New articles on the TOL website

FEATURES & COLUMNS

Arts & Culture: ‘My Dreams Are Not Related to Literature’
Andrey Kurkov – Ukraine’s best-known writer – speaks up about Ukrainians learning to become European, on Ukraine’s multilingualism, and on why life does not always follow the logic of literature.
By Kseniya Turkova
8 June 2017

Economy & Business: Branding a Nation
Even tourism brochures can help construct a nation’s identity.
By Abel Polese and Emilia Pawlusz
7 June 2017

The Fourth Estate: Push the Alarm Bell Already
It’s time to put the catastrophic state of the region’s media freedom front and center.
By PETER GROSS
2 June 2017

AROUND THE BLOC

12 June 2017
Russian Craft Food Chain Purveys Bread, Salt, and Bigotry
Shops are owned by capitalist-turned-organic farmer German Sterligov, an advocate of the good old ways.

Georgia Eyes Ban on Foreign Ownership of Farmland
Opposition parties slam move as populist, saying agriculture desperately needs foreign investment and know-how.

Haradinaj Leads Ex-KLA Chiefs to Election Win
Center-right coalition takes clear lead after yesterday’s snap election, with hardline nationalists in second place.

9 June 2017
Ukraine Lawmakers Back NATO Membership
Vote angers the Kremlin, which faces allegations of meddling in two Balkan countries to derail their NATO bids.

Russian Police Arrest St. Petersburg Scientologists
Charges of extremism and inciting hatred echo those levelled at the recently banned Jehovah’s Witnesses.

8 June 2017
India, Pakistan Set to Join SCO at Astana Summit
Russia pushed for India’s admission, while China reportedly backed membership for its ally Pakistan.

Turkmen Ruler Orders End to Energy Subsidies
Citizens will no longer receive the free electricity, gas, and water they have taken for granted for a quarter-century.

7 June 2017
Polish Conservatives Close to Victory on Reproductive Care
Over-the-counter purchases of “morning-after” pills likely to be banned.

6 June 2017
Russian Court Convicts Ukrainian Librarian of Inciting Hatred
Natalia Sharina spent 15 months under house arrest while awaiting trial for possessing banned books.

Key Aliev Aides Reportedly Fired in Azerbaijan as Karabakh Tensions Rise
Staff shakeup comes amid increasingly edgy relations with Caucasus enemies Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Job Shortage Forces Tajik Women to Adapt
One woman’s bitter experience as a migrant worker underlines the increasing strain on working women in Central Asia’s poorest nation.

5 June 2017
Macedonian Intel Outlines Alleged Russian Plans to Destabilize Country
Serbian intelligence also accused of involvement in bid to prevent NATO entry.

South Ossetia Emerges as Financial Center for Ukrainian Rebels
Key bank there likely used to facilitate payments from Russia.

Backlash Against Overhaul of Romanian Research System
Universities say new rules allowing only in-country evaluators for research projects may jeopardize the quality of research.

2 June 2017
Slovak Prosecutors Now Have Free Hand to Pursue Meciar-Era Crimes
Constitutional Court upholds amendment passed earlier this year that abolished amnesties granted almost 20 years ago during the rule of the former prime minister.

Lithuania Passes Alcohol ‘Detox’ Bill
Sweeping changes adopted in an attempt to deal with huge per capita consumption.

FROM THE TOL ARCHIVE – EDITORS’ PICK

Evolution Gone Wrong
Predicting media development in Romania after it happens.
30 January 2017

Euro-Moonshine
A cult Ukrainian writer hints that far from being dead in Venice, his most famous character is needed at home.
by Oksana Forostyna
21 August 2006

Announcement

Going on Assignment in Prague – January 7-15, 2018

Do you have a passion for foreign reporting? Would you like to develop your skills further or simply gain more confidence? This course is aimed at university students, freelance journalists or activists who would like to gain some practical skills in this field. You’ll learn the best tricks of the trade from storytelling and interviewing techniques to locating your sources and incorporating multimedia.

Throughout the course you will be guided by experienced foreign correspondents from media such as Reuters, the BBC, the Financial Times, and the New York Times. You’ll leave equipped with a publishable story to add to your portfolio. Early bird fee available until September 1, 2017. Apply now!