Armenia: Administration, Opposition Take Tentative Steps toward Opening Dialogue
BY MARIANNA GRIGORYAN
They may still hate each other, but political necessity is pressuring two arch foes in Armenian politics, President Serzh Sarkisian and opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian, to start talking to each other. Even so, significant obstacles stand in the way of the start of a substantive political dialogue.
Tajikistan: Government Shakes Down Population Amid Deepening Economic Dysfunction
Channeling the spirit of Joseph Stalin, officials in Tajikistan, Central Asia’s poorest state, have asked residents in the capital Dushanbe to give up part of their salaries "voluntarily" to help finance construction of a hydropower plant. The fear of government reprisals is compelling many Tajiks to comply.
Georgia’s Lighter Tax Burden Comes with Potential Pitfalls for Taxpayers
President Mikheil Saakashvili says his dream is "to turn Georgia into the Dubai and Singapore" of the Caucasus. And simplified taxes will help pave the way. But some members of Georgia’s business community caution that greater planning and attention to detail are needed to make the plan viable.
Azerbaijan: State Media Embroiled in Gay Bashing Controversy
BY MINA MURADOVA
Controversy is enveloping state-controlled media outlets in Azerbaijan after the broadcast of a television program that alleges Ali Karimli, one of the government’s most vocal critics, is a homosexual. Karimli supporters maintain that the broadcast is designed to discredit him as a potential presidential candidate in the autumn election.