4liberty.eu N E W S L E T T E R [OCTOBER 2020]
The October issue of the 4liberty.eu Newsletter provides an overview of the articles published on the 4liberty.eu website, serving as a starting point for further exploration.
Articles
General Election in Georgia: Party Platforms and Economic Promises
The 2020 elections have been crucial in a number of coutries – from a forthcoming one in the United States, to most recent ones in Lithuania. The same is true also for Georgia. On November 3, the Georgian citizens need to decide and to opt for either Russia or the West.
Toxic Mix of Private Business, Politics, Chinese Influence Operations in CEE
The European Commission has approved of a very important merger – between a powerful Chinese ally and Czech billionaire, Petr Kellner and the influential media group, Central European Media Enterprises. This could result in manipulation of public opinion in favor of China all over the CEE region.
Evaluating COVID-19 Policy Responses in Poland
COVID-19 reached Poland a few weeks later than Western Europe, to which the Polish government responded promptly by introducing a nation-wide lockdown. Administrative restrictions to constrain the spread of the virus coupled with reactions of wary consumers led to economic disruptions.
Lithuania Remains Stable and Liberal: Parliamentary Elections Place Liberal Forces in Government
Coalition negotiations started just one day after the election. It is already becoming apparent that a liberal influence will become visible. The clearly pro-Western and pro-European coalition will continue and even strengthen the previous course of support for the opposition in Belarus.
“You Will Not Burn Us All”: Polish Protests to Tightening of the Abortion Law
Demonstrations were held not only in Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław, Szczecin, and Gdańsk, but also in smaller cities. On Friday evening, crowds marched again to the house of Kaczyński, then to the house of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. According to estimates, no less than 15,000 people took part in this “walk”.
COVID-19 Economic Implications for Bosnia and Herzegovina
In mid-March 2020, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the almost complete government paralysis of economic activities put most of the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) into hibernation.
Power of Information
In times when public trust in traditional institutions is in decline in many countries and relations between countries are under strain, open channels of communication and willingness for cooperation across borders are more essential than ever.
Liberal Parties in Lithuania Enter Second Round of Parliamentary Elections on a Strong Note
The current governing Farmers and Greens Union immediately pointed out that in the second round, which will take place on October 25, the voters could still turn the result in their favor.
LGBTQ Community Became Viktor Orban’s Latest Scapegoat
Viktor Orbán’s national conservative Fidesz party is famous for its method of relentlessly searching the ideal topic for their next populist campaign. They need topics that allow them to dominate public life in the long term, and can be used to generate intense anger.
