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.
Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?
In a recent interview with Axios on HBO, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would like to ask US President Joe Biden, “Why is Ukraine still not in NATO?” Why, indeed, is Ukraine not in NATO?
Read the full story here
Inside Slovenia’s war on the media
The leader of one of the EU’s smallest countries is waging a big campaign against journalists he doesn’t like. Slovenia’s prime minister, Janez Janša, whose country takes over the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency later this year, has repeatedly and publicly attacked the country’s main public media outlets.
Read the full story here
How Poland, Hungary, Russia and UK Labour party use anti-semitism in politics
Authorities in Poland, Russia, Hungary and some lawmakers in Britain’s Labour party used anti-semitism for political means, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s anti-semitism report on Europe published Thursday.
Read the full story here.
What a lost licence for Hungary’s independent Klubrádió means for press freedom
Klubrádió, one of Hungary’s last independent radio stations, has gone off-air after a bitter eight-year legal battle. But what comes next for journalists and artists in a country already battered by increasingly hostile government oversight?
Read the full story here.
In Serbia, state’s ties to crime become hard to miss
Under Aleksandar Vučić’s Progressives, the line between the state and organised crime has become increasingly blurred, raising the question – is Serbia a mafia state?
Read the full story here.
Azeris wrestle over return to abandoned towns
Poland’s biggest power producer PGE confirmed a deal on Wednesday to develop offshore wind farms with Denmark’s Orsted in another sign the country reliant on coal is fast becoming a hot destination for renewable energy investors.
Read the full story here.
Georgian cartographers accused of “selling” a slice of the homeland
A bizarre, apparently politically motivated case has unspooled like a Da Vinci Code-style thriller, complete with secret historic documents, ancient churches and an alleged web of conspiracy.
Read the full story here.
Heir Apparent? The grooming of Turkmenistan’s Serdar Berdymukhammedov
It has been obvious for several years that Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has been grooming his son, Serdar, to become the country’s next leader.
Read the full story here.
Two festivals bring queer art to Azerbaijani audiences
Organisers hope that art can help start a conversation about greater inclusivity in the country, consistently rated the least tolerant in Europe.
Read the full story here.
100 books to read from Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Writers, poets, translators, and academics pick 100 of the best books from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia available in English. From Belgrade to Bishkek, these remarkable works of literature span across cultures, borders, and time.
Read the full story here.
Sotheby’s Christo auction, part 1, nets 9.8 million US dollars
The Bulgarian-born artist Christo, who died last May at 84, was famous for the spectacular ambition of the environmental projects he created in collaboration with his wife, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009. These works, as well as pieces by Christo himself owned by the couple, were auctioned this week by Sotheby’s.
Read the full story here.
Unlike many news and information platforms, Emerging Europe is free to read, and always will be. There is no paywall here. We are independent, not affiliated with nor representing any political party or business organisation. We want the very best for emerging Europe, nothing more, nothing less. Your support will help us continue to spread the word about this amazing region.
You can contribute here. Thank you.
