Opis
Not only did Lukashenka blatantly falsify the election results to stay in power for at least another term, but he and his regime brutally suppressed the social discontent that emerged in reaction to the electoral fraud. As a result, we no longer see photos of mass demonstrations or even courtyard meetings that were coming to us from Minsk and other Belarusian cities a year ago. Instead, we receive more and more information about the brutal treatment of political prisoners, whose numbers keep growing week by week, which we cover in this issue. Sadly, the Belarusians are currently faced with few choices for the future, and many have decided to flee.
Yet despite all this we decided that the main theme of this issue should focus on “Belarusians. One year in protests”. We choose this theme because we are convinced that regardless of its form and location, the ongoing discontent of the Belarusian people shows that they are not giving up and are determined to continue. As Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, said in an interview for NEE: “Victory will come to us in the end, it will be difficult, but certainly well deserved.”
This issue also represents the 10th anniversary of New Eastern Europe. Our first issue was published in October 2011 – a time when the situation in Central and Eastern Europe was substantively different than what we see today. Nevertheless, our mission over these last 10 years has been to bring the voices and ideas of the region to you and help us all better understand how these countries fit into the global dialogue, breaking down stereotypes along the way. We would like to sincerely thank all of our readers and supporters who have been with us throughout these years. And we hope you will continue with us on this journey. Please also continue to share your feedback with us, we appreciate and enjoy hearing
Table of Contents
Belarusians. One year in protests
It is our duty to bring our fight to a victorious end An interview with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
One year on. What has changed in Belarus? David R. Marples
Repressions reveal the ruthlessness of the Lukashenka regime Stephan Malerius
Who bears the costs of the EU’s sanctions? Daniel Krutzinna
The essence of Belarusian solidarity Magdalena Chodownik and Omar Marques
The power of internet as a game changer for Belarusian protests Veranika Laputska
The Belarus book An interview with Kasia Syramalot
Between history and magic Paulina Siegień and Wojciech Siegień
Constitutional reform process in Belarus. Recent trends and developments Hanna Vasilevich
Opinion and Analysis
Redefining US strategy in the region Dmytro Tuzhanskyi
Russia at war with COVID-19, again! Agnieszka Legucka
Is the Georgian Dream committed to democracy and European integration? Soso Dzamukashvili
Pashinyan, the defeated winner Tiziano Marino and Tatevik Hovhannisyan
Interviews
Ukraine deserves better analysis than it has An interview with Cédric Gras
The memory of the Prague Spring
1968 in Prague and Bratislava Dieter Segert
Contemporary witnesses of change Iris Kempe
Three weeks before the occupation. An interpreter’s memories Tamara Reiman
History and Memory
Shifting empires. The Treaty of Nystad turns 300 Grzegorz Szymborski
Art, Culture and Society
A female voice from Sarajevo Krzysztof Czyżewski
The living and the dead A conversation with Grzegorz Kwiatkowski
Stories and Ideas
Radiophobia. Why the fallout of unscientific myths from Chernobyl still prevail Michael Martin Richter
EASTERN CAFÉ
Life as a Moscow correspondent Luke Harding
A gripping tale of business and politics Adam Reichardt
Establishing a continental balance Jacek Hajduk
A post-mortem monument Paulina Małochleb
Where is Eastern Europe heading? Maryana Prokop
