Category: Central/Eastern Europe

Backing Belarus, Russia protesters is morally justified — and strategically smart

     

The European Parliament has expressed concern over the “new wave of repression” in Belarus, which includes raids on raids on civil society organizations and “preventive” arrests of opposition members before the protests…. Read more »

Russian information warfare at its worst

     

Russian information warfare at its worst, visit the Baltic states, Christian Caryl writes for The Washington Post: Interference with elections? Check. Cyberattacks? Check. Prominent politicians with murky links to the Kremlin? Check. Fake news and… Read more »

New monitoring tool shows shrinking civic space

     

While many rights groups have raised concern over the global decline in democracy, we have not had a compete, global picture of the levels of respect for civic space –… Read more »

Ukraine cracks down on anticorruption crusaders

     

A recent legislative amendment requiring activists and journalists reporting on government corruption to file public declarations of their personal assets is vague and could be used to deter or punish… Read more »

Georgians support EU accession; distrust Russia but favor dialogue

     

Georgian support for accession to the European Union (EU) is at a four-year high, according to a nationwide poll released today by the International Republican Institute’s (IRI*) Center for Insights… Read more »

Populism’s false promise could ‘reinvigorate liberal democracy’

     

The resurgence of populism has disrupted the post-Cold War political order and raised the prospect of instability in Europe and Eurasia, according to Nations in Transit 2017, the 22nd edition… Read more »

Hungary’s ‘political vandalism’ threatens CEU, civil society

     

Hungary said it will not withdraw new legislation to regulate foreign universities that a Budapest college founded by American financier and philanthropist George Soros says could force it out of… Read more »

Dead Reckoning: civil society’s efforts to end impunity

     

A new three-hour TV series – Dead Reckoning – follows war crime investigators and prosecutors as they pursue some of the world’s most notorious war criminals—notably Adolf Eichmann, Saddam Hussein,… Read more »

West ‘ignoring Putin’s actions’ – must engage Russia’s democracy movements

     

The U.S. should remain engaged with Russia’s pro-democracy movement, says a leading opposition activist. It is important to maintain pressure on the Russian authorities and President Vladimir Putin and take… Read more »

Belarus on the boil: What happens next?

     

Belarus authorities have arrested dozens in the wake of demonstrations protesting a law against “social parasites,” RFE/RL reports. The 2015 law took effect earlier this year, sparking protests that have broadened into… Read more »