Latest Articles about South Caucasus
Surkov’s Hacked E-Mails Offer Glimpse Into Kremlin’s Policy in Abkhazia
On October 23 and 25, a team of Ukrainian hackers, known as Kiberkhunta (Cyber-Junta), unveiled a massive number of e-mails that belonged to the notorious Russian official Vladislav Surkov. Prior to 2013, Surkov was responsible for Russia’s domestic policies in Vladimir Putin’s administration. After 2013,... MORE
Saakashvili’s Resignation: Start of Ukrainian Parliamentary Election Campaign?
The sudden resignation of the governor of Odesa region, Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili, roiled the Ukrainian media landscape last week (November 7). Saakashvili was appointed to head the coastal Black Sea province, in May 2015, by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, a long-time personal friend.... MORE
Impact of Georgian Parliamentary Elections on Relations With Russia
Following the second round of the parliamentary elections on October 30, the ruling party, Georgian Dream–Democratic Georgia (GDDG), received a constitutional majority—over three-quarters of the seats in the new parliament. The opposition party of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, United National Movement (UNM), will have only... MORE
Strategic Assessment: Security Concerns Dominate South Caucasus, While Regional Governments Consolidate Power
The following political landscape piece is a part of Eurasia Daily Monitor’s special quarterly series of strategic assessments of developments across Eurasia. These pieces examine recent important developments and trends in the region, particularly since this past summer, and anticipate where those trend lines may... MORE
Strategic Assessment: After Months of Political Campaign, Georgia Enters Post-Election Period
The following political landscape piece is a part of Eurasia Daily Monitor’s special quarterly series of strategic assessments of developments across Eurasia. These pieces examine recent important developments and trends in the region, particularly since this past summer, and anticipate where those trend lines may... MORE
Armenia’s New Defense Minister Proposes ‘Nation-Army’ Concept
The National Assembly of Armenia affirmed Karen Karapetyan as the country’s new prime minister, on September 13. Karapetyan’s previous career was predominantly linked in various ways to Russia’s natural gas producer Gazprom (with the exception of ten months in 2010–2011, when he served as mayor... MORE
Constitutional Majority Looms as Georgia’s Opposition UNM Party in Danger of Emaciation
Sunday’s runoffs in 50 precincts—which became necessary because none of the candidates in these single-mandate districts garnered an absolute majority of the vote in the first round of the October 8 Georgian parliamentary elections—were overwhelmingly won by the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG). On October... MORE
Does Mikheil Saakashvili Have a Political Future in Georgia?
The opposition United National Movement (UNM) came in distant second in the Georgian parliamentary elections that took place on October 8 (see EDM, October 13). The party of former president Mikheil Saakashvili received only 27.11 percent of the vote for the party list. And it... MORE
Azerbaijan Strengthens Its Energy Position in Turkey
Top decision makers, opinion leaders and CEOs of the world’s largest energy companies, including BP, Gazprom, Shell and Total, convened in Istanbul, on October 9–13, for the 23rd World Energy Congress. High-level officials, including 56 ministers from various countries around the globe, also attended the... MORE
Italian Delays in TAP’s Construction Weaken the EU and Russia Alike
Political infighting and bureaucratic red tape in Italy are jeopardizing the realization of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the westernmost segment of a wider energy corridor to bring Azerbaijani natural gas to Southeastern Europe. In turn, these problems are frustrating Rome’s efforts to establish a Mediterranean... MORE