u/EUobs

We recently reported on Bulgaria's role in supporting Ukraine during the first years of the full-scale invasion. Our reporting suggests Bulgaria played a much bigger role than many people outside the country realised, particularly in supplying ammunition and military equipment.

Today, however, Bulgarian leaders increasingly argue that Bulgaria has done enough.

We'd genuinely like to hear from people in Bulgaria:

👉 Has public opinion changed since 2022? Do you think Bulgaria has found the right balance, or should its approach be different now?

In our interview with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, she argues that Belarusians should not be viewed as an extension of Russia and do not share the Kremlin's imperial ambitions.

At the same time, Belarus remains closely tied to Moscow and has become increasingly dependent on Russia since 2020.

👉 Do you think the outside world understands the difference between Lukashenko's regime and Belarusian society? What is something we might be missing? Let us know your thoughts.

Our latest investigation looks at Slovakia's escalating conflict with NGOs and the broader struggle over who gets to shape public debate.

• Our investigation found that Slovakia's government is escalating pressure on NGOs through new regulations, public attacks, and rhetoric portraying some civil society groups as agents of foreign influence.
• Critics say the measures are less about transparency and more about weakening independent watchdogs that scrutinize those in power.
• Similar tactics have appeared in countries from Hungary and Georgia to Russia and beyond, often under the banner of sovereignty and national interests.

👉 Why do governments increasingly frame independent NGOs as foreign threats rather than democratic safeguards? #EU

What is your opinion? Let us know.

This investigation raises a policy question about accountability, not just destruction. EU taxpayers funded hospitals, desalination plants, schools and other civilian infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank that EUobserver reports were later bombed, bulldozed or seized by Israel, with no repayment to the EU.

The key issue is incentives: if Brussels limits itself to diplomatic letters while continuing normal relations, what stops the same pattern from repeating during future reconstruction?

It also puts EU governments in a difficult position — funding Palestinian infrastructure, then absorbing the cost when it is destroyed, without imposing financial or political consequences.