Energy as a foreign policy tool for Greece (by Thanos Dokos). Greek foreign policy makers will function, at least for the near future, under the Damocles sword of the country’s economic crisis. This imposes a number of constraints and limitations. In addition, as key organizations such as the EU and NATO are changing in an effort to adapt to new global and regional trends, Greece needs to … MORE

How I view the Memorandum with Troika (by Iacovos Aristidou). The present world economic crisis, in addition to arresting the forward movement of various economies, has brought to the surface the inherent structural weaknesses in many countries, which were hidden under normal conditions. As long as the countries showed a positive rate of economic growth they could operate … MORE

The Cyprus Economy: A leap forward? (by Yiannis Tirkides). The Cyprus economy is at a dire strait. The banking sector has been severely affected by the crisis in Greece and more broadly by the European debt crisis. Domestically the economy is contracting and the property market remains at a state of flux. Public finances are unsustainable not just because of the state of the banking … MORE

Notes on the Political System of Cyprus (by Achilles C. Emilianides). The following are some considerations which pertain to the structure of the political system of Cyprus and which relate also to the upcoming Presidential elections of February 2013. The Constitution of Cyprus provides that the system of government of the Republic is a presidential democracy. This structure entails that the … MORE

The Challenge of the Cyprus EU Presidency and the Cyprus Problem (by Andreas Theophanous). The assumption of the rotating Presidency of the European Council for the first time by the Republic of Cyprus is undoubtedly a great challenge as well as a unique opportunity. Cyprus took on the helm of the EU just eight years after its accession and at a time when the Union is facing its … MORE

Orhan Pamuk and “Infuriating” Turkish Bourgeoisie (by Emel Akçali). There has perhaps been no other novelist in the Turkish cultural history as controversial as our Novel Prize laureate Orhan Pamuk. As outsiders to Turkey can easily spot, it is hard to find many Pamuk admirers in Turkey and this has been one of the strangest predicaments in our society. “We are left with the awkward … MORE

A Resurgent PKK Confronts Turkey (by Tozun Bahcheli). The summer is typically a time of heightened activity by the Kurdistan Workers Party, popularly known by its Kurdish acronym the PKK, and designated by Turkey, the United States, and the EU as a terrorist organization. The PKK’s primary targets are Turkish security forces as well as state economic and social assets, but the … MORE