The Locus of Control

Word Count: 2729 You know, after about six years of covering scandals, failures, problems, crimes, the media, and other sources of misery in Romania (and to a lesser extent, the Republic of Moldova), I’ve lately found myself thinking about the bigger picture. If you narrow your focus on the scandal of the day, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. There’s cause for fresh … Continue reading The Locus of Control

The 2016 MCV Report

Word Count: 1883 After writing two exhaustive inquiries into the workings of the DNA, I was highly eager to read the MCV reports published on January 27, 2016 for Romania. Yes, they’re filled with dense technical terms and legalistic writing but hey, that’s what gets me excited. I’d already read media stories that the MCV report this year on Bulgaria was far more critical than … Continue reading The 2016 MCV Report

The Black Hole of Romania

Twenty years ago, during the first, raw years of Bill Clinton’s presidency, the world was a vastly different place. The “Iron Curtain” had fallen and a dozen countries (including Romania) were now free to follow their own path. A German musical band was singing about the winds of change and millions of people were speaking in hopeful terms about a peace dividend. With the long … Continue reading The Black Hole of Romania