Georgia has recently seen a burst of protest activity around political, cultural, and geopolitical issues. But a new poll highlights how the economy is by far Georgians’ biggest concern.
Farmers are forced to grow it. Teachers are forced to pick it. And though everyone loses, the government still thinks cotton will fix its lopsided balance of trade.
The president visits Italy, a disappeared gay doctor reemerges with a suspicious denial, and officials say the cotton harvest was perfect. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan bulletin.
Investigative journalism is only just taking hold in Kyrgyzstan. Although Kyrgyz media enjoy relative levels of freedom compared to neighboring countries, meticulous and in-depth reporting is poorly funded and often ignored.
A doctor comes out of the closet and disappears, fanciful banking, panic at the Agriculture Ministry. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan bulletin.
While it is not unusual to have outsiders argue about what is best for Uzbekistan, it is less customary to see such spirited debate inside the country.
Agriculture accounts for 15 percent of the Kyrgyz economy. Yet the lack of coordination means many farmers are barely able to survive, let alone export anything.
From openhanded hospitality to fierce blood feuds, centuries-old customs are fading in Svaneti as the remote Caucasus highland becomes a trendy tourism destination.
