Economy & Business. Ten Successes of Ukraine in 2019 That You Don’t Know About but Should. A long-time EU diplomat in Kyiv isn’t afraid of proclaiming an unabashed celebration of the country’s progress. From Euromaidan Press. By David Stulik, 23 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 23 January. Our regional news roundup: Serbian government’s electoral fiddling; a big-budget Russian patriotic movie; U.S. may expand travel bans; thieves-in-law; and Romanian sheep.
Balkan Eye: In the Balkan Panoptikon. A tale of a sporting celebration flared tempers across borders – not because of any violence, but because of the choice of songs. By Boyko Vassilev, 22 January 2020
Environment: A Local Fightback Against Geothermal Power. The discovery of geothermal resources at Aydin, on the Aegean coast of Turkey, was greeted enthusiastically in the 1970s, but now locals complain that by–products are poisoning residents and crops. By Hakan Bintepe, 22 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 21 January: Today’s regional roundup: Serbia, Kosovo on the brink of a breakthrough; bomb scares in Russia; the most innovative countries;music disputes in the Caucasus; and a Mongolian epic.
Media: What Is the Future of Moldova’s ‘Law Against Propaganda’? Moldovan politicians are considering revoking the law which limits access to news from Russia. From Global Voices, 20 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 20 January: In the news: Poland and Airbnb; Russian schools in Tajikistan; protests in Moscow; extremism in the UK, and in Ukraine; and the Night Wolves and Montenegro.
Around the Bloc – 17 January: Headlines from around the region: scandal in Ukraine; a spat between Albania and Iran; oil for Belarus; HRW’s annual rights report; and the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.
Fourth Estate: Russian Government Reshuffle: Plus ça Change. How can anyone protest changes that are so opaque, and without any clear motivation? By Peter Rutland, 17 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 16 January: Regional highlights: Chechen leader takes sick leave; Khadija Ismayilova; Israel criticizes Ukraine; Kosovo and the Islamic State; and human rights in Transdniester.
Economy & Business: Tourism With a Gagauz Flavor. Entrepreneurs are trying to leverage the special culture of Moldova’s autonomous southern region as a money-spinning proposition. By Ilie Gulca and Madalin Necsutu, 16 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 15 January: TOL’s regional news roundup: Russian government abruptly quits; Slovak journalist’s killer comes clean; victory for Khodorkhovsky at ECHR; a North Macedonian Oscar contender; and a prison sentence for retired Uzbek diplomat.
Around the Bloc – 14 January: Today’s regional roundup: Phishing for Burisma; Russia’s population plummets; a U.S. ban for Plahotniuc; corruption in Croatia; and sheep saved from slaughter.
People: Would You Buy a Used Car From This Man? A long-running dispute over the Serbian finance minister’s doctoral thesis merges with the wider movement against Aleksandar Vucic’s rule. By Milijana Rogac13 January 2020
Around the Bloc – 13 January: In the news: European judges rally for Poland; a dangerous line of work in Bishkek; mixed economic forecast for CEE; farewell for a New Wave icon; and the grande dame of performance art in Belgrade.
Around the Bloc – 10 January: Headlines from around the region: unrest in Abkhazia; Russian plagiarists; wooden Trump torched in Slovenia; a movie joke that’s on Turkmenistan; and Mongolian finances.
FROM THE TOL ARCHIVE – EDITORS’ PICK
How a Turkish Grandmother Turned Green Ambassador. Unlikely activist does her own research into the effects of coal-fired power plants and ends up informing the nation. By Uygar Gultekin, 1 August 2018
Moldovan Journalists Begin Hunger Strike. In the latest of a long list of clashes between independent media and the Moldovan government, journalists at two local radio and television stations have gone on a hunger strike. By Angela Sirbu, 5 April 2004