Kazakhstan: Taxmen slammed for unlawfully using COVID app data The government has ordered the fiscal inspection service to withdraw letters accusing businesses of evading taxes. Almaz Kumenov Dec 24, 2021
Perspectives | How ADB’s pandemic aid to Uzbekistan was misused, whistleblower silenced The Uzbek blogger who first raised these concerns was smeared, beaten, and now faces trial. Nina Lesikhina Dec 6, 2021
Georgia introduces COVID passports amid record high numbers Similar systems have been used around the world to encourage vaccinations. But under Georgia’s, you may be better off not being vaccinated at all. Tornike Mandaria Nov 30, 2021
Kazakhstan jails political dissidents in fresh crackdown All the defendants are strident government critics, but their dissidence was confined to online attacks and tiny street protests. Joanna Lillis Oct 11, 2021
Turkmenistan: Trading places In our weekly briefing: doing business with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Plus, it’s reprimand season. Akhal-Teke: A Turkmenistan Bulletin Oct 5, 2021
Kazakhstan bars entry to Xinjiang repression researcher Bunin has also been banned from entering Uzbekistan. Sep 6, 2021
COVID deepens digital divide in Georgian schools Poor and rural families are not equipped to handle online school. Now they fear another academic year is going to start with schools still closed. Giorgi Lomsadze Aug 19, 2021
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan experiment with vaccines amid lack of public confidence Central Asia’s largest nations are using unique coronavirus vaccines that haven’t been carefully studied. Do they have a choice? Aug 16, 2021
Coronavirus in Georgia ‘five times worse than India’ Georgia’s mortality rate is among the world’s highest, and just under 6 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. Giorgi Lomsadze Aug 13, 2021
Kazakhstan suffers from acute shortage of doctors The COVID-19 outbreak has compounded a problem caused by low salaries. Almaz Kumenov Aug 9, 2021
Kazakhstan: COVID gives domestic tourism a fillip Kazakhs unable to travel abroad are discovering their country is full of nice places to vacation. But what’s good for the local economy is not always good for nature. Almaz Kumenov Jul 19, 2021
Georgia: The discreet inevitability of Chinese vaccines A few months ago, the thought of taking a Chinese COVID vaccine was unthinkable to Georgians. Now it’s the norm. Giorgi Lomsadze Jul 8, 2021
Kazakhstan: Black market in fake coronavirus passports booms Conspiracy theories have fueled the low update for vaccination. Joanna Lillis Jul 2, 2021
Can Georgia vaccinate its way out of recession? Recent growth indicators seem impressive only compared to the disaster that was 2020. Giorgi Lomsadze Jun 24, 2021
Uzbeks weigh vaccines: Russian vs. Chinese Vaccine hesitancy in Uzbekistan is high, bred by social media conspiracies that seem credible in a country without accountable authorities. Ezoza Yakvalkhodjieva Jun 2, 2021