Posts From Boryana Saragerova
Zelensky’s fall from grace
After taking the Ukrainian political stage by storm, President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Servant of the People party faced off and lost to “mayoral” parties in the October 2020 local elections. Zelensky, falling short of providing Ukraine with the vigorous reformist policy he promised in his presidential campaign, has been gradually losing support from the public, threatening his and his party’s future in Ukrainian politics.
Russia: How the Kremlin is Gradually Overtaking Africa
From private military companies supporting local governments to Russian state-linked corporations exploiting the resource-rich continent, Moscow has launched an active campaign to regain its sphere of influence in Africa. Russia’s use of greyzone military capabilities, and its position as a critical security provider for the conflict-ridden and politically unstable continent, strengthen the Kremlin’s leverage to contest Chinese and American interests in Africa.
Belarus: Democratic awakening in stalemate
While Belarusian strongman Lukashenko has held onto power since the highly contested August 2020 presidential election, public discontent with the regime has persisted in the face of police brutality and human rights abuses. As the West increases sanctions on Belarusian officials and the Kremlin’s support transforms into pressure, it is critical to assess whether Europe’s last authoritarian stronghold will survive in 2021.
France: Towards stronger counter-terrorism regulation online
A terror attack on the outskirts of Paris that led to the beheading of a middle school teacher has emboldened President Macron’s efforts to impose harsher legislation on social media. Broadening the scope of user-generated content online is likely to affect the European Commission’s ambitious Digital Services Act, and thus the global digital fight against terrorism.
Armenia and Azerbaijan: Conflict in Nagorno Karabakh continues to erode regional security
A flare-up between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region raised concerns over the security and stability of the Caucasus for more than a month. A Russian-brokered deal between the two is highly likely to ensure the region’s security, although long-term peace is an unlikely outcome.
Russia: Space Expansionism Anew?
After the discovery of phosphine in Venus’ atmosphere, Russian Space Agency Roscosmos was quick to reaffirm Moscow’s commitment to exploring the planet. Furthermore, Russia’s previously dominant position in international space travel has been challenged since private actors have entered the field. These two factors prompt a potential revival of Russian extraterrestrial ambitions.
Germany: Right-wing Extremism Within Law Enforcement
German law enforcement recently revealed that agents within its ranks exchanged neo-Nazi and racist content on chat groups. The discovery affirms on-going concerns that the police are downplaying the dangers stemming from right-wing extremism, considered to be the greatest threat to Germany’s security.
EU: Recent Migrant Influx Questions The Block’s Policy
A summer surge in migrants during the global coronavirus pandemic proves to be challenging for the European Union. The block’s tougher stance on migration since the 2015 crisis will likely require adjustments, as an influx of migrants from the Middle East and Latin America burdens southern Member States. However, internal collision on the issue is unlikely to lead to substantial migration policy reforms.
Greece and Turkey: Energy Security Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean
Overlapping maritime claims and strategic energy interests have resulted in a clash between Greek and Turkish naval ships in the waters of Cyprus, mutual public hostilities. The high tensions and decades of antagonism between the two, however, are unlikely to result in open warfare. The recently discovered Eastern Mediterranean gas and oil fields, have inspired a powerful energy alliance between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, which challenges Turkey’s energy hub ambitions.
Russia: Anti-Extremism Law Amendment Amid Protests in the Far East
A recent amendment to Russia’s anti-extremism legislation categorizes alienating territories from the country as extremism. The change arguably serves as a deterrent to the current mass protests in the Far East city of Khabarovsk, a persistent threat to the regime’s stability, as well as a new legal provision for anti-extremism legislation that has already been used.
