Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
THE END OF “TAK”?
For the first time in four years, the summer is drawing to a close without a major attack by Kurdish militants on the Turkish tourism industry. Since the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) resumed violent attacks in June 2004 it has pursued a two-front strategy: a... MORE
POLITKOVSKAYA AND LITVINENKO MURDER CASES REMAIN CONTROVERSIAL
Investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, my friend and colleague from Novaya gazeta newspaper, was shot to death in an elevator in her apartment building last October. Anna was an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin’s policy in Chechnya. Our newspaper began a serious independent investigation, as... MORE
WILL UKRAINIAN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE BE SYNCHRONIZED WITH ELECTIONS?
Ukraine’s most popular opposition politician, former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, is pushing for a referendum to change the constitution. She wants the vote to be held simultaneously with the early parliamentary election on September 30. President Viktor Yushchenko also wants a referendum, but he believes... MORE
KYRGYZSTAN FACES RAMPANT INFLATION FOR FOOD PRODUCTS
In the past few weeks Kyrgyzstan has endured steadily rising food prices. According to estimates by the Kyrgyz parliament, roughly 500,000 people, the poorest stratum of the population, are directly affected by increased prices for bread and other basic products. The Kyrgyz government blames neighboring... MORE
COLLAPSE OF CYPRUS TALKS DELIVERS ANOTHER BLOW TO TURKEY’S EU AMBITIONS
The collapse of the latest attempt to restart the stalled Cyprus peace negotiations has come as a further blow to Turkey’s hopes of reviving its bid for full EU membership. On December 11, 2006, the EU suspended eight of the 35 policy chapters of Turkey’s... MORE
SHORTFALLS IN RUSSIAN OIL DELIVERIES TO GERMANY
Russian oil deliveries to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline fell abruptly in the month of August by some 30%. Lukoil is mainly responsible for the deliberate reduction in supplies that had been pre-contracted. Supply shortfalls had begun in July on a small scale, before the... MORE
RUSSIANS CLOSE TO BUYING ANOTHER MAJOR ARMENIAN ENTERPRISE
A Russian financial-industrial group looks set to acquire an Indian-owned company that develops the bulk of Armenia’s gold reserves. The deal, if it goes through, will give a further boost to Russia’s already strong economic presence in the South Caucasus states resulting from not only... MORE
REBELS CONCENTRATE FORCES IN MOUNTAIN AREAS OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS
This summer the rebels in the North Caucasus have intensified their activities. The militants are very active now in some areas and still quiet in others, but it is clear that preparations for future attacks are under way in republics such as Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia,... MORE
TURKISH STATE STEPS UP PRESSURE ON KURDISH POLITICIANS
Hopes that the presence of the Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) in Turkey’s new parliament would facilitate dialogue and the formulation of a solution to Turkey’s long-running Kurdish problem appear to be receding. On Tuesday (September 4) an Istanbul judge ruled that the prosecution of... MORE
ENERGY MARKET CONSOLIDATION VERSUS FOREIGN STATE TAKEOVERS IN CENTRAL EUROPE
In common with the Baltic states and Poland, which face the risk of being caught between Russian and German energy policies, Hungary is facing a similar two-front problem, albeit with country-specific differences. In Hungary’s case, Russia and Austria (with Germany in a lesser role) seem... MORE