August 29, 2006
By Alisa Voznaya The wars of independence in the de facto breakaway regions of Georgia’s Abkhazia and Russia’s Chechnya in the early 1990′s resulted in parallel discourses of defiance and searches for independence. Yet recently the paths of these Caucasian neighbors have begun to diverge dramatically. The Georgian government’s three-day military campaign in the Kodori [...]
August 24, 2006
By Christopher Deliso No doubt, Thessaloniki, Greece’s de facto cultural capital has no shortage of fashionable cafˆšÃ‰Â¬Â©s and nightspots. But beyond going out merely to drink or be drunk, to see or be seen, is it possible to feel the convivial spirit of an ancient land, world-famous for its legacy of feasting, the arts and [...]
August 22, 2006
Even as DUI leaders announce “mass protests” for the August 25 parliamentary vote on the new government, their empowered Albanian rivals are confident that law and order will prevail in the end, and are looking forward to making a positive contribution to the political and economic development of the Macedonian state. In an exclusive interview [...]
August 20, 2006
Croatia, the only former Yugoslav state so far to have made a major industry out of tourism, won another victory with recent announcements of new air routes to Pula on the northwestern coast. This, coupled with demonstrated increases in visits this summer, indicate that the Adriatic state is continuing to inspire the confidence of the [...]
August 15, 2006
New Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has announced the members of his new cabinet, ending weeks of speculation regarding its makeup and indicating that Gruevski intends to fulfill a campaign promise by focusing on economic revitalization. The fact that most economy-related ministers were chosen from Gruevski’s own VMRO-DPMNE party indicates that the new premier would [...]
August 14, 2006
By Christopher Deliso- with Insider Wine Tips from Jason Miko “If you want to know a nation well, sit at their table and drink their wine.” This is the motto of Tikves, the 60-year-old Macedonian winery that is becoming a sort of ambassador for the country’s emerging status as a wine producer par excellence. Though [...]
August 11, 2006
By Christopher Deliso The coveted Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan is enjoying increased oil revenues on the back of rising prices and larger production, along with some of the political advantages that come with it. According to respected economic forecaster the Economist Intelligence Unit, Azerbaijan is set in 2006 for an astonishing 27.5 percent growth in [...]
