Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
Ukrainian Chief Banker in Legal Limbo
The Ukrainian parliament has exacerbated both the political and economic crises in Ukraine by voting to dismiss National Bank (NBU) head Volodymyr Stelmakh. Consequently, it is not clear who is running the central bank in a country that has been among the hardest hit by... MORE
Nabucco Conference in Budapest, Part Two: Gas Supply and Transport—Diversification’s Twin Sides
The high-level conference in Budapest on the Nabucco gas project (see EDM, January 20, 22, 23, 27, 29) underscored a reality that seems to slip from the conceptual grasp of some influential West European circles. This reality is that diversification of supply sources and transport... MORE
Turkey and the IMF Take a Break to Review Remaining Disagreements
After 18 days of intense negotiations on a new financial package, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission failed to reach an agreement with Turkey and left Ankara on Tuesday. Mehmet Simsek, the minister of state responsible for the economy, told reporters on Monday that the... MORE
Bakiyev Stifles Small and Medium Businesses, Further Angers the Public
Last December Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev amended the tax code, significantly increasing taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. A month later the effect of the new tax is being acutely felt, with numerous businesses shutting down and unemployment rising. In the meantime, the number of... MORE
Nabucco Conference in Budapest, Part One: Moderate Expectations, Moderate Promise
On January 26 and 27 Hungary hosted a high-level policy conference on the Nabucco gas transport project, with participants encompassing the entire producer-transit-consumer chain from the Caspian basin to Europe, and with active involvement by the European Union for the first time. The event did... MORE
Moscow Sends the West Friendly Signals While Relations with Georgia Worsen
On January 28 Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed official in the Russian Defense Ministry that plans to deploy Iskander SS-26 missiles in the Kaliningrad region, which borders NATO member nations Poland and Lithuania, have been halted. Last November President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to station... MORE
Commentary – Territorial Claims Can Work Two Ways: Russia and Ukraine
The majority of Western comments on territorial claims arising from the breakup of the USSR focus on Russia’s demands against its neighbors. The best known, such as the Crimea and frozen conflicts in the Caucasus, are frequently mentioned in the Western media. Added to this... MORE
The Ergenekon Investigation May Reveal JITEM’s Dirty Past
The investigation of the neo-nationalist criminal Ergenekon network involving military and police officers, politicians, media members, labor union leaders, and political strategists is continuing. In the 11th wave of arrests, on January 22, 40 people were detained including 10 police officers, nine active duty military... MORE
Rush for Nabucco: Azerbaijan’s Position Strengthens
On January 22 President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov paid a one-day visit to Baku. The issue on the agenda was obvious: diversification of the gas supply to the EU and making Caspian gas available to EU households. Discussions with President Ilham Aliyev were very useful;... MORE
Can the “Gaza damage” to Turkish-Israeli Relations be reversed?
During Israel’s incursion into Gaza, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan harshly criticized the operations. His condemnation received the applause of a majority of people in the Muslim world; but it has created concern about the Jewish communities in Turkey (see EDM, January 7, January... MORE