FEATURES AND COLUMNS MIDDLE EUROPA CONFLICT & DIPLOMACY AROUND THE BLOC April 6 Armenia’s Relations With Breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Close, But Not Transparent Alleged Doomday Cult Members Detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg April 7 President Poroshenko denounces referendum as ‘attack on European unity and the spread of European values.’ Ex-Mossad Agents Accused of Spying on Romanian Corruption Czar Putin Carves Out Praetorian Guard April 8 Macedonian Parliament Dissolved Ahead of Snap Vote Putin Says Washington Behind ‘Panama Papers’ Leaks Turkey, Russia Trade Accusations Over Karabakh Situation FROM THE TOL ARCHIVE – EDITORS’ PICK What Can Ukrainians Expect from Europe? Corruption and Romania’s DNA Imposing Order on the Law White Magic |
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FEATURES AND COLUMNS
MIDDLE EUROPA
Anatomy of Fear
Anxious and panicky though Bulgarians may feel, the Brussels attacks brought home to the majority that the EU is the only option they have.
By Boyko Vassilev
CONFLICT & DIPLOMACY
Montenegro: Ignored for 30 Years, Now At The Forefront Of The New Cold war
Tension in Montenegro as crunch NATO accession draws nearer.
By Uffe Andersen
AROUND THE BLOC
April 6
Romania’s Controversial Mortgage Law Up for Review
‘Darea in Plata’ law provides needed debt relief, but could also restrict lending market.
Armenia’s Relations With Breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Close, But Not Transparent
Yeravan’s assistance to Stepanakert an ‘open secret’ say Western experts.
Alleged Doomday Cult Members Detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Russian police detained several alleged members of the banned Aum Shinrikyo religious group on 5 April.
April 7
Ukraine Reels After Dutch Voters Reject EU Pact
President Poroshenko denounces referendum as ‘attack on European unity and the spread of European values.’
Ex-Mossad Agents Accused of Spying on Romanian Corruption Czar
Israeli security firm Black Cube says it has information on serious corruption in the Romanian government.
Putin Carves Out Praetorian Guard
New Russian security force to quell public disturbances, fight terrorism, defend the homeland.
April 8
Macedonian Parliament Dissolved Ahead of Snap Vote
Opposition threatens to boycott elections scheduled for June, citing lack of reforms.
Putin Says Washington Behind ‘Panama Papers’ Leaks
Ukrainian journalists claim Poroshenko’s involvement in offshores far greater than leaked documents reveal.
Turkey, Russia Trade Accusations Over Karabakh Situation
Some 75 troops have died since the weekend in the worst fighting the South Caucasus hotspot has seen in decades.
FROM THE TOL ARCHIVE – EDITORS’ PICK
What Can Ukrainians Expect from Europe?
The right combination of arms, aid, and tutelage will be key – and elusive.
By Yevgenia Belorusets
Corruption and Romania’s DNA
Arrests and protests are making it harder for the country’s politicians to dodge a deep-seated issue.
By Daniel Brett
Imposing Order on the Law
Russia’s police reform gathers power at the center, but its success or failure will likely happen precinct by precinct.
By Mark Galeotti
White Magic
A mixture of esoteric teaching and occultism has been uniting Bulgarians for more than a century.
By Polia Alexandrova
FEATURES AND COLUMNS
MIDDLE EUROPA
Anatomy of Fear
Anxious and panicky though Bulgarians may feel, the Brussels attacks brought home to the majority that the EU is the only option they have.
By Boyko Vassilev
CONFLICT & DIPLOMACY
Montenegro: Ignored for 30 Years, Now At The Forefront Of The New Cold war
Tension in Montenegro as crunch NATO accession draws nearer.
By Uffe Andersen
AROUND THE BLOC
April 6
Romania’s Controversial Mortgage Law Up for Review
‘Darea in Plata’ law provides needed debt relief, but could also restrict lending market.
Armenia’s Relations With Breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Close, But Not Transparent
Yeravan’s assistance to Stepanakert an ‘open secret’ say Western experts.
Alleged Doomday Cult Members Detained in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Russian police detained several alleged members of the banned Aum Shinrikyo religious group on 5 April.
April 7
Ukraine Reels After Dutch Voters Reject EU Pact
President Poroshenko denounces referendum as ‘attack on European unity and the spread of European values.’
Ex-Mossad Agents Accused of Spying on Romanian Corruption Czar
Israeli security firm Black Cube says it has information on serious corruption in the Romanian government.
Putin Carves Out Praetorian Guard
New Russian security force to quell public disturbances, fight terrorism, defend the homeland.
April 8
Macedonian Parliament Dissolved Ahead of Snap Vote
Opposition threatens to boycott elections scheduled for June, citing lack of reforms.
Putin Says Washington Behind ‘Panama Papers’ Leaks
Ukrainian journalists claim Poroshenko’s involvement in offshores far greater than leaked documents reveal.
Turkey, Russia Trade Accusations Over Karabakh Situation
Some 75 troops have died since the weekend in the worst fighting the South Caucasus hotspot has seen in decades.
FROM THE TOL ARCHIVE – EDITORS’ PICK
What Can Ukrainians Expect from Europe?
The right combination of arms, aid, and tutelage will be key – and elusive.
By Yevgenia Belorusets
Corruption and Romania’s DNA
Arrests and protests are making it harder for the country’s politicians to dodge a deep-seated issue.
By Daniel Brett
Imposing Order on the Law
Russia’s police reform gathers power at the center, but its success or failure will likely happen precinct by precinct.
By Mark Galeotti
White Magic
A mixture of esoteric teaching and occultism has been uniting Bulgarians for more than a century.
By Polia Alexandrova