Institute of Central Europe/IES Commentaries

IES Commentaries

Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1107
Piotr Oleksy - Eastern Team

Gagauzia – a Russian destabilisation tool

The authorities of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia display openly pro-Russian attitudes and seek to deepen relations with the Russian Federation. Protests are organised during the visits of representatives of the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to the region. Gagauzia, controlled by the Ilan Șor political group, has become the most important Russian tool used...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1103
Michał Paszkowski - Baltic Team

War in Ukraine: Kiev’s efforts to ensure the availability of petroleum products

The ongoing war that began in 2022 has brought about significant changes in Ukraine’s energy market. In late 2023, the government in Kiev introduced measures to bolster the country’s energy security by establishing a system of crude oil and petroleum products reserves. While work on the relevant legislation had been underway for years, it was the war and Ukraine’s attainment...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1093
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Shelters in Lithuania. Catching up

Over the last two years, due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, Lithuania has amended the law on crisis management and civil protection. A review of existing collective protection facilities was carried out and activities to create new shelters were intensified. The current infrastructure, adapted to provide temporary protection for the population in times of emergency or war,...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1084
Jakub Olchowski - Eastern Team

The case of Valerii Zaluzhnyi – a symptom of growing political tensions in Ukraine

The dismissal from the post of commander-in-chief of General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, very popular in Ukrainian society and the armed forces, caused a great stir, which was then intensified by the information that he was appointed ambassador to Great Britain. In Ukraine, it is widely believed that Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal was the result of concerns of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries Brief 1083
Hanna Bazhenova - Eastern Team

Valerii Zaluzhnyi: Future Diplomat or Politician?

On 7 March 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the candidacy of former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Valerii Zaluzhnyi for the vacant post of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Following the president’s announcement, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1079
Michał Paszkowski - Baltic Team

Lukoil plans to sell its refinery in Bulgaria

For years, companies from the Russian Federation have been acquiring attractive energy assets around the world, including in Central European countries. The introduction of EU sanctions following Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine has restricted the operations of some of these companies. This is the situation with the Burgas refinery in Bulgaria, owned by the...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1076
Marlena Gołębiowska - Baltic Team

Proposals for new fiscal rules in the EU: the perspective of Central European countries

The reform of public finance architecture in the European Union focuses on solutions that, on the one hand, will allow member states to ensure long-term financial stability, but on the other hand, will not stifle economic growth and the planned reforms and investments in strategic areas. Of particular importance from the point of view of Central European countries is the proposal...

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Baltic Team, Visegrad Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1075
Jakub Bornio | Damian Szacawa - Baltic Team, Visegrad Team

Sweden in NATO: Relevance for Central and Eastern Europe

On 7 March 7 2024, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and the state’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billström handed over the accession documents to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who, as representative of the Washington Treaty depositary state, officially announced that Sweden had become the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Sweden’s presence in...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1074
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

Security as a priority in Polish-Lithuanian relations

Poland and Lithuania have significantly strengthened their political relations recently, as numerous official visits at the highest level have reflected. Lithuania was visited by the Foreign Minister of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, then President Andrzej Duda, Speaker of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Representatives of both countries have confirmed...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 1071
Michał Paszkowski - Baltic Team

Natural gas demand decline in the Baltic countries in 2023

The Baltic countries have recorded another consecutive year of declining natural gas demand in 2023. Initially, such a situation was related to the COVID-19 pandemic and high commodity prices on exchanges in Europe (the result of price manipulation by Russia in 2021 and then the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2022). It is now expected that the projected economic growth in 2024 and the...

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