REPCO

In this episode, Alexandra and Nina start by catching up on news from the Western Balkans. They also discuss the latest developments in Georgia and Alexandra shares her impressions from a recent trip to Tbilisi.    For the main interview, Alexandra talked with publisher Buzz Poole about his decades of experience working with authors from Southeastern Europe and bringing their stories to Anglophone audiences. Buzz gives listeners a “behind the scenes” look at the publishing world, shares his views on unique themes and aesthetics in fiction from this region, and makes quite a few suggestions for further reading.    You can check out the titles mentioned at https://sandorfpassage.org/   For those wanting to learn more – check out our special bonus content for our patrons, featuring a conversation with Tim Schaffner of Schaffner Press about the upcoming release: The Bone Whisperers: Two Women Scientists and Their Work to Connect Lost Lives in Bosnia-Herzegovina by Taina Tervonen. Listen to it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-181-bone-105302149   Check out New Eastern Europe online at: www.neweasterneurope.eu

This episode opens with Adam and Nina running down the latest news in the region, including the situations in Georgia and Armenia as well as the new mobilization law in Ukraine. Nina also mentions the assassination attempt of Slovakia's Robert Fico - and we have a special longer update via our patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/exclusive-update-104836695 Later, Alexandra helps us mark the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus, by bringing us several stories from former Belarusian political prisoners and their families. Our guests discuss their experiences while imprisoned, life after release, and what the international community can do to support current and former prisoners.  Talk Eastern Europe stands in solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners and would like to thank the following guests for appearing in this episode: Volha Loika Tasiana Khomich Krystsina Charankova Ksenia Syramalot Anonymous Check out these links for more information about Belarusian political prisoners and the International Day of Solidarity on May 21. You can support organizations that work with Belarussian political prisoners such as Bysol, Viasna, Politvyazanka, ByHelp, Strana Dlia Zhizn and many others." Postcards for political prisoners campaign: You can write a postcard to political prisoners in Belarus by finding a political prisoner's address on Viasna's website and sending a postcard which refrains from overly political statements. Alternatively, you can also send a digital greeting by filling out this form and sending a message via Solidarity Postcards Atelier. It is expected that the correspondence may be withheld or censured, so you can also post a picture of the postcard on your social media with the tag #FreeNameAndSurname of the prisoner you have written to. Support our work - become a podcast patron: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope

In this episode, Adam and Nina open with breaking news from Slovakia and discuss the recent shooting of Slovak’s Prime Minister- Robert Fico. Later, they move to the South Caucasus and comment on protests in Armenia and Georgia. They close with an update about Ukraine and positive news from the Czech Republic.  For the main interview, Nina is joined by Dr Marat Ilyasov, a visiting Scholar at the Global Academy of George Washington University to discuss the recent developments in Chechnya including the possible scenarios of Ramzan Kadyrov’s succession. Our Patrons can also listen to bonus content where Marat discusses what the experience with two Chechen wars could suggest for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, available here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-179-wars-104412121 Marat’s analysis is based on his academic article which is restricted, but the abstract is available here. Support the podcast, become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope   Don’t forget to check out the latest articles online at www.neweasterneurope.eu

In this episode, Adam, Alexandra and Nina commemorate the 20th anniversary of the EU's 'Big Bang' enlargement. They also discuss Xi Jinping's visit to Serbia and Hungary, the latest news from Russia and Ukraine, and the elections in North Macedonia and Croatia.   Later in the episode, Alexandra and Nina are joined by Maja Gergorić, an expert on anti-gender movements in post-communist Europe. Maja shares her insights on gender equality challenges and the so-called anti-gender ideology in Croatia and elsewhere in the region.   In our patron-only bonus content, Maja comments on the recent parliamentary elections in Croatia and discusses possible scenarios for the future government.   Support the podcast, become a patron: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope   Talk Eastern Europe is Shortlisted in two categories for the Publish Podcast Awards – Best News Podcast; and Best Political Podcast. Check it out: https://publisherpodcasts.com/2024/en/page/shortlist2024

This episode opens up with Adam, Alexandra and Nina discussing the latest news developments including the US Congress’s passage of the Ukraine aid bill; political developments in Croatia; the situation in Georgia and the situation of civil society in Azerbaijan. Later, Adam is joined by Andrew Wilson, a professor of Ukrainian Studies at UCL and a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. They discuss Andrew’s latest book titled “Political Technology. The Globalisation of Political Manipulation”.  You can find more about the book here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/political-technology/748E44E97FF0C37F54B419E901665AC3 And learn more about political technology at Andrew's blog: https://www.politicaltechnology.blog/ Don’t forget to support the podcast by joining our Patreon page: www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEurope And drop us a line on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/TalkEasternEurope

In this episode of the podcast, Alexandra and Nina share some tips on interesting films from the region and discuss the latest developments related to foreign agent laws in Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also remind listeners of the political prisoners' situation in Belarus and shed light on the challenging circumstances in Ukraine. Later, Nina has a conversation with Ivan Ostrochovský and Pavol Pekarčík, the two directors of an awarded film Photophobia which captures lives of 12-year-old Nikita and 11-year old Viktoria who are hiding from the Russian invasion at a Kharkiv metro station. Ivan and Pavol speak about the film but also their first-hand experience being in Ukraine at the beginning of full-scale invasion. They also share their experiences of regularly delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine.  The film received an award at the Venice film festival where it was premiered and was awarded as a best documentary in the Warsaw International film festival. We also prepared a very special patron-only bonus content as the directors kindly agreed to share the film with our Patrons. If you're our Patron, you can watch the film online here with the password that you find on Patreon page.   Films mentioned in the podcast: 20 days in Mariupol; (An Academy Award Winner, Best Documentary Feature Film, a film by Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov) Who, if Not Us? The Fight for Democracy in Belarus; (Directed by Juliane Tutein, Germany) Queendom (Directed by Agniia Galdanova, Russia)

In this episode of the podcast, Adam, Alexandra and Nina start by discussing latest developments in the region including intensified Russian air attacks against Ukrainian cities, recent Slovak and Polish election results, protests in Hungary and draft UN resolution recalling the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica. For the main interview, Alexandra sits down with Dr. Hikmet Karcic, a Research Associate at the Institute for the Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law - University of Sarajevo. They discuss far-right narratives and forces in the Western Balkans, how those relate to the broader European and transatlantic far-right, and how these networks have spread genocide denial in the region and beyond it.  BONUS QUESTIONS In this patron-only bonus content, Alexandra speaks further with genocide scholar Hikmet, discussing the far right's prospects in the upcoming European elections as well as the implications of Bosnia and Herzegovina officially receiving EU candidate status. Support TEE and get access to bonus content: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode of the podcast, Adam, Nina and Alexandra start by a discussion of some of the latest developments in the region including the Georgia’s pursuit of a new version of the “foreign agent law”; a similar development in Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ukraine’s targeting of Russian oil refineries and Romanian and Bulgaria entering the Schengen Zone (at least partially). For the main interview, Adam sits down with Wicke van den Broek a PhD candidate at Maastricht University carrying out research on EU democracy promotion in Belarus; and Aliaksei Piatrenka, a Belarusian civic activist and junior researcher at the Center for New Ideas. They discuss the latest parliamentary elections in Belarus, the ongoing repressions in the country and how those outside Belarus are still fighting for a democratic country. Both Wicke and Aliaksei are alumni of the New Eastern Europe Think Tank School. This year’s edition will take place June 1-7 2024 in Lithuania and Poland. Learn more here: https://neweasterneurope.eu/think-tank-school/ Learn more about Belarus in the recent edition of New Eastern Europe: https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/02/07/issue-1-2-2024-elections-without-choice/ Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, Adam, Alexandra and Nina begin by discussing last weeks' horrific terrorist attack in Moscow, Russian attacks against energy infrastructure in Ukraine and the Russian missile in Polish airspace. They continue with some potentially hopeful developments such as results of first round of Slovak presidential elections and the European Council decision to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.  During the main interview, Nina talks to Dmitry Berezhkov, head of the Indigenous Information Centre of Russia. Dmitry speaks about the immediate impact of the terrorist attack in Moscow on indigenous peoples and more generally about racism, corruption and lack of environmental protection that influence livelihoods of these communities. He concludes explaining what 'decolonization' of Russia means from the indigenous rights perspective.  In our patron-only bonus content, Dmitry gives insight on how mobilisation for Russia's war in Ukraine impacts on small indigenous communities and their survival.  The bonus content can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-173-101223748   Check out Dmitry's co-authored piece about what decolonisation means for indigenous peoples of Russia here.   Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope

In this episode, Adam and Alexandra start the episode by discussing worrying news for Kyrgyz civil society, Armenia's potential return to Europe, and upcoming elections in Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia. During the main interview - to mark International Women’s Day - Nina sat down with a photographer and videographer Zula Rabikowska who explores gender identities in Central and Eastern Europe. They talked about her project Nothing but a Curtain that brings voices of women, non-binary, and transgender people from our region.   You can read more about the project in her piece in New Eastern Europe and check out moving portraits of women she talked to and photographed during her 7325 km long journey across the region.  All Zula’s work is on her website and you can also join her mailing list to receive updates about her work. Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zula.ra/  For those listeners in London, you can join Zula's event "Rethinking Eastern Europe" which takes place on Tuesday 21 May 6.30-9pm in PhotoBook Cafe, EC2A 4DQ, London. Her latest piece “From Poznań to Boston: Marianna Matyja shares insights into her experience contributing to a Grammy-nominated album” was just published on New Eastern Europe.   Join us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/talkeasterneurope