CEA Talk
The Central European Affairs Talk podcast is delivered to you by Central European Affairs (CEA) digital magazine, publishing high-quality conversations that bring critical and innovative thinking to the fore and stimulate debate.Our podcast focuses on topics related to democracy, rule of law, human and digital rights, as well as culture and European integration in Central and Eastern Europe. CEA Talk is dedicated to informing and educating decision-makers, politicians, businessmen, scholars, researchers as well as interested persons from other professional areas. It features balanced treatment and a wide array of opinions from its debate partners.The main goal of the talks presented by CEA Talk is to provide in-depth knowledge of democratic actors and procedures as well as to promote critical and democratic thinking and behavior.
Episodes
22 episodes
#72 Wintermans: Between the Netherlands and Hungary: Identity, Memory, and Political Culture
In this episode, Simon Wintermans joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about family legacy, education, identity, migration, and political culture across Europe. We discuss what it meant to grow up in the Netherlands with a well-known family...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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1:10:14
#71 Tóth: Xmas Holiday Special - God Bless Hungarian Skateboarding | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this Christmas Holiday Special, we dive into the story of Hungarian skateboarding through passion, persistence, and underground culture. From the early 1990s—when VHS tapes, magazines, and DIY skate spots inspired a generation—to today’s int...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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1:06:07
#70 Tóth: From Fields to Frontiers — How Hungarian AgriTech Goes Global | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this episode of CEA Talk, we explore how Hungarian agricultural technology is expanding far beyond regional borders. Export Manager Árpád Tóth from MachineryGuide joins us to discuss what it takes to build a global footprint in...
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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48:09
#69 Mizsei: Beyond Aspirations: What EU Accession Really Means for Moldova | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In the second part of our in-depth conversation with Dr. Kálmán Mizsei, former EU Special Representative and one of the most knowledgeable experts on Moldova, we move from history and identity to the hard geopolitical questions shaping t...
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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1:10:04
#68 Mizsei: Moldova Between Worlds: Identity, Power, and the Unfinished Post-Soviet Story | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this episode, we dive deep into one of Europe’s most overlooked but strategically vital countries: Moldova. Economist and former EU high-level adviser Dr. Kamo unpacks the layers of identity, history, and geopolitical pressure that have shap...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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1:13:07
#67 Pánek: Czechia’s Crossroads — What Babiš’s Return Means for Europe | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál is joined by Martin Pánek, Director of the Liberal Institute in Prague, to discuss what Andrej Babiš’s political comeback means for Czechia and Europe.From c...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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42:46
#66 Markevičiūtė: Chat Control on Hold — What’s Next for Encryption and Digital Rights in Europe? ⎸ Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál speaks with Eglė Markevičiūtė, Representative of Consumer Choice Center, about one of the EU’s most divisive proposals — the so-called Chat Control regulation.The discussion explores why the...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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33:20
#65 Hansen: Regulation, Innovation, and Freedom of Choice in the Future of Tobacco | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal - PART 2
In this in-depth conversation, Philip Hansen reflects on the evolving tobacco industry in Europe and across global markets. He discusses the dual forces of strict regulation and rapid innovation, highlighting both the opportunities and challeng...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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24:00
#64 Panzaru: Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing and the Transatlantic Tug-of-War | Hosted by Szilard Szelpal
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál sits down with Dr. Emil Panzaru, Research Director at the Consumer Choice Center, to unpack one of the most controversial health and trade policies on both sides of the Atlantic: Most Favored Na...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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44:37
#63 Hansen: Tobacco at the Crossroads: Policy, Politics, and Public Health - PART 1
In this first installment of a two-part conversation, Philipp Hansen, European Affairs Director at Japan Tobacco International, joins CEA Talk to reflect on his career in Brussels, his views on European policymaking, and th...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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36:44
#62 Brøns-Petersen: A Strong Europe in a Changing World – Denmark’s EU Presidency
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál sits down with Otto Brøns-Petersen, Director of Analysis at CEPOS, to discuss Denmark’s bold and multifaceted vision as it leads the EU Council Presidency.We d...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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1:16:40
#61 Szabolcs Pék: Hungary in Flux: Party Preferences, Public Shifts, and the Road to the 2026 Election
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál is joined by political analyst and public opinion researcher Szabolcs Pék to unpack the dramatic shifts underway in Hungary’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 ...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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40:24
#60 Stanchev: Bulgaria’s Euro Leap – What Awaits After January 2026
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál speaks with renowned Bulgarian economist Dr. Krassen Stanchev about Bulgaria’s upcoming adoption of the euro, set for January 1st, 2026. This moment marks a major milestone in the count...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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41:11
#59 Baranyai: Expat Life After Foreign Service and the Future of the EU
In this episode of CEA Talk, former Hungarian diplomat and legal expert Gábor Baranyai joins us from Brussels to share his personal and professional journey after leaving traditional foreign service. We discuss what it means to ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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47:10
#58 Gilbert-Roberts: How Sport and Business Are Shaping Each Other Globally - PART 2
In this follow-up episode, Szilárd Szelpál and Marlon Gilbert-Roberts dive deeper into the often-overlooked question: What happens after the final whistle?They explore the challenges and opportunities athletes face once their pr...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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52:39
#57 Panzaru: If you raise taxes too much, you don’t get less smoking
In this episode of CEA Talk, Dr. Emil Panzaru, political analyst and tobacco regulation expert, discusses the European Commission’s approach to taxing tobacco and vaping products. He dives into the unintended consequences of taxation, such as t...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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38:00
#56 Gilbert-Roberts: How Sport and Business Are Shaping Each Other Globally - PART 1
In this episode of CEA Talk, Szilárd Szelpál sits down with Marlon Gilbert Roberts, international lawyer and CEO of Business 2 Sports Group, to explore the fast-evolving world where sports, business, and strategy intersect....
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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42:58
#55 Tatala: What Poland’s Presidential Election Means for Domestic and Foreign Policy
In this episode, economist and Civil Development Forum VP Marek Tatala joins us to unpack the results of Poland’s presidential election and the political standoff between a PiS-backed president and Tusk’s pro-European government.
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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38:46
#54 Verghote: We should be thinking about life with Xenobots
In this episode of CEA Talk, we sit down with Simon Verghote, a philosopher and bioethicist at Université Libre de Bruxelles, whose research explores the ethical and ontological implications of xenobots living organisms designed by artificial i...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:06:04
#53 Markevičiūtė & Ossowski: Transatlantic Trade Tensions and the Future of Consumer Rights
In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál is joined by Eglė Markevičiūtė and Yaël Ossowski from the Consumer Choice Center to discuss the evolving trade tensions between the US and the EU and what they mean for consumer rights, innovati...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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1:06:01
#52 Kaddik: Decarbonization - the limits and challenges of e-mobility
Daniel Kaddik talks about the alternatives of fossil fuels for the next couple of decades. He mentions many challenges mainly focusing on Germany, where producing car is more than just sheer production, but also many other sectors are connected...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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18:42
#51 Ember: Hungary’s Energy Crossroads: ‘Investors Must Navigate a Risky Terrain’
In our podcast, Zoltán Levente Ember, CEO of Hungarian research Compass Institute delves into the pressing challenges facing Hungary’s energy sector. From the rapid expansion of solar power capacity to the political and financial risks foreign ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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17:25
