糖心Vlog

Ond艡ej Koutn铆k, journalist and podcaster at Klub rv谩膷暖 examines the recent claims made by blogger and security analyst Milan Mikuleck媒, who linked the Erasmus study program to migration and human smuggling. The full Czech version of his commentary is available .

Blogger and security analyst, Milan Mikuleck媒, recently published a noteworthy piece linking the Erasmus study program to migration and human smuggling. When placed against real context, data, and strategy, his theory falls apart.

In his piece titled 鈥淭he Bullseye of Milan Mikuleck媒: Erasmus as a Trojan Horse for Migration,鈥� the former adviser to the ANO party鈥檚 defense minister wrote:

Through the Erasmus program, human smugglers will gain a new, convenient, and profitable opportunity for their business, using European taxpayers鈥� money.鈥�

As a former Erasmus student at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, I can say with confidence that Mikuleck媒鈥檚 argument is nonsense.

The article was published by and widely shared on social media, drawing considerable attention. I thought it was worth breaking down and analyzing. It鈥檚 particularly interesting to look at official data and strategies that can be . You can even find figures showing how the EU uses the Erasmus program to engage in unstable countries, like Yemen, Iran, and Iraq.

So let鈥檚 dig in.

A 鈥楽oft Power鈥�

Erasmus+ is an educational program that has gradually become one of the most important soft-power tools of European foreign policy. While the European Commission invests billions in infrastructure 鈥� for example through the Global Gateway initiative led by Czech Commissioner Jozef S铆kela 鈥� Erasmus forms an invisible backbone of European foreign policy, whether it is about building human capital, networks of trust, and pro-European elites both in the EU鈥檚 neighborhood and in partner regions.

In areas such as Africa, where the EU competes with Russia, China, and Gulf states, Erasmus+ functions diplomatically. It spreads European norms, values, administrative culture, and legal awareness through education, without acting like a coercive instrument.

In this way, it contributes not only to development, but also to European security: stable, educated, and connected partners remain the most effective safeguard against instability and influence by other powers.

I recently discussed this in Brussels with Czech Commissioner Jozef S铆kela who hosted the two-day Global Gateway Forum. The event brought together over a thousand participants from a hundred countries and confirmed the growing interest in the European approach to global investment.

(Full interview: )

At the the Global Gateway Forum in the Square Conference Center, leaders such as TRL Space co-founders Petr Boh谩膷ek and Petr Kapoun, EIB Global head Andrew McDowell, Akeso Holding owner Sotirios Zavalianis, and Draslovka communications chief Erik 艩vamberk gathered.

Europe鈥檚 offer 鈥� which prioritizes education and training 鈥� is gaining traction globally because it invests in things that don鈥檛 just get built, but grow human capital: education, science, and added value. This is a fundamental difference compared to the Chinese model which, in many cases, has left countries indebted and with little actual development.

For example, European Commissioner S铆kela described China鈥檚 Belt and Road Initiative as a 鈥渢rap鈥� that builds roads and railways, but primarily transports raw materials out of Africa.
鈥淓urope wants a different path by investing in education, science, industry, and jobs directly in those countries. This also helps address migration. If we offer people a future at home, they will not risk their lives trying to reach Europe,鈥� he said.

According to him, Global Gateway is an investment not only in partner countries, but also in Europe鈥檚 own resilience.
鈥淒ependence on China, which currently controls 70% of raw-material processing, is unsustainable long-term. By helping Africa and Asia develop production and processing capacities, we help ourselves 鈥� ensuring access to resources and supply-chain stability.鈥�

(See the Financial Times article on Global Gateway: .鈥�)

S铆kela also mentioned non-traditional forms of communication 鈥� for example the EU鈥檚 partnership with the African Football Confederation which is intended to introduce European values to millions of young people.
鈥淲e work with more than 30,000 schools and one million children who attend, in part, thanks to EU projects. That鈥檚 how you talk to communities about education, fair play, and the future,鈥� he said.

Below I have selected several regions where the EU uses Erasmus+-type programs to reduce tensions, improve education, and, thus,  strengthen its own security.

The Eastern Partnership region (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and partly Belarus) exemplifies how the EU connects human-capital development with security policy through educational programs.

The full article is available in Czech at and has been partially reposted here with the author鈥檚 permission.