Education

Lithuania’s Dispensable Teachers

As the countryside empties out and schools close, thousands of teachers lose perks and even their jobs. By Linas Jegelevicius

3 February 2012

Around the Bloc

Moscow Laments EU ‘Lecture,’ Kosovo Seeks Full Independence

Plus, Bosnia passes key census law, and Tajik forces battle drug smugglers.

By S. Adam Cardais and Joshua Boissevain

3 February 2012

Around the Bloc

U.S. Military Aid for Uzbekistan, Shelter for Roma in Albania

Plus, green activists stage a sit-in at a Romanian ministry and Yeltsin could get a statue in Estonia.

By Jeremy Druker, Ioana Caloianu, Joshua Boissevain, and Kelly Klein

2 February 2012

Education

A Small House in Schinoasa

It took a joint effort by government, the UN, and IKEA to open a kindergarten in one Moldovan Romani settlement. Perhaps the next 50 will go more smoothly.

By Grigore Brinza

1 February 2012

Around the Bloc

Kazakh Human Rights Defender to Walk Free, Eastern Europe Hit by Deadly Cold

Plus, ethnic tensions flare in Macedonia and a lost account of a Nazi purge in Krakow surfaces.

By Barbara Frye and Ioana Caloianu

1 February 2012

Around the Bloc

Former Romanian Premier Guilty of Corruption, EU Cuts Latvian Funding

Plus, Czechs follow through on threat to boycott EU fiscal treaty and an Azeri dream to pierce the sky.

By Ky Krauthamer, Ioana Caloianu, and Kelly Klein

31 January 2012

Conflict & Diplomacy

A Partial Declaration of Human Rights

Tired of western criticism, Russia trains its sights on practices elsewhere. From openDemocracy.

By Oliver Bullough

31 January 2012

People

Mazbaev of the Antarctic

A 57-year-old geographer goes through icy hell to plant Kazakhstan’s flag at the South Pole.

By Dariya Tsyrenzhapova

30 January 2012

COLUMNS

Balkan Eye

Hit the Gas

In Bulgaria’s bitter debate over shale drilling, rational argument gets lost behind the eternal battle lines of Russia versus the West.

By BOYKO VASSILEV

2 February 2012

Middle Europa

Empty Promises Don’t Pay 

Slovak voters could learn some lessons on populism from southeastern Europe.

By MARTIN EHL

31 January 2012

Russian Unorthodox

Out of Jail, but Still in Prison

The hellish existence of many of Russia’s former inmates is everybody’s problem.

By GALINA STOLYAROVA

26 January 2012

Middle Europa

The Best of Intentions

Hungary’s man in charge of Roma integration seems to care about the task at hand, but does he have the resources to make real progress?

By MARTIN EHL

24 January 2012

Middle Europa

Poland’s Quintessential Small Business, Under Threat

The ubiquitous secondhand stores are being squeezed by modern shopping malls on the one hand and “exchange markets” on the other.

By MARTIN EHL

17 January 2012

The Fourth Estate

The Digital Counter-Revolution

Digitization, hyped as the savior of Eastern European TV, instead is bringing us more of the same old thing.

By MARIUS DRAGOMIR

16 January 2012

The New EU

The Lives of Others

A child-abuse trial says more about Czechs’ worldview than they might realize.

By KATERINA SAFARIKOVA

11 January 2012