Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
@tobyvogel.bsky.social
Third-country national in Brussels writing on EU policies and politics, Balkans, migration, democracy, information manipulation. Former journalist (RFE/RL, European Voice).
Co-founder, Democratization Policy Council @dpcglobal.bsky.social.
Views personal
Co-founder, Democratization Policy Council @dpcglobal.bsky.social.
Views personal
Pinned
Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
@tobyvogel.bsky.social
· Jul 20
Scrap the asylum system—and build something better
Rich countries need to separate asylum from labour migration
www.economist.com
Late to this but @economist.com published an editorial that is factually wrong, misleading (not to say manipulative) and presents a convoluted argument about how to build a better international protection system – essentially by scrapping international protection.
First, a couple of facts.
First, a couple of facts.
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
On the hellish detention and deportation system built by EU countries. With quotes from the current and the former German chancellors expressing their commitment to the inhumane cruelty of this apparatus, described here in forensic detail.
Inside a Detention Site at the Heart of Europe’s Harsh New Approach to Immigration
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:23 AM
On the hellish detention and deportation system built by EU countries. With quotes from the current and the former German chancellors expressing their commitment to the inhumane cruelty of this apparatus, described here in forensic detail.
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
A tale of two billionaires. Jeff Bezos was at fashion week in Europe while he pulled a let-them-eat-cake firing of 30% of Washington Post journalists. Jimmy Lai stood by his newsroom and he will now likely die in a Hong Kong prison. Tell everyone you know about Jimmy Lai.
February 10, 2026 at 9:29 AM
A tale of two billionaires. Jeff Bezos was at fashion week in Europe while he pulled a let-them-eat-cake firing of 30% of Washington Post journalists. Jimmy Lai stood by his newsroom and he will now likely die in a Hong Kong prison. Tell everyone you know about Jimmy Lai.
The EU is just fine with this, am I right?
Two Babies Among 53 Dead or Missing After Migrant Boat Capsizes Off Libya
Geneva/Tripoli, 9 February 2026 – Fifty-three migrants, including two babies, are dead or missing after a rubber boat carrying 55 people capsized off the coast of Libya, the International Organization...
www.iom.int
February 10, 2026 at 7:55 AM
The EU is just fine with this, am I right?
All those who religiously read Playbook every morning while quietly cursing about the numerous mistakes and weird takes it serves up daily – could I interest you in The Morning Post Europe? Similar idea but far more substance. In French, English, and Italian.
The Morning Post Europe is out
Today’s story by @grimmse.bsky.social: “Is Europe's Russia Sanctions Hypocrisy Finally Ending?”
Don’t miss our brief on the leaders retreat, the Munich Security Conference and much more.
With @cspillmann.bsky.social👇
europemorningpost.substack.com/p/is-europes...
Today’s story by @grimmse.bsky.social: “Is Europe's Russia Sanctions Hypocrisy Finally Ending?”
Don’t miss our brief on the leaders retreat, the Munich Security Conference and much more.
With @cspillmann.bsky.social👇
europemorningpost.substack.com/p/is-europes...
Is Europe's Russia Sanctions Hypocrisy Finally Ending?
Good morning!
europemorningpost.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:07 AM
All those who religiously read Playbook every morning while quietly cursing about the numerous mistakes and weird takes it serves up daily – could I interest you in The Morning Post Europe? Similar idea but far more substance. In French, English, and Italian.
Today's @politico.eu Playbook is full of nonsense about EU enlargement such as the quote below. The pace of North Macedonia's and Turkey's accession has nothing to do with the allegedly "labyrinthine process" but with being blocked by EU member states (MK) and deciding it is no longer...
February 10, 2026 at 6:47 AM
Today's @politico.eu Playbook is full of nonsense about EU enlargement such as the quote below. The pace of North Macedonia's and Turkey's accession has nothing to do with the allegedly "labyrinthine process" but with being blocked by EU member states (MK) and deciding it is no longer...
R.I.P., Washington Post books section. Required – and instructive – reading for decades, killed off by a tech bro billionaire who has dozens of millions to bribe the President but no money to keep one of the best newspapers in the world going.
February 4, 2026 at 2:31 PM
R.I.P., Washington Post books section. Required – and instructive – reading for decades, killed off by a tech bro billionaire who has dozens of millions to bribe the President but no money to keep one of the best newspapers in the world going.
There is only one reference to Maroš Šefčović in the published Epstein files, and it occurs in the context of Miroslav Lajčák plotting his own future. (Lajčák has a history of leaving posts early to make a step up.) This article curiously omits the content of Lajčák's message to Epstein.
EU trade chief Šefčovič rejects Epstein involvement
“I did not authorize, request or agree to anyone mentioning my name to Jeffrey Epstein,” Maroš Šefčovič says via European Commission spokesperson.
www.politico.eu
February 4, 2026 at 9:17 AM
There is only one reference to Maroš Šefčović in the published Epstein files, and it occurs in the context of Miroslav Lajčák plotting his own future. (Lajčák has a history of leaving posts early to make a step up.) This article curiously omits the content of Lajčák's message to Epstein.
Very odd piece in Politico Europe purportedly examining the Epstein files from an EU angle. The piece is almost entirely focused on trade commissioner Šefčovič, who credibly denies ever having met Epstein. But on Miroslav "I love Lavrov" Lajčák, it has nothing to say beyond a brief...
February 4, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Very odd piece in Politico Europe purportedly examining the Epstein files from an EU angle. The piece is almost entirely focused on trade commissioner Šefčovič, who credibly denies ever having met Epstein. But on Miroslav "I love Lavrov" Lajčák, it has nothing to say beyond a brief...
Rewatched The Spanish Prisoner last night for the first time since seeing it in New York in 1997 and it was as brilliant as it was back then.
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
February 3, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Rewatched The Spanish Prisoner last night for the first time since seeing it in New York in 1997 and it was as brilliant as it was back then.
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Then I googled David Mamet.
Yikes
Breaking: dude who dresses like a Nazi turns out to be a Nazi
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/u...
Bovino Is Said to Have Mocked Prosecutor’s Jewish Faith on Call With Lawyers
www.nytimes.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Breaking: dude who dresses like a Nazi turns out to be a Nazi
Of course we had no idea of the Epstein link, but for those interested in context (and ancient history):
Why Miroslav Lajčák is the wrong choice for EU envoy
The EU could blow up the Kosovo-Serbia negotiations' reset. Should Miroslav Lajčák indeed be appointed, the two senior EU diplomats dealing with Kosovo would both come from the small minority of membe...
euobserver.com
January 31, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Of course we had no idea of the Epstein link, but for those interested in context (and ancient history):
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
Attention everyone! The Atlantic says it is now acceptable to call it fascism! Thank goodness our dispassionate elders have weighed in to let us know.
January 25, 2026 at 8:44 PM
Attention everyone! The Atlantic says it is now acceptable to call it fascism! Thank goodness our dispassionate elders have weighed in to let us know.
Give these folks a follow, they deserve it. Even better, subscribe to support their journalism
Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 25, 2026
January 25, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Give these folks a follow, they deserve it. Even better, subscribe to support their journalism
This is just standard-issue Border Patrol garb, I take it?
January 25, 2026 at 10:01 AM
This is just standard-issue Border Patrol garb, I take it?
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
Western countries are hitting refugees twice: they are making it harder to claim asylum *and* they are cutting aid to troubled regions.
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
Adapt, shrink or die: the global crisis in humanitarian aid
[FREE TO READ] On the road in Sudan with the UN’s outgoing High Commissioner for Refugees
as.ft.com
January 25, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Western countries are hitting refugees twice: they are making it harder to claim asylum *and* they are cutting aid to troubled regions.
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I went to Sudan, the world's worst humanitarian situation, where the UN refugee agency has had to cut half its staff. Please have a read: as.ft.com/r/df593f1e-e...
I've been thinking about the two murders committed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Apart from the shocking behavior of the goons in Trump's secret police – just watch their approach to crowd control, which seems designed to inflame tensions – this is *precisely* the sort of out-of-control...
January 25, 2026 at 8:37 AM
I've been thinking about the two murders committed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Apart from the shocking behavior of the goons in Trump's secret police – just watch their approach to crowd control, which seems designed to inflame tensions – this is *precisely* the sort of out-of-control...
The oligarchs behind the WEF really made a point of platforming the worst people this year, didn't they
January 22, 2026 at 10:08 PM
The oligarchs behind the WEF really made a point of platforming the worst people this year, didn't they
Anyone else notice how the gold-leafed logo of Trump‘s ”Board of Peace” is carefully cropped to include Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland but not much else (other than Central America)?
January 22, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Anyone else notice how the gold-leafed logo of Trump‘s ”Board of Peace” is carefully cropped to include Venezuela, Canada, and Greenland but not much else (other than Central America)?
Zelenskyy's “maybe someday someone will do something” is a pretty good summary of the European approach to world affairs, actually.
Zelenskyy criticises EU’s Greenland response in speech after Trump meeting – latest updates
Ukrainian president says deploying 40 soldiers does not send a strong signal to Russia or China
www.theguardian.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Zelenskyy's “maybe someday someone will do something” is a pretty good summary of the European approach to world affairs, actually.
The biggest danger facing Europe now: complacency on the part of its leaders. The main lesson from Davos should be that tyrants have to be confronted; that goes for Trump and Putin. We'll see tonight whether this has sunk in.
January 22, 2026 at 7:13 AM
The biggest danger facing Europe now: complacency on the part of its leaders. The main lesson from Davos should be that tyrants have to be confronted; that goes for Trump and Putin. We'll see tonight whether this has sunk in.
oh great, now the European leaders can go back into their complacency
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 PM
oh great, now the European leaders can go back into their complacency
What Dave says
I get why people desperately want to feel reassured by this.
But it would be incredibly naive to think this is the final word on the possibility of military invasion.
Don't let European leaders use this as an excuse to weasel out of doing anything to defend their citizens from 🇺🇸.
But it would be incredibly naive to think this is the final word on the possibility of military invasion.
Don't let European leaders use this as an excuse to weasel out of doing anything to defend their citizens from 🇺🇸.
January 21, 2026 at 6:38 PM
What Dave says
Reposted by Toby Vogel 🇪🇺
It's as though the media heard Don Corleone say, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" and reported, "Don Corleone backs off threats of force. Promises only to make a really nice offer."
I would say it is genuinely inaccurate to say Trump said he would not use force to obtain Greenland at Davos just now.
Days ago he said he wouldn't rule it out. Now look at these three declarations in a row. They function as a threat.
Days ago he said he wouldn't rule it out. Now look at these three declarations in a row. They function as a threat.
January 21, 2026 at 3:06 PM
It's as though the media heard Don Corleone say, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" and reported, "Don Corleone backs off threats of force. Promises only to make a really nice offer."
Now the mad king won't be able to back down and will have to take Iceland as well
We really live in the stupidest times
We really live in the stupidest times
January 21, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Now the mad king won't be able to back down and will have to take Iceland as well
We really live in the stupidest times
We really live in the stupidest times