Prospects of the Central Bank Digital Currencies in the Post-Soviet States

This article analyses prospects of introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) in eleven post-Soviet states as well as their policy towards crypto-currencies. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova have not taken a final decision yet about the CBDC while the crypto-currency industry is not regulated by law and is not much developed in these countries. Belarus, Georgia and Uzbekistan attempt to get profits by stimulating crypto-currency industry and making their jurisdictions attractive for such business. But these countries also have not decided yet about the CBDC. Kazakhstan and Tajikistan announced plans to introduce national CBDCs. Ukraine attempts to go in both directions – to stimulate crypto-currency industry and to introduce national CBDC.

Results of the Presidential Elections in Uzbekistan: The Economic and Political Course of Sh. Mirziyoyev

The main result of the presidential elections in Uzbekistan held on October 24, 2021 was that President Sh. Mirziyoyev received a mandate to further implement his economic and political course which provisions were set out in his election program. In the elections opponents of the president, representing in general pro-government parties, were unable to provide an effective alternative to the president's program, which, moreover, accumulated many of their proposals. In the next five years, the republic which economy is the fastest growing in Central Asia will face further economic reforms. Their effect will largely depend on the objective conditions associated primarily with the pandemic. The social program of the president, if it is actually implemented, can help smooth out the negative consequences of market reforms. Mirziyoyev’s foreign policy reflected new geopolitical landmarks of the Central Asian countries, including Afghanistan and Turkey. At the same time, the development of relations between Uzbekistan and Russia is increasing, indicating the desire of Tashkent under the leadership of Mirziyoyev to maintain balance in relations with leading foreign policy players. As a result, it can be stated that today the President of Uzbekistan has strong positions both within the country and abroad.

Ukraine: The Main Political Results of the Year

In 2021 in Ukraine as a result of several objective reasons prerequisites were formed for a serious internal political crisis. Problems related to the shortage of energy resources may become a catalyst for negative processes in the economy and politics which will most likely lead to early parliamentary elections. In the south-east of the country, the Ukrainian leadership is deliberately escalating the conflict, which may lead to the resumption of active hostilities in the region. On the outer contour, Kiev’s Western partners continued a military development of Ukrainian territory, although they are still in no hurry to grant Ukraine the status of a full member of NATO. There have also been no changes in the country's relations with the European Union. Fearing the undesirable consequences of the launch of the Nord Stream 2, Kiev continued to actively fight for the preservation of gas transit through its GTS.

Export of Services by Kazakhstan: Trends, Structure, Growth Potential

The article examines the situation with the export of services from Kazakhstan. The dynamics of the volume and relative parameters of export of services, its structure by main types and geographical areas are analyzed. Long-term tendencies of foreign trade in services are revealed, the role of export of services in the total volume of exports of Kazakhstan is compared with other countries and their groups. The features of the export of the two largest types of Kazakhstani export of services – transport and travel are considered in detail. The directions of stimulating export of certain types of services that can make a significant contribution to increasing exports and ensure the advanced development of non-resource foreign trade are substantiated.

Kyrgyzstan: A Year after the Transit of Power

Politically and economically Kyrgyzstan still remains unstable. Yet the forces led by the current president S.Japarov who came to power in 2020 have managed to retain control over the state even though they failed to finalize a clear domestic political strategic and tactical course. In the last year they partially succeded in removing from power those who were associated in 2011-2020 with the rule of A. Atambayev–S.Jeenbekov, but no radical improvement in the domesic economic situation and in life conditions of population have been achieved. Still elections to Jogorku Kenesh in November 2021 showed that president Japarov has proved his political viability that will help him to formulate prospects of further national development.

Industrial Integration of the EAEU Countries

The authors analyze current situation in the common market and the data on foreign trade of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union. Also, the EAEU decisions in the sphere of establishing common financial space and the measures on boosting the cooperation in industry are being examined. The conclusion is made that further common steps towards higher pace of industrial cooperation are needed.

The European Green Deal and Climate Policy of the New Independent States

This article considers the most relevant component of the global environmental problem – the climate one. The article aims to identify the reaction of a national state to the global climate challenge. The subject of consideration is climate policy and, more broadly, the whole set of reactions of the political sphere of society to the global climate change. Among the tasks set by the author is to understand the nature of setting and solving new climatic environmental problems, to find out how they fit into national development strategies, to establish the interdependence of the climate ambitions of countries with the type of development, the carbon intensity of their economies, the structure of exports, the degree of energy independence. The solution of these tasks is carried out on the example of a number of new independent states (including CIS ones). A brief comparative analysis of these countries’ and the EU climate activities is carried out. The breakthrough event of the European environmental policy – the Green Deal of 2019 is taken as a starting point for the analysis. The main attention is paid to the key instrument of the EU climate policy today – the border carbon tax. Additional attention is paid to the observance of the principles of social justice in the implementation of new environmental activities (a just transition mechanism). The paper pays special attention to the role of Russia in the global climatic process. An assessment of the state of the climate segment of the environmental protection industry of our country, as well as the prospects for its development, is given.

Ukrainian Labor Migrants in Poland: Challenges Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article examines the situation of Ukrainian labor migrants during the Covid-19 pandemic, and shows how the pandemic and the resulting restrictions have affected the situation of Ukrainian citizens working in Poland. Thanks to the first anti-crisis measures undertaken by the Polish authorities at the very beginning of the pandemic, most of Ukrainians working in Poland were able to remain in the country, but their conditions of employment noticeably deteriorated. As the Polish economy “unfreezed”, the demand for migrant labor has been growing significantly, and faced with a shortage of workers a significant mber of employers has been ready to raise the wages of Ukrainians, for whom Poland is still the first country of destination.

Ukrainian Economy: Results of 2020

The article sums up results of development of the main sectors of the Ukrainian economy in 2020. Recent and long-term structural changes are being analyzed. The conclusion is made that the COVID-19 blow was not fatal for the Ukrainian economy, but the trends of deindustrialization and dependence on western credits are on the increase.

South Caucasus: Stages of Post-Soviet History

The post-Soviet history of the South Caucasus is divided into three stages of different duration, format and character. The first stage (1991-2008) began after the collapse of the USSR and continued until the war in South Ossetia in August 2008. At this time, the formation of independent states took place, the vectors of foreign policy of the new states were determined. The second stage of the post-Soviet history of the South Caucasus (2008-2020) began after a five-day war and Russia's recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia has strengthened its position in the South Caucasus by building a long-term system of response to potential threats in the southern direction. The Georgian factor has ceased to play an important role, the Armenian direction has become the main one in the policy of the United States and the collective West. To reformat the South Caucasus in American interests, “football diplomacy” was used, and then the second Karabakh war followed. After the end of the second Karabakh war, the third stage of the post-Soviet development of the South Caucasus began. At the end of 2020, Moscow managed to stabilize the situation and bring a contingent of Russian peacekeepers into the conflict zone. Further prospects for the development of the South Caucasus depend on many contradictory factors. The more tense the international situation and Russia's relations with the United States and the collective West will be, the higher the likelihood of the outbreak of new wars and conflicts in the South Caucasus.