a fire with the intention of causing harm. A reality that policymakers refuse to see.
Women remain stubbornly outnumbered in Serbia’s parliament
More than 750 members of parliament have passed through Serbia’s National Assembly in the last ten years. The Center for Investigative Reporting of Serbia (CINS) has produced a breakdown of who they were. How many were women? What is the parliament’s age structure? And which parts of Serbia do the MPs come from?
It’s not just Hungary that doesn’t have enough GPs, other European countries are struggling with the problem too
Europe is facing a shortage of doctors in all specialties. The shortage of general practitioners is a particular problem. GPs are ageing, they are unevenly distributed between different regions and the profession is not attracting the young people who could be its supply.
Deaths in police custody: Greece’s police is hiding the facts
From 2020 to 2022, thirteen EU countries reported a total of 488 deaths in police custody or during police operations. [Warning: this article contains images that may be disturbing for the reader]
Healthcare in Greece: the ongoing ruination of a public service
Downsizing, outsourcing, budget cuts: Greece's public healthcare system is reeling from a combination of chronic underfunding and austerity policies. As the quality of care declines and working conditions deteriorate, young doctors are increasingly tempted to leave the country.
