Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from December, 2016
Belarus Moves to Block Tor in Fight Against Online Anonymity
Belarus is ramping up efforts to crack down on Tor. But does Minsk actually have the ability to block the anonymity network?
Russian Intellectuals Make Bolshevik Revolution a Virtual Reality, Repeating 100-Year-Old Mistakes
At a time when Russia favors smooth historical narratives, it's difficult to say how the Kremlin will apply a narratological suture over one of the most fractious moments in history.
Bulgarians React Quickly in Solidarity Response to Hitrino Train Tragedy
At least seven people were killed in the blast that followed a rail accident in one of the country's most impoverished regions.
Russian Students Create Programming Language to Help Their ‘Streetwise’ Peers Graduate
Students at St. Petersburg's College of Information Technologies have built a new programming language using the "gopnik" vernacular.
After a Wild Campaign, Macedonia Holds Important Elections This Sunday
Very often, upcoming elections in polarized societies are said to be “historic” events. Hugely important to the future of the country's political system, Macedonia's elections this Sunday certainly feel historic.
Russian Journalists Fired for Reporting About a Children's Art Project That Ended at the Dump
If reports about children finding their homemade New Year's tree ornaments at the dump aren’t enough to rob you of your holiday cheer, perhaps this next detail will...
Russian Blogger Launches Campaign to Annul Anti-Extremism Law He Was Convicted of Violating
Blogger Anton Nossik wants to annul Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code, a catch-all statute that prohibits "ctions aimed at the incitement of hatred or enmity."
Russian Media Regulator Backpedals on Google Pressure
Hours after Russian news outlets began reporting that state media regulatory agency Roskomnadzor had issued instructions forcing Google to re-register in Russia or face sanctions, an agency representative backpedaled, telling roem.ru that Izvestiya, the newspaper that broke the news, had misreported the story. Izvestiya quoted Vadim Ampelonsky in their initial report as saying that...
Macedonian Election Campaign Started with Attempt of Identity Theft on Opposition Party
Upcoming parliamentary elections in Macedonia began with electioneering campaign tactics that were suspiciously sneaky.
A Decades-Long ‘Conversation’ Between Yugoslav and Polish Rockers
Rock music available online shows how a peculiar bridge, bringing the people of former Yugoslavia and Poland closer together, developed over the last four decades.
Russia Ratchets Up Pressure on Google
Roskomnadzor, the agency that regulates Russian media, has issued instructions that will force Google to change its registration by the end of March.
A Macedonian Tradition Continues: Nude Twitter Calendar Helps Promote HIV/AIDS Prevention
Would you pose nude for charity? Macedonian Twitter users do it every year -- and the 2016 edition raises awareness about HIV/ADIS prevention.
Attack on NGO Fighting for Rights of Textile Workers in Macedonia Highlights Dangers to Civil Society
An attack on the premises of an NGO that champions textile workers' rights, has undermined attempts to improve the terrible working conditions in Macedonia's garment industry .
Russia, China, and the Push for ‘Digital Sovereignty’
Russia and China's cyber cooperation is a marriage of convenience that reflects a shared priority: regime stability.
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