New Eastern Europe Magazine April-May Vorige editie

This issue of New Eastern Europe takes us to the Baltics in search of stories from today. In many ways the processes now taking place there largely reflect those of Western European societies, which shows how integrated the Baltics are with the EU and Euro-Atlantic structures. Like elsewhere across Europe, pockets of populist politics have found a place. Meanwhile, the pandemic has forced Baltic policymakers to find ways at keeping the coronavirus at bay and the political cost of inaction. Socially and economically, issues like inequality and minority rights remain high on the agenda of civil society.

At the same time there are specifics that play a role in these countries – including history, the Soviet legacy and the threat of the Kremlin’s approach to the post-Soviet space. The former foreign minister of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, in an exclusive interview with NEE, expresses these quite clearly, and argues how the Baltic states can and should play a key role in supporting Ukraine’s Europeanisation or the Belarusians’ fight for freedom. Beyond the Baltics, we also look at the situation in Russia after the arrest of Alexei Navalny earlier this year. Our authors also take us through new developments in Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia and Georgia.

With limited opportunities to experience the wider world due to the pandemic, we hope that through these stories, New Eastern Europe can play a small role in bringing together different cultures, people and ideas. We are grateful for your purchase and support of the magazine. And we invite you to visit us and share your thoughts with us online via our website or on social media.