Analysis

Armenia, Georgia battle over yoghurt: Elsewhere in emerging Europe

Our weekly digest of articles about emerging Europe published elsewhere this week, all of which caught our eye and all of which are well worth your time. Listing them here, however, does not necessarily mean that we agree with every word, nor do they necessarily reflect Emerging Europe’s editorial policy.


Armenia, Georgia battle over yoghurt

The Caucasus neighbours have started a food fight over the fermented milk product that is the region’s pride and joy.

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Montenegro’s minority government and the EU’s role in democratic reform

The recent collapse of Montenegro’s ruling coalition creates both risks and opportunities for democratic reform. The EU needs to help the country’s interim minority government resist Serbian and Russian influence.

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How I got stung by Viktor Orbán

The bizarre experience of being dragged into a Hungarian propaganda campaign.

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Turkmenistan: Transition process finally gets underway

Turkmenistan will have a new president next month. But he will still be a Berdymukhammedov. The trigger was finally pulled on the transition mechanism at an extraordinary session of the Khalk Maslahaty (People’s Council) on February 11, when President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, 64, announced in typically self-aggrandising and circumlocutory manner that he was stepping down.

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How the Kosovo air war foreshadowed the crisis in Ukraine

Twenty-three years later, Kremlin propagandists still use the NATO bombing campaign to justify their own actions.

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Between bandits and bureaucrats: 30 years of parliamentary development in Kyrgyzstan

In 2010, Kyrgyzstan took a decisive step towards establishing a parliamentary form of government. A decade later, the parliamentary experiment had, at least for the time being, come to an end; in January 2021, the Kyrgyz electorate approved the return to a presidential form of government, and in May 2021, a new presidentialist constitution was adopted.

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The Romanians are leaving

For two decades, millions of Romanians came to Italy seeking jobs, money and a place to live and bring up their families. Now this is changing.

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Oligarch’s death sends Czech giant west

A year after the death of Czech oligarch Petr Kellner, PPF Group — the conglomerate he left behind — appears to be retreating from his bet on eastern markets.

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Where to start with Balkan wines

Wine&More, a website devoted mainly to the wines of the Balkan countries, was started to put “Croatian wines on the map,” according to Dario Drmac, a wine lover and marketing expert from Croatia.

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What I learned about addiction from a Czech crystal meth cook

While the Czech government has liberalised drug policy – personal drug use and possession of small amounts are not criminalised – the stigma around addiction remains high.

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