My profile:
Articles by Matthew Collin
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
A Bill to Remove Stalin And the Soviet Legacy
08 November 10
Is the malign spirit of Josef Stalin still stalking his home country of Georgia?
That is what some Georgian members of parliament appear to believe. A bill that could ban Soviet symbols from public display and prevent certain former Communist officials from holding high office is currently making its way through the legislative process.
That is what some Georgian members of parliament appear to believe. A bill that could ban Soviet symbols from public display and prevent certain former Communist officials from holding high office is currently making its way through the legislative process.
Saakashvili Is Georgia's 'Architect-in-Chief'
25 October 10
Opponents of President Mikheil Saakashvili often mock him for the sheer glee with which he inaugurates new buildings and monuments. But they can’t deny that his administration has left its mark on the landscape of his country.
Abkhaz Recall the 1990s War With Joy and Grief
11 October 10
Rapid-fire explosions lit up the evening sky over Abkhazia’s capital, Sukhumi, as the rattle of automatic weapons played counterpoint to a cacophonous firework display and the jubilant cries of intoxicated celebrants on the seafront promenade.
Saakashvili May Repeat Putin’s Gambit
27 September 10
“I will enjoy art, life and new architecture. And I will not care if people don’t remember President Saakashvili.” That’s what the Georgian president said last week when speculation resurfaced about what he would do when his time in office ends.
Loyalty to West Prevails Over Afghan War Death
13 September 10
The family grieved. The politicians mouthed their somber condolences. But apart from that, there was little public reaction in Tbilisi to the death of the first Georgian soldier in Afghanistan this month.
Gay Parade Rumors and A Shameless Opposition
30 August 10
An event that was never even planned and would probably be impossible to stage has created a summertime scandal in Georgia that again highlights the dubious ideologies of some politicians who claim to be democratic. This time it had to do with gay rights.
Georgia’s Refugee Bane Needs More Attention
16 August 10
Georgia’s problem with displaced people remains colossal. Those displaced by the 2008 war with Russia were at least offered new places to live. The country's “old refugees” — driven from their homes during civil wars in the early 1990s — still live in desperate poverty.
Georgian Scandal Over Economics and Bimbos
02 August 10
A photograph of Georgia’s 28-year-old economic development minister dancing on a table with some friends in a nightclub first appeared on Facebook. But when it reached the Russian press, the venue had been transformed into a strip joint.
EU Flags and Fireworks Show Georgia’s Dreams
19 July 10
Few European Union countries appear to love the EU as much as Georgia does. But actual membership remains a distant dream. So when three high-ranking Europeans came to visit last week, they got one very enthusiastic welcome.
Unlike Bush, Obama Is More Sober on Georgia
05 July 10
Now that U.S. President George W. Bush is out of office, there are concerns that Georgia’s “special relationship” with Washington has cooled under Barack Obama’s more pragmatic administration. Some Georgians fear that their country could become a casualty of Obama’s desire to “reset” relations with Russia.
South Ossetia Looking Much Like a Failed State
21 June 10
Despite being recognized by Moscow as an independent state after the war, South Ossetia still has no autonomous means of survival.
In Post-Vote Georgia, Lots to Do (and Drink)
07 June 10
A week has passed since Georgia's elections kept Mikheil Saakashvili as president. Now there are questions about what lies ahead for the political opposition and for Saakashvili himself.
Elections to Gauge Trust In Georgia’s Democracy
24 May 10
Opposition politicians have claimed that the upcoming Tbilisi elections will be a referendum on President Mikheil Saakashvili’s government. But thus far, the Tbilisi mayoral campaign is making for the calmest election in Georgia in years.
Holy Crap, Heresy and Fistfights in Tbilisi
11 May 10
Religion is an integral part of Georgia’s national identity, and for many the church has been the only solid rock to cling to during two decades of post-Soviet turmoil. But recent conflicts highlight the growing tension between tradition and free speech.
Cacophony of Elections And Music in Georgia
26 April 10
The contest for the position of Tbilisi's mayor is in progress, and it is accompanied by music.
A Georgian Carnival Of Brawls and Bruises
12 April 10
The traditional game of Lelo Burti is played only once a year and only in the village of Shukhuti in western Georgia.
Armenia Must Do More To Protect the Children
29 March 10
Volunteers have exposed the grim conditions in some of Armenia’s aging juvenile institutions, which child welfare experts believe should be transformed or shut down.
Exhibit A of a Terrible Propaganda Campaign
16 March 10
Many people in Georgia felt that they had been emotionally exploited by weekend spoof report of a Russian invasion, as it brought up painful memories and reignited fears of a genuine conflict.
It Will Not Be Easy to Turn Tbilisi Into Paris
02 March 10
Georgian authorities are trying to restore some of the decorative elegance of Tbilisi's Art Nouveau quarter as part of their continuing attempts to transform dilapidated districts of the capital.
Secularity in Azerbaijan Has Many Advantages
15 February 10
Unlike neighboring Iran, Azerbaijan is a secular Muslim state with an official policy of religious tolerance and a laid-back attitude to Islamic customs shaped by decades of atheist Soviet rule.
Georgia Is Preparing For Life After ‘Misha’
01 February 10
The mayor of Tbilisi may be the strongest candidate to succeed President Mikheil Saakashvili when he steps down in 2013, and the battle for political control of the country's capital is already underway.
Choosing a City Name Can Be a Major Offense
18 January 10
Sukhum or Sukhumi? Arguments about what places should be called are an indication of how hard it is to resolve the territorial conflicts in the Caucasus.
A Year of President for Life and Bird Poop
28 December 09
In the South Caucasus, another uncertain new year beckons. Although 2009 wasn’t scarred by another senseless war, it wasn’t a year to confound the pessimists either.
Nice Abkhaz Anthem But a Useless Passport
14 December 09
The composer of the national anthem of Abkhazia believes that the presidential election will not change much in his country.
The Komsomol Spirit Thrives in Azerbaijan
30 November 09
A new alliance of youth and student groups in the energy-rich Caspian Sea state aims to “educate the younger generation with the patriotic spirit,” according to one Azeri newspaper, and it may already have a cozy relationship with the state.
Risk of Mocking Azeri Bureaucrats as Donkeys
16 November 09
Friends of two young Azeri activists insist that they were prosecuted because they were using online media like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to build support for pro-democracy youth movements in Azerbaijan.
Saakashvili, Sin and The Georgian Church
02 November 09
In a country where the patriarch has become an increasingly potent and unquestionable figure, criticism of the religious establishment is a fast track to pariah status.
Armenians First Want Apology, Then Peace
19 October 09
There may be serious obstacles that have to be overcome in order for Turkey and Armenia to get beyond decades of anger, suspicion and mistrust.
Less Blame Game, More Help for War’s Victims
05 October 09
In the drab refugee settlements along Georgia’s main highway, it matters little which side European diplomats blame for starting the conflict, because the people living here will be suffering the war's consequences for years to come.
Bruce Willis More Like Putin Than Saakashvili
21 September 09
The latest attempt to offer the "truth" about the August 2008 war is a documentary called "Russian Lessons," and unlike previous Russian-made efforts, it has been receiving some positive notices in the Georgian media.
