Snap Elections in Bulgaria
What can international investors expect from another fragmented parliament? Bulgaria’s much-anticipated snap parliamentary elections could mark the beginning of a new era in the country’s political life. While the vote on July 11 produced another fragmented parliament, pressure is mounting on the newly emerged There is Such a People party of Bulgarian singer and TV […]
Foreign Tech Platforms’ “Onshoring” Legislation in Russia
On June 17, the State Duma (the lower chamber of parliament in Russia) adopted in the final third reading the legislation introducing “local presence” requirements for foreign tech companies operating in Russia without local representative offices. The respective draft law was submitted to the State Duma on May 21 by a group of MPs and senators, acting […]
Political Impasse in Bulgaria
Caretaker Government Takes Office Ahead of Snap Parliamentary Elections Scheduled for July 11th Bulgaria has been plunged into a major political impasse after the country’s much-anticipated parliamentary elections on April 4 failed to produce a stable government with a clear mandate. The multi-directional political rivalry between traditional Bulgarian parties and political newcomers has led to […]
Restrictive Measures by Belarus Authorities Against Western Companies
Following the Presidential elections in Belarus in August 2020 and subsequent actions by the Belarusian authorities suppressing protests, relations between Belarus and both the European Union and US have deteriorated significantly. The EU and several other European states have imposed sanctions on Belarus’s government officials and commercial enterprises. Belarus responded by imposing counter-sanctions on individual […]
Parliamentary Elections Aftermath in Bulgaria: Uncertainty & Turmoil Reign
Over a week has passed since Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections (held on 4 April), but the country remains at a political impasse, with the results showing no clear path to a new government and a new election remaining a distinct possibility. The only certainty is that a period of relative political stability is seemingly at an […]
Turkmenistan Parliamentary Election and Expected Power Transition
On 28 March 2021, Turkmenistan held its first ever election to the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council), the upper house of its parliament, formed in 2021. The election (largely a ceremonial affair in which members are elected by the regional authorities or appointed by the President himself) is a critical step in the forward planning of […]
Hungary Becomes Latest EU State to Consider National Social Media Regulation
Hungary has become the latest European member state to consider regulation around social media content, after Justice Minister Judit Varga announced plans to rein in the “tech giants”, including possible sanctions against what she described as their “unfair commercial practices”. This move is further evidence of a growing trend towards online platform regulation at national […]
Throttling of Twitter in Russia
On March 16 Russia’s Internet watchdog Roskomnadzor (RKN) stated that it is ready to impose a full blocking on Twitter in Russia within one month should it fail to comply with online content takedown laws. This follows RKN’s earlier decision to start throttling the loading speed for Twitter from March 10th in order to punish the company for […]
Coalition Crisis in Slovakia
Slovakia’s ruling multi-party coalition has been plunged into a full-scale political crisis after Prime Minister Igor Matovič singlehandedly moved to acquire the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. The controversial purchase of the Russian vaccine, which follows a steady decline in the Government’s approval ratings over recent months, has intensified existing tensions between the ruling parties, […]
Post-Election Crisis In Georgia
Analysis and Implications After the Crackdown On the Georgian Opposition The political impasse in Georgia between the country’s ruling Georgian Dream party (GD) and its multi-party opposition has entered a new chapter after prominent opposition leader Nika Melia was placed under pre-trial detention on February 23. Melia’s arrest sparked significant concern among Georgia’s international partners […]
