Cristina Maza
banner
cmaza.bsky.social
Cristina Maza
@cmaza.bsky.social
Journalist. Covering foreign policy & defense. Editing @ Euractiv.

Founded: https://lazomagazine.com/

Write: https://lazoletters.substack.com/

email:
c.maza@protonmail.com
cristina.maza@euractiv.com

Signal: Cmaza.12
Pinned
For those wondering why I'm posting in GMT+2, I'm thrilled to announce that I started this week as a news editor with
@euractiv.com, based in Berlin.

Sources on both sides of the pond, my new email is cristina.maza@euractiv.com, and my Signal is still Cmaza.12.
“If you sweep the dust under the carpet instead of cleaning up, when you take away the carpet, the dust will be there."

www.euractiv.com/news/divided...
www.euractiv.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Czech President Petr Pavel delivered a sharp warning regarding the unresolved conflict of interest of Prime Minister hopeful Andrej Babiš, who is attempting to form a new government.

www.euractiv.com/news/czech-p...
Czech president may block Babiš without conflict-of-interest fix | Euractiv
Czech law bars government members from benefiting from state subsidies through companies they control
www.euractiv.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Spain’s deficit to fall below Germany’s for the first time in two decades 👀

www.ft.com/content/6b8d...
Spain’s deficit to fall below Germany’s for the first time in two decades
Spanish fiscal position aided by political paralysis
www.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:09 PM
In a long-awaited letter sent to EU capitals on Monday, seen by @euractiv.com, Ursula von der Leyen has presented EU leaders with three options to cover Ukraine’s substantial financing needs for 2026–2027, including the so-called reparation loan.

www.euractiv.com/news/eus-e14...
EU’s €140 billion Ukraine loan could have ‘knock-on’ impact on financial markets, Brussels warns | Euractiv
EU leaders are expected to provide political guidance in December on which approach to pursue
www.euractiv.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:07 PM
A wave of student-led protests across Slovakia – dubbed the “Chalk Revolution” – has seen pavements nationwide covered with anti-government slogans.

The movement is expected to peak on Monday, the anniversary of the student-led 1989 Velvet Revolution.

www.euractiv.com/news/slovaki...
Slovakia’s 'Chalk Revolution' puts Robert Fico on the defensive | Euractiv
A wave of student protests across Slovakia has covered pavements with anti-government slogans, and prompted the prime minister to lash out at a room of high school students
www.euractiv.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that an explosion damaging a major railway between Warsaw and Lublin on Sunday was the result of a deliberate act of sabotage, calling it the “worst-case scenario.”

www.euractiv.com/news/polands...
Poland's Tusk confirms 'act of sabotage' behind rail explosion on key Ukraine supply route | Euractiv
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki underlined on Sunday that the targeted line forms part of a “very important route for supplying Ukraine”
www.euractiv.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
The conscription debate in Germany continues:

Amidst ongoing debates over how to expand the country’s military, Germany’s parliamentary groups agreed to revise the rules for military service.

www.euractiv.com/news/germany...
www.euractiv.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The conscription debate in Germany continues:

Amidst ongoing debates over how to expand the country’s military, Germany’s parliamentary groups agreed to revise the rules for military service.

www.euractiv.com/news/germany...
www.euractiv.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
There's near-constant talk in Washington about Europe needing to bolster its defenses, but very little understanding about what Brussels is actually doing.

Here's a comprehensive look at Europe's new defense initiatives via @euractiv.com :

www.euractiv.com/news/explain...
Explainer: What's next for Europe's defence push? | Euractiv
Here's what to watch as the EU implements its new defence policies
www.euractiv.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:45 AM
There's near-constant talk in Washington about Europe needing to bolster its defenses, but very little understanding about what Brussels is actually doing.

Here's a comprehensive look at Europe's new defense initiatives via @euractiv.com :

www.euractiv.com/news/explain...
Explainer: What's next for Europe's defence push? | Euractiv
Here's what to watch as the EU implements its new defence policies
www.euractiv.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:45 AM
After several days of tense talks, EU negotiators struck a late-night agreement on Wednesday to open previously civilian-only research funding to projects with military applications.

www.euractiv.com/news/eu-parl...
EU agrees to open Horizon research fund to defence projects | Euractiv
Negotiators have struck a deal to extend the €93.5 billion research and innovation programme to cover projects with both civilian and military uses
www.euractiv.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, has reignited tensions within Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government after saying that parts of Syria are too devastated for the almost one million Syrians living in Germany to return.

www.euractiv.com/news/german-...
German foreign minister sparks CDU row over Syrian repatriations | Euractiv
Johann Wadephul’s remarks that the war-torn country remains “barely" liveable have undercut Merz’s increasingly hard-line stance on migration
www.euractiv.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Washington told Romania and allies it will reduce some US troops deployed on NATO’s eastern flank.

www.euractiv.com/news/romania...
Romania says US will cut some troops in Europe | Euractiv
A NATO official said the body had been informed by the Trump administration advance and also played down its significance
www.euractiv.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Progressive-liberal party D66 made sweeping gains in the Netherlands’ parliamentary elections, positioning itself to take the lead in government formation as support for far-right leader Geert Wilders dropped.

www.euractiv.com/news/progres...
Progressive D66 makes sweeping election gains as Dutch far right loses ground | Euractiv
The GreenLeft-Labour alliance also underperformed expectations, prompting its leader, Frans Timmermans, to announce his resignation
www.euractiv.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:56 AM
"Three years into the war, timorous politicians under pressure from populists who want to cut Ukraine loose are not coming clean with their populations about the need for sacrifice."

www.euractiv.com/news/rapport...
www.euractiv.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party is openly tightening its links with Poland’s main opposition party Law and Justice – even as official relations between the two governments sink to their worst point in years.

www.euractiv.com/news/fidesz-...
www.euractiv.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The European Air Shield envisions a multi-layered air defense system, inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, to intercept everything from drones to ballistic missiles.

A look here at the plans:

www.euractiv.com/news/europes...
Europe's race to build its Air Shield | Euractiv
Faced with threats edging ever closer, Europe is scrambling to build up its defences fast and almost from scratch
www.euractiv.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Catalan ally Junts decided to “unanimously break relations” with the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) over “unfulfilled promises.”

7 Junts MPs underpin Sánchez’s gov.

www.euractiv.com/news/catalan...
Catalan separatist party Junts breaks relations with Sánchez's Socialists | Euractiv
Seven MPs from Junts underpin Sánchez’s minority government
www.euractiv.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
"Rather than putting as many resources as possible to solving the world’s biggest problems, as we’ve been promised AI will do, the technologists of the world are asking simply: how can I put my dick in this?"

wiczipedia.substack.com/p/the-bangif...
The Bangification of AI
Or why it’s so creepy to be a woman on the internet in 2025
wiczipedia.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Catalan ally Junts decided to “unanimously break relations” with the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) over “unfulfilled promises.”

7 Junts MPs underpin Sánchez’s gov.

www.euractiv.com/news/catalan...
Catalan separatist party Junts breaks relations with Sánchez's Socialists | Euractiv
Seven MPs from Junts underpin Sánchez’s minority government
www.euractiv.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
Chatbots Are Pushing Sanctioned Russian Propaganda: ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, and Grok are serving users propaganda from Russian-backed media when asked about the invasion of Ukraine, new research finds.

www.wired.com/story/chatbo...
Chatbots Are Pushing Sanctioned Russian Propaganda
ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, and Grok are serving users propaganda from Russian-backed media when asked about the invasion of Ukraine, new research finds.
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Ongoing anti-government protests and controversy over the development of an EU-linked lithium mine in Serbia are straining the already-wobbly relationship between Serbian citizens and Brussels.

www.euractiv.com/news/protest...
Protests, repression, and lithium: Serbia tests the EU’s democratic credibility | Euractiv
For many in Serbia, the EU’s words ring hollow, as more and more see the bloc as too complacent with Vučić's regime
www.euractiv.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:35 AM
The Netherlands, once a model of pragmatic consensus, is entering a volatile new phase as voters head to the polls on Wednesday to decide whether to return to the centre or embrace polarisation.

www.euractiv.com/news/polaris...
October 27, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted by Cristina Maza
2 Russian planes from Kaliningrad entered Lithuanian airspace, Spanish eurofighters carrying out NATO air policing mission were scrambled

SU-30 fighter jet and IL-78 refueling aircraft, possibly during conducting refueling exercise. 18 sec and 700m incurison.

www.kariuomene.lt/fiksuotas-or...
Fiksuotas oro erdvės pažeidimas: du Rusijos orlaiviai iš Kaliningrado srities buvo patekę į Lietuvos oro erdvę, pakelti NATO oro policijos misiją atliekantys na | Lietuvos kariuomenė
Spalio 23 d. apie 18 val. Lietuvos kariuomenės Karinės oro pajėgos fiksavo valstybės sienos pažeidimą ties Kybartais – galimai kuro užpylimo treniruotes Kalinin
www.kariuomene.lt
October 23, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Talks among EU leaders on using frozen Russian assets to fund an EU loan to Ukraine are moving forward, but at a glacial pace.

They'll continue over dinner with the European Central Bank Chief Christine Lagarde.

Follow along via @euractiv.com 👇

#EUCO

www.euractiv.com/news/eu-summ...
EU Summit live: Past week ‘not bad’, Zelenskyy jokes | Euractiv
As EU leaders meet in Brussels, we'll follow their packed agenda including Ukraine, European defence, and the situation in the Middle East
www.euractiv.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:23 PM