Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
Sources of Moldova’s Political Chaos: The Parliamentary System
Moldova’s tripartite government, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), has foundered over its internal contradictions, and will no longer be resuscitated in its previously existing form. Two of AEI’s parties have scuttled Prime Minister Vlad Filat’s government in a sequence of steps: on March 5... MORE
Tilting at Windmills: Why Do the West’s Belarus Policies Not Succeed?
In Belarus, the second Sunday of May is celebrated as the Day of the National Emblem and Flag. “For a true citizen, there is nothing more sacred than the coat of arms and the flag of his or her country. Looking at them, each one... MORE
International Islamist Movement Spreads to the North Caucasus
The Jamestown Foundation has repeatedly reported on Hizb ut-Tahrir’s (HuT) activities in Russia over the past several years. And as the investigation of the Boston bombings progresses, reports are surfacing in the West that Tamerlan Tsarnaev interacted with Magomed Kartashov, the leader of the Dagestan-based... MORE
Potential Socialist-led Government in Bulgaria Could Help Russian Energy Interests
The Bulgarian general elections on May 12 produced a hung parliament and little hope that the political stalemate would be easily overcome. Political instability is expected to continue during a prolonged period of appointing a new government. The scandals with pre-election wiretapping and the discovery... MORE
Ethnic Abaza React to Rising Karachai Nationalism
On May 3, groups of Karachay and Abaza youth clashed in Karachaevo-Cherkessia. According to a member of the Abaza organization, Janibek Kuzhev, the fight took place in the village of Psyzh in Abazin district of Karachaevo-Cherkessia. As Karachay youth tried to intimidatingly drive through the... MORE
Lost in Space? Moscow Tries to Rebuild Its Civilian and Military Space Programs
Since 1991, the highly developed Soviet space industry has fallen on hard times. Even though much Russian commentary has emphasized the competitiveness of Russia’s present-day space sector, it has nonetheless fallen behind its global competitors. And now Kazakhstan is demanding a greater say in what... MORE
Could EU-Style ‘Ethno-Cultural Zones’ Reduce Tensions in the North Caucasus?
An increasing source of tension and conflict in the North Caucasus is the fear among many of the regional language communities that they face extinction through assimilation—a potentially explosive fear because of the rapidly changing ethnic composition of many republics as a result of the... MORE
Demise of Moldova’s Alliance for European Integration Surprises European Union’s Leaders
In a stream of statements from Brussels and Strasbourg, European Union leaders sound shocked by the demise of Moldova’s tripartite Alliance for European Integration (AEI), and more generally by the collapse of Moldova’s parliamentary system of government. The EU has portrayed Moldova as the Eastern... MORE
Gimry Becomes Target of Dagestan Government Reprisals Again
After nearly a month-long counter-terrorism operation in the Dagestani village of Gimry, residents have complained about the devastation government agents inflicted on their homes. Shamil Magomedov, the head of Untsukul district, of which Gimry is a part, told the Kavkazsky Uzel (Caucasian Knot) website: “We... MORE
What Surkov’s Ousting Signifies About Russia’s Course in Syria
Russia has captured much political attention in the West in the last few days because of its allegedly central role in the deadlocked civil war in Syria. Yet, in the domestic debates—boiling hot despite the holiday season—Syria is barely present, while the major point of... MORE