Talk Eastern Europe

In this episode, Alexandra, Adam, and Nina discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, protests in Abkhazia, and the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia. They also reflect on the 35th anniversary of the Czechoslovak Velvet Revolution and other key events of 1989.

Adam and Nina are later joined by Leyla Mustafayeva, acting editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, who shares insights into Azerbaijan’s crackdown on civil society and media, including the use of the 29th UN Climate Summit to silence critics. Leyla also discusses Abzas Media’s work in exile.

In exclusive content for Patrons, Leyla talks about Azerbaijan’s relationship with Russia and her experience as an independent journalist in exile.  Listen to it and become a Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope.

Leyla also highlights Anar Mammadli, a political prisoner and human rights advocate, who has been in pre-trial detention since April. His detention was extended on 19 November for another three months. You can support his campaign to end repression in Azerbaijan here: https://free-anar.site/anar-mammadli/.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUqj40e3GDQ

In this special episode which was live streamed on November 14th 2024, Adam, Alexandra and Nina start off with a roundup of the news, discussing Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan Georgia, Serbia and Albania.

Later, they are joined by our guests Zsuzsanna Végh and Pavel Havlíček. They discuss the consequences of the election of Donald Trump in the United States for Central and Eastern Europe. They also share their insights on the political situation in Hungary and Czechia.

About the guests:
- Zsuzsanna Végh is a program officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Her analytical focus is on Central and Eastern Europe, especially the foreign and EU policies of the Visegrád countries, the state of democracy, and the role and impact of the populist radical right in the region. 
- Pavel Havlíček is Research Fellow at the Association for International Affairs (AMO). His research focus is on Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine and Russia, and the Eastern Partnership. He also deals with questions of security, disinformation and strategic communication as well as democratisation and civil society support in the CEE and post-Soviet space.

Support the podcast – become a Talk Eastern Europe Patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope and listen to our podcasts ad free!

*Disclaimer – this podcast was recorded before the results of the US election were announced*

In this episode, Alexandra is back and joins Adam with a brief discussion on the latest news in the region.  First they discuss the US elections – recorded on election day – and what might the vote mean for Central and Eastern Europe, especially Russia’s war in Ukraine.  They briefly examine European Commission’s latest report on enlargement and its assessment of the progress in the Western Balkans.

Later, Alexandra and Adam are joined by Tinatin Japaridze, an analyst with Eurasia Group. She is a specialist in geopolitics and security in Eurasia, with a particular focus on the Russia-Ukraine war. She also leads the firm's coverage of Georgia and Azerbaijan, including the countries' domestic and foreign policies, reforms, and leaderships.  They discuss the most recent parliamentary elections in Georgia, whether they were free and fair, what the opposition can do next and the reaction of the international community.

For further reading: “Georgia, Moldova and Bulgaria are counting on Europe’s support to resist Russia and safeguard democracy” – New Eastern Europe 30 October 2024: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/10/30/georgia-moldova-and-bulgaria-are-counting-on-europes-support-to-resist-russia-and-safeguard-democracy/

“Defending democracy in Georgia” – New Eastern Europe 24 September 2024: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/09/24/defending-democracy-in-georgia/

Check out Adam’s commentary in the latest Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.beehiiv.com/p/november-4-2024

Support the podcast – help us get to 60 Patrons before 2025: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

>>> Join us on November 14th for a Live Stream of Episode 200! You can watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUqj40e3GDQ

In this episode, Adam and Nina start with the results of the Georgia elections. They also talk about Robert Fico’s appearance on Russia TV, Bulgaria elections and the political developments in Lithuania.

Following the news, Adam and Nina interview Oktawian Milewski, is a political scientist specialising in Moldova, Romania and Central and East European studies. They discuss the results of the first round of Moldova’s presidential election and the referendum on its pro-EU path. President Maia Sandu won with the 42% of the vote and will face the 2nd place contender, pro-Russian Aleksandr Stoianoglo, in the second round of elections.

In the bonus section – Oktawian takes us deeper into the regional dynamics of Moldova, discussing the situation in Transnistria, Gagauzia and other regions in the country. The bonus content can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-198-bonus-115208927

for further reading: “Georgia, Moldova and Bulgaria are counting on Europe’s support to resist Russia and safeguard democracy” https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/10/30/georgia-moldova-and-bulgaria-are-counting-on-europes-support-to-resist-russia-and-safeguard-democracy/ “

The low-hanging fruit of European integration: Moldova’s election and the power play of energy dependency” https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/10/18/the-low-hanging-fruit-of-european-integration-moldovas-election-and-the-power-play-of-energy-dependency/

In this episode, Adam and Nina begin by discussing the results of Moldova’s simultaneous presidential election and the referendum on the country’s EU integration. They also talk about North Korea's involvement in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Quad format summit, and the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

For the main interview, Nina speaks with Lukáš Diko, the editor-in-chief at the Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak in Slovakia. Lukáš provides an overview of the major political changes the Slovak government under Robert Fico has introduced over the past year, while also shedding light on the challenging working conditions for the journalists in today’s Slovakia.

Help us reach our goal of 60 patrons by the end of 2024! Join us here: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, Adam and Nina open up with the latest news from the region, including the recent decision by Poland’s Prime Minister to stop granting asylum to refugees and the agreement between Italy and Albania to relocate migrants there. They also discuss upcoming elections in Moldova and Georgia. 

For the main interview, Adam sits down with Tamar Jacoby, an American reporter and the Kyiv-based director of the Progressive Policy Institute’s New Ukraine Project. They discuss the current moods in Ukraine, the upcoming US election and its impact on Ukraine and how the West can help right now.

Read Tamar’s reporting on the Ukrainian drone industry: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/jacoby-for-new-york-post-ai-is-reshaping-drone-warfare-in-russia-and-ukraine-2/

Support our podcast! Join us on patreon: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope 

Adam and Nina begin by discussing the latest news: the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the outcomes of the 2024 Warsaw Security Forum, protests in Hungary, and Lithuania’s decision to have the ICC investigate Lukashenka for crimes against humanity.

Later, Nina interviews journalist and documentary filmmaker Apolena Rychlíková about her film Limits of Europe, which follows Saša Uhlová, an undercover journalist documenting the daily lives of Central and Eastern European migrant workers in Germany, Ireland, the UK, and France. They delve into why a million of migrant workers from Central and Eastern Europe continue to move west for higher wages and how it impacts their family lives back home.

The full documentary is available in selected countries here: https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/104425-000-A/invisible/

Read more about Saša Uhlová’s undercover work in Europe in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/18/europe-west-migrants-east-undercover-jobs-workers

Help us reach 60 patrons! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Check out Adam’s commentary on the Warsaw Security Forum in this week’s Brief Eastern Europe: https://briefeasterneurope.beehiiv.com/p/october-7-2024

Nina and Alexandra open with the latest headlines from the region, including the de-linking of Albania and North Macedonia’s EU accession paths, the opening of the “foreign agents” registry in Georgia, diplomatic efforts by Ukraine, concerning announcements from Russia, and finally the Austrian elections. 

Alexandra then speaks with journalist and educator Mate Halmos about the daily reality of living in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary after 15 years of democratic backsliding and state capture. They discuss inequality between urban and rural areas, local corruption, and what has made Orbán popular among the “everyday Hungarian.” Mate also shares what makes him hopeful about Hungary’s future and how education can be a solution to the country’s increasingly absurdist and decisive political scene.  To learn more about CEU’s Socrates Program, which Mate organizes:

• https://www.facebook.com/CEUSocrates/ 
• https://www.ceu.edu/hu/kee/socrates-program
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC4qTLccG2E 
• https://studentengagement.ceu.edu/socrates-project-profiles

Help us reach 60 patrons - join us on Patreon - www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope 

In this podcast episode, the three hosts discuss various topics: Georgia’s anti-LGBTI legislation, the ongoing human rights crackdown in Russia, the persistent tensions between Slovakia's government and opposition, and some unexpected news from Hungary and Albania.

Later in the episode, Adam and Nina welcome Mark Galeotti, a leading expert on modern Russia, its politics, intelligence services, and criminal networks. Mark shares insights into recent prisoner swaps between Russia and the West and delves into Russian spy networks operating in the West. He also introduces his latest book, co-authored with Anna Arutunyan: Downfall: Prigozhin and Putin, and the New Fight for the Future of Russia (Ebury Press 2024). Mark also hosts his own podcast and blog, In Moscow’s Shadows: https://inmoscowsshadows.buzzsprout.com/.

Other books by Mark Galeotti mentioned in this episode:

• Forged in War: A Military History of Russia from Its Beginnings to Today (Nov. 2024)
• Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine (2022)
• A Short History of Russia: How to Understand the World’s Most Complex Nation (2022)
• We Need to Talk About Putin (2019)

In this week’s bonus content, Nina interviews Mirko Popović, Programme Director at the Belgrade-based Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI). Mirko discusses the reasons behind the protests in Serbia this August, which led to the detention of environmental activists and a crackdown on civil society. He emphasizes the crucial role of environmental protection in safeguarding democracy and the rule of law in the country. The bonus content can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-content-112754248
 
Help us meet our goal! We want 60 Patrons by the end of the year! Join us: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

This episode of the podcast opens with a rundown of some of the latest news, including the floods in Central Europe, the new EU commission, developments in Slovakia, and the failing Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

For the main interview, Adam is joined by Kate Tsurkan, a reporter at the Kyiv Independent who writes on culture-related topics. They discuss how Ukraine’s culture has been affected by war by looking at Ukrainian cinema, literature, music and art. Below we include a whole list of recommendations by Kate during the podcast.

Help us meet our goal! We want 60 Patrons by the end of the year! Join us: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

Get deeper into culture, check out Apofenie: https://www.apofenie.com/

Check out the latest issue of New Eastern Europe: https://bit.ly/4daXLCI

Recommendations from the podcast
Films:
Olha Zhurba - Songs of slow burning earth: https://filmotor.com/slow-burning-earth/
Oksana Karpovych – Intercepted: https://lightdox.com/intercepted/
Mstyslav Chernov - 20 Days in Mariupol https://20daysinmariupol.com/
Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk - Pamfir https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9455468/

Books: 
Tanja Maljartschuk - Forgottenness:  https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324093220
Sofia Andrukhovych - Amadoka https://chytomo.com/en/simon-schuster-acquires-the-rights-to-translate-ukrainian-novel-amadoka/
Artem Cheh - Song of the open road: https://booklion.lviv.ua/en/pisnia-vidkrytoho-shliakhu/?srsltid=AfmBOooqvgp3y6QdsHIeLC9klXNkWU-Z7K6wOcUxPNWrzDsABgEpGRqd
Myroslav Laiuk – Bakhmut: https://artpil.com/announcements/myroslav-laiuk-bakhmut-ukrainer/ 
Oleh Sentsov - Diary of a Hunger Striker: https://www.amazon.com/Diary-Hunger-Striker-Oleg-Sentsov/dp/1646053168
Stanislav Aseyev - In Isolation. Dispatches from Occupied Donbas: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674268784

Music:
ANTYTILA – “Bakhmut Fortress” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmqLVrUXsTQ (with English subtitles)
Хейтспіч (hatespeech) – “руzzкий мир” (ruzzkiy mir): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UpoeJ2X07w
Жадан і Собаки (Zhadan and the dogs) – “Метро” (metro): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIcV7O-mefs
Kalush Orchestra – “Stefania”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Z51no1TD0

Also - check out this special playlist “Hear Ukraine” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4l6p031ldkgJYPwrFsoQcj?si=3b02d87a692d43a1

Art: 
Photographer Marta Sirko https://english.nv.ua/life/ukrainian-veteran-oleksandr-bazylevych-featured-in-new-photo-series-by-marta-syrko-50450032.html