Eastern European Region Research Articles

Assessing Consumer Interest in Sustainable and Ethically Certified Tropical Fruits in the Central and Eastern European Region

Assessing Consumer Interest in Sustainable and Ethically Certified Tropical Fruits in the Central and Eastern European Region

Analysis of medical doctor supply in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia in the last two decades

Abstract Introduction The shortage of medical doctors in Europe has become a priority issue, especially in the Eastern European region, where many countries are making large investments to ensure adequate supply. Training future medical professionals is a lengthy and costly process that significantly impacts healthcare accessibility and quality. As part of the project of the Laboratory for Strengthening Capacity and Performance of Health System and Workforce for Health Equity, we aimed to assess the changes in the medical doctor supply in several Balkan countries over the last two decades. Methods Data on the total number of graduated medical doctors (MD) and their rate per 100,000 population from 2000 to 2021 was retrieved from the Eurostat database. This open-access database contains the reported number of students who have graduated from medical schools for each year and selected countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia). The standard methods of descriptive statistics were used to perform the analysis. Results During the observed period, the number of MDs graduating annually and their rates per 100,000 population have increased in all countries. Romania leads with the highest rate of MD graduates at 26.18 per 100,000 people, followed by Bulgaria (22.74), Serbia (19.15), and Croatia (16.56). From 2000 to 2021, Bulgaria experienced the highest increase in the number of medical doctor graduates, with a rise of 169.1% in absolute numbers and 200.9% in rate. In contrast, Serbia had the lowest increase, with only a 135.5% rise in the total number of medical doctor graduates and a rate increase of 152.3%. Conclusions In the last 20 years, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia have seen an increase in the number of MD graduates and their rate per 100,000 population. Policymakers should consider the investments and education trends of medical professionals in relation to their employment and migrations to predict the future supply of doctors in this region. Key messages • Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia have seen an increase in the number of MD graduates and their rate per 100,000 population in the last twenty years. • Considering the trends in the number of newly graduated doctors, policymakers should address additional factors to ensure an adequate supply of medical doctors.

Disinformation challenges facing the Three Seas Initiative – frame analysis of the key narratives

By exploiting the potential of social media, disinformation has become an important element of warfare. The region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is particularly vulnerable to disinformation, primarily from Russia. One of the reasons for Russia’s activities in this region’s infosphere is that most CEE countries are members of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In this context, Russian disinformation activities aimed at the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) are particularly interesting. The image of the 3SI created in the media is crucial, for it translates into how the public understands, perceives and recalls this format of cooperation. The article aims to reconstruct the image of the 3SI in cases of Russian disinformation identified by the European External Action Service within the EUvsDisinfo project. The article’s methodology is based on a qualitative content analysis of disinformation cases identified by EUvsDisinfo. The article identifies four main frames of disinformation targeting the 3SI, showing that Russian disinformation is focused on undermining the credibility and integrity of this cooperation, both among Initiative countries and between them and their international partners.

EUROPEAN SCEPTICISM AND ANTI-AMERICANISM IN THE EURO-ATLANTIC POLITICAL PROCESS IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the development of European scepticism and anti-Americanism in the public political process in the United States and the European Union. In the countries of the European Union, the term European scepticism refers to a negative attitude towards the process of European integration and its functional result in the form of the European Union. In the United States, mostly in ultra-conservative circles, European scepticism refers to a critical attitude towards the EU as the embodiment of the liberal democracy project. Anti-Americanism as an ideological attitude is present not only in European far-left political circles, but also in European far-right political circles. In the United States, the ideology of anti-Americanism was clearly manifested in the Black Lives Matter movement. European scepticism and anti-Americanism are actively used by Russian and Chinese propaganda as signs of an allegedly inevitable crisis of the ‘collective West’ and a ‘natural transition’ to a multipolar world in which Western democracies will not be crucial for further development. The conclusions emphasise that populist diseases of liberal democracies are actively used by autocracies to discredit the democratic experience of political life. At the same time, Russia, Iran, and China are trying to take advantage of discourses on scenarios of the US isolation from active foreign policy and the European Union's self-restrictions in pursuing its own common foreign policy and impose their own versions of ‘hybrid wars’, pushing Western influence out of key regions of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. In view of this, the transfer of ideas of anti-Americanism and European scepticism from the circle of leading trends in public political life to its deep periphery can actually ensure greater stability not only for liberal democracies, but also for modern international relations.

Design and implementation of a Type-2 hybrid, prospective randomized trial of opioid agonist therapies integration into primary care clinics in Ukraine

IntroductionUkraine has high HIV prevalence, concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), mostly of opioids. Maintenance on opioid agonist therapies (OAT) is the most effective evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. As PWID experience high morbidity and mortality from preventable and treatable non-communicable diseases, international agencies recommend integrating OAT into primary care centers (PCC). MethodsA randomized, type-2 hybrid implementation trial was carried out to compare outcomes of OAT integration in PCC to OAT delivery at specialty treatment centers (STC) – standard-of-care. Tele-education supporting PCC providers in managing OAT, HIV, tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases along with pay-for-performance incentives were used to facilitate implementation. Consenting patients underwent 1:2 randomization to either STC or PCC. Quality health indicators (QHIs), a composite percentage of recommended primary and specialty services accessed by patients (blood/urine tests, cancer screenings, etc.), were defined as efficacy outcomes and were assessed by participant self-report at baseline and every 6 months over 24 months and electronic chart reviews after the completion of the follow-up. The primary outcome is defined as the difference in composite QHI scores at 24 months, in which a repeated measures likelihood-based mixed model with missing at random assumptions will be used. Providers at PCC completed surveys at baseline, 12 and 24 months to assess implementation outcomes including changes in stigma and attitudes towards OAT and PWID. Preliminary resultsAmong the 1459 participants allocated to STC (N = 509) or PCC (N = 950), there were no differences in clinical and demographic characteristics. Self-reported prevalences were available for HIV (42 %), HCV (57 %), and prior tuberculosis (17 %). Study retention at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months was as 91 %, 85 %, 80 %, and 74 %, respectively. ConclusionPWID have a high prevalence of medical comorbidities and integrating OAT into primary care settings has the potential to improve the health of PWID. Findings from this study can help guide implementation of integrated care in Ukraine and throughout similar low-resource, high-burden countries in the Eastern European and Central Asian region.

Optimising HIV spending in 12 eastern European and central Asian countries: a modelling study

The eastern European and central Asian (EECA) region has the fastest growing HIV epidemic globally. We aimed to identify how HIV resources could be allocated for maximum health impact. Between Aug 1 and Dec 23, 2022, allocative efficiency analyses were undertaken for 12 countries in the EECA region (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) using HIV epidemic models developed with Optima HIV. Country models were calibrated to demographic, epidemiological, and programmatic data and validated by national teams. Three scenarios were projected from 2023 to 2030: status quo (continued 2021 spending on HIV programmes); optimised allocation of different spending envelopes to minimise HIV infections and deaths; and achieving 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets by 2030. Aggregated across the 12 models, HIV infections attributable to sexual transmission were estimated to surpass those attributable to transmission through injecting drugs in 2018, with male-to-male sexual transmission accounting for a continuously increasing share. In the status quo scenario, there were an estimated 111 520 (95% CI 28 960-208 270) new HIV infections and 34 530 (17 280-57 410) HIV-related deaths between 2023 and 2030. Aggregated optimisation results suggest that 35 860 (32%) of 111 520 new HIV infections and 9170 (27%) of 34 530 HIV-related deaths could be averted from 2023 to 2030 compared with the status quo, by prioritising antiretroviral therapy and targeted key population programmes. For ten countries, achieving 95% diagnosis was projected to not be possible with the current budget envelope, and for seven countries, this target could require more than three times the current spending. Compared with the status quo, achieving 95-95-95, or as close as possible, could avert 70 880 (64%) of 111 520 new HIV infections and 18 890 (55%) of 34 530 HIV-related deaths from 2023 to 2030. Targeted key population programmes should remain high priorities in the EECA region. Achieving 95-95-95 will require more emphasis on implementing appropriate modes of service delivery that reduce the gap in diagnosis and treatment coverage for people living with HIV. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. For the Russian translation of the summary see Supplementary Materials section.

Crustal and upper mantle 3-D Vs structure of the Pannonian region from joint earthquake and ambient noise Rayleigh wave tomography

SUMMARY The Pannonian Basin, situated in Central Europe, is surrounded by the Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaric orogens. To understand its tectonic characteristics and evolution, we determine a shear wave velocity model of its crust, mantle lithosphere and asthenosphere consistently by jointly inverting Rayleigh wave phase velocities measured consistently from earthquake (EQ) and ambient noise (AN) data. For the AN data, continuous waveform data were collected from 1254 stations, covering an area within 9° from the centre of the Pannonian Basin during the time period from 2006 to 2018. This data set enabled the extraction of over 164 464 interstation Rayleigh phase-velocity curves, after applying a strict quality control workflow. For the EQ data set more than 2000 seismic events and about 1350 seismic stations were used in the broader Central and Eastern European region between the time-span of 1990 to 2015, allowing us to extract 139 987 quality controlled Rayleigh wave phase-velocity curve. Using the combined data set, a small period- and distance-dependent bias between ambient noise and earthquake measurements, mostly below 1 per cent but becoming larger towards longer periods has been found. After applying a period and distance dependent correction, we generated phase-velocity maps, spanning periods from 5 to 250 s. 33 981 local dispersion curves were extracted and a new approach is introduced to link their period-dependent roughness to the standard deviation. Using a non-linear stochastic particle swarm optimization, a consistent 3-D shear wave velocity model (PanREA2023) encompassing the crust and upper mantle down to 300 km depth was obtained with a lateral resolution reaching about 50 km at the centre of the study area for shorter periods. The crust beneath the Carpathian orogen exhibits a distinct low-velocity anomaly extending down to the Moho. It is referred to as Peri-Carpathian anomaly. Similar anomalies were observed in the Northern Apennines, while the Eastern Alps and Dinarides, as collisional orogens, generally demonstrate higher velocities in the upper crust. High crustal shear wave velocities are also evident in the Bohemian Massif and the East European Craton. The brittle upper crust of the Pannonian Basin is characterized by alternating NE–SW trending high- and low-velocity anomalies: the western and central Pannonian low-velocity anomalies and the Transdanubian and Apuseni high-velocity anomalies related to Miocene sedimentary basins and intervening intervening interbasinal highs exposing Pre-Cenozoic rocks including crystalline basement rocks. Beneath the Southeastern Carpathians, a NE-dipping slab was identified, extending to depths of at least 200 km, while a slab gap is evident beneath the Western Carpathians. A short south-dipping Eurasian slab was imaged beneath the Eastern Alps down to only 150–200 km depth. The Adriatic lithosphere is subducting near-vertically dipping beneath the Northern Apennines, and a slab gap was observed beneath the Central Apennines. In the Northern Dinarides, a short slab was evident, reaching depths of around 150 km. The Southern Dinarides featured a thinned but possibly incompletely detached slab.

Cooperation of the Lublin Triangle in the context of security threats in the region of Central and Eastern Europe

The purpose of this article is to outline the new multidimensional format of cooperation between Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. The Lublin Triangle is a trilateral regional alliance between Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine established in Lublin on 28 July 2020. The initiative relates to cooperation across the power, infrastructure, security and cultural sectors with an aim to strengthen dialogue between the states and reinforce efforts to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and support its integration into the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Some of the factors driving this new format of cooperation include the growing migrant crisis; increasing importance of the internal and external security in the EU states; Ukraine’s pursuit of EU integration, especially after the Ukraine war outbreak; and strengthening of national states within the EU. The states concerned have turned back to their legacy capital which is and has been the same regional affiliation and, thus, the geographical proximity, shared past, culture, and common interests.

Practices and Trends in the Prescription of Probiotics: A Detailed Analysis in an Eastern European Region

The lack of clear prescribing protocols in the field of probiotics creates difficulties for physicians in the uniform application of these adjuvant therapies. Although there are guidelines that evaluate existing studies and provide different levels of evidence for the efficacy of probiotics, they do not offer specific prescribing strategies. The present study explores how this gap influences the prescribing behavior of physicians, analyzing the diagnoses associated with prescribed probiotics, the duration of treatment, and the associations with antibiotics. Additionally, the study addresses potential omissions in prescribing strategies, exploring discrepancies and possible errors in doctors’ recommendations. Through this research, an attempt is made to understand correctly how probiotics are integrated into treatment protocols, with the aim of improving prescribing directions and effective use in the future.

Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries

Meat consumption could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, evidence is largely based on studies of European and North American populations, with heterogeneous analysis strategies and a greater focus on red meat than on poultry. We aimed to investigate the associations of unprocessed red meat, processed meat, and poultry consumption with type 2 diabetes using data from worldwide cohorts and harmonised analytical approaches. This individual-participant federated meta-analysis involved data from 31 cohorts participating in the InterConnect project. Cohorts were from the region of the Americas (n=12) and the Eastern Mediterranean (n=2), European (n=9), South-East Asia (n=1), and Western Pacific (n=7) regions. Access to individual-participant data was provided by each cohort; participants were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 18 years or older and had available data on dietary consumption and incident type 2 diabetes and were excluded if they had a diagnosis of any type of diabetes at baseline or missing data. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated for each meat type, adjusted for potential confounders (including BMI), and pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis, with meta-regression to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Among 1 966 444 adults eligible for participation, 107 271 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified during a median follow-up of 10 (IQR 7-15) years. Median meat consumption across cohorts was 0-110 g/day for unprocessed red meat, 0-49 g/day for processed meat, and 0-72 g/day for poultry. Greater consumption of each of the three types of meat was associated with increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, with HRs of 1·10 (95% CI 1·06-1·15) per 100 g/day of unprocessed red meat (I2=61%), 1·15 (1·11-1·20) per 50 g/day of processed meat (I2=59%), and 1·08 (1·02-1·14) per 100 g/day of poultry (I2=68%). Positive associations between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes were observed in North America and in the European and Western Pacific regions; the CIs were wide in other regions. We found no evidence that the heterogeneity was explained by age, sex, or BMI. The findings for poultry consumption were weaker under alternative modelling assumptions. Replacing processed meat with unprocessed red meat or poultry was associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. The consumption of meat, particularly processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes across populations. These findings highlight the importance of reducing meat consumption for public health and should inform dietary guidelines. The EU, the Medical Research Council, and the National Institute of Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.

Risk of tuberculosis after initiation of antiretroviral therapy among persons with HIV in Europe

ObjectivesTuberculosis (TB) risk after initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is not well described in a European setting, with an average TB incidence of 25/105 in the background population. MethodsWe included all adult persons with HIV starting ART in the RESPOND cohort between 2012 and 2020. TB incidence rates (IR) were assessed for consecutive time intervals post-ART initiation. Risk factors for TB within 6 months from ART initiation were evaluated using Poisson regression models. ResultsAmong 8441 persons with HIV, who started ART, 66 developed TB during 34,239 person-years of follow-up (PYFU), corresponding to 1.87/1000 PYFU (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47-2.37). TB IR was highest in the first 3 months after ART initiation (14.41/1000 PY (95%CI 10.08-20.61]) and declined at 3-6, 6-12, and >12 months post-ART initiation (5.89 [95%CI 3.35-10.37], 2.54 [95%CI 1.36-4.73] and 0.51 [95%CI 0.30-0.86]), respectively. Independent risk factors for TB within the first 6 months after ART initiation included follow-up in Northern or Eastern Europe region, African origin, baseline CD4 count <200 cells/mm3, HIV RNA >100,000 copies/mL, injecting drug use and heterosexual transmission. ConclusionsTB IR was highest in the first 3 months post-ART initiation and was associated with baseline risk factors, highlighting the importance of thorough TB risk assessment at ART initiation.

Real-world management of hypercholesterolemia in central, South-Eastern and Eastern European regions – data from prospective, observational discovery study

Real-world management of hypercholesterolemia in central, South-Eastern and Eastern European regions – data from prospective, observational discovery study

International and domestic crime statistics indicators of sexual crimes

Aim: In this study, the Author reviews the criminal statistics indicators of sexual crimes. Sexual crimes can be grouped according to several classification systems – for example, the age of the victims, or the method of execution, or in light of whether they are committed with violence. Based on the latter, distinguished between violent and non-violent situations – a good example of the former is the crime of sexual violence, while the latter is child pornography. The analysis of the statistical data provides insight into how and to what extent the prevalence of sexual crime develops, as well as how and with what prevention campaigns these frequency indicators can be reduced. Methodology: In the study, the Author makes a statistical presentation, the sources of which are international and domestic crime statistics databases. Findings: Although the number of proceedings initiated for sexual crimes in Hungary can be considered average for the Central and Eastern European region, the numbers of cases detected are still at high levels. In order for these cases to decrease, programs are needed that effectively combat the effects of sexual violence myths, the fear of victim blaming, and stigmatisation. Value: This study is an overview that aims to present a complex statistical point of sexual crimes, which can serve as a basis for further comparative analyses.

International and domestic crime statistics indicators of sexual crimes

Aim: In this study, the Author reviews the criminal statistics indicators of sexual crimes. Sexual crimes can be grouped according to several classification systems – for example, the age of the victims, or the method of execution, or in light of whether they are committed with violence. Based on the latter, distinguished between violent and non-violent situations – a good example of the former is the crime of sexual violence, while the latter is child pornography. The analysis of the statistical data provides insight into how and to what extent the prevalence of sexual crime develops, as well as how and with what prevention campaigns these frequency indicators can be reduced. Methodology: In the study, the Author makes a statistical presentation, the sources of which are international and domestic crime statistics databases. Findings: Although the number of proceedings initiated for sexual crimes in Hungary can be considered average for the Central and Eastern European region, the numbers of cases detected are still at high levels. In order for these cases to decrease, programs are needed that effectively combat the effects of sexual violence myths, the fear of victim blaming, and stigmatisation. Value: This study is an overview that aims to present a complex statistical point of sexual crimes, which can serve as a basis for further comparative analyses.

Managerial practices and firms' environmental performance: An international evidence

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of managerial practices on environmental performance using firm‐level data from Eastern European and Central Asian regions collected during the 2019–2020 period through the World Bank Enterprise Surveys. Utilizing principal component analysis, we evaluate managerial practices across four key dimensions: targets, monitoring, incentives, and operations. Concurrently, we assess environmental performance through indicators encompassing energy efficiency, energy intensity, and disclosure practices. Our empirical findings highlight a strong correlation between higher scores in managerial practices and improved environmental performance within firms. These positive effects are transferred through environmental targets and adoptions, with moderation observed based on firm size. Robustness is evident in our results across various measures of environmental performance and managerial practices, as well as when accounting for potential endogeneity issues. This research offers valuable insights with implications for both policy development and managerial decision‐making, fostering sustainability and responsible practices.

Exploring Economic Factors to Enhance the Performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts in the Eastern European Region

ABSTRACT This study explores the economic determinants that can improve the performance of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in Eastern European economies. Employing a cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) approach, the findings show that an improvement in dividend yield, net income, stock return, exchange rates, and size can improve the performance of REITs. However, leverage and interest rates adversely affect the performance of REITs. The study spotlights the crucial role standardized regulation can play in mitigating fragmentation in the real estate market, being capable of streamlining capital allocation and hence, offering notable advantages to REITs in smaller Eastern European states.

Socio-economic determinants of development in reference to the change in population size in Central and Eastern Europe between 2008 and 2019

For most regions of Central and Eastern Europe there has been a noticeable decline in population in recent years. The purpose of this article is to analyse the level of economic and social indicators as well as changes in population size between 2008 and 2019 in the regions of Central and Eastern Europe. In particular, the article attempts to answer the question of how the change in selected economic and social indicators impacts the change in population size. The answer to the above question will be provided with the use of the ratio analysis and thesoft model. The research results show that the two causes of changes in population size (natural causes and migrations) are significantly affected by a group of social indicators, even though—with regard to migration—the significance of economic indicators is increasing and the difference between the former and the latter is not substantial. Consequently, in response to the depopulation process, more attention should be paid to the social dimension of development. In other words, creating proper conditions for personal and professional activity may be more important than using financial instruments.

An implementation evaluation of the Breaking Down human rights barriers to HIV services initiative in Ukraine.

Globally, stark inequities exist in access to HIV treatment and prevention. The eastern European and central Asian region is experiencing the sharpest rise in new HIV acquisition and deaths in the world, with low rates of treatment and prevention services, especially for key and vulnerable populations who face a range of human rights-related barriers to HIV prevention and treatment. An implementation learning evaluation approach was used to examine the implementation of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative targeting key and vulnerable populations in Ukraine. Between September 2022 and April 2023, researchers conducted 23 key informant interviews with individuals from the Ukrainian government, implementing organizations and human rights experts. Using a concurrent triangulation design, researchers and key informants, in a process of co-creation, sought to describe programme accomplishments, challenges and innovations in implementation, between 2021 and 2023, including periods before and after Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion. Eight rights-based interventions related to HIV were identified in Global Fund programme documents and key informant interviews as making up the core of the Breaking Down Barriers initiative in Ukraine. These included programmes seeking to: eliminate stigma and discrimination; ensure the non-discriminatory provision of medical care; promote rights-based law enforcement practices; expand legal literacy ("know your rights"); increase access to justice; improve laws, regulations and policies; reduce gender discrimination, harmful gender norms and violence against women and girls; and mobilize communities for advocacy. These programmes received US$5.9 million in funding. Key informants reported that significant progress had been made addressing human rights barriers and scaling up interventions, both before and after Russia's invasion. Programme implementors adopted innovative approaches, including using paralegals, hotlines and other community-led interventions, to ensure that key and vulnerable populations, including displaced individuals, were able to access prevention and care. An implementation learning evaluation approach examining programmes addressing human rights barriers to HIV services, designed as a process of co-creation between researchers, programme implementors, government officials and human rights experts, can provide a robust assessment of programme outputs, outcomes and evidence of impact, despite a challenging operational environment.

Being yourself is a defect: analysis of documented rights violations related to sexual orientation, gender identity and HIV in 2022 using the REAct system in six eastern European, Caucasus and Central Asian countries.

Removing legal barriers to HIV services is crucial for the global 2030 goal of ending the HIV and AIDS epidemic, particularly in eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia. Despite state commitments to uphold human rights, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM), along with transgender people (TP) still face stigma and discrimination. This article presents an analysis of rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) and HIV reported in 2022 across six countries, highlighting features and their links to legislation and law enforcement practices. We examined documented cases of rights violations among gbMSM and TP in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine in 2022 using the REAct system, a tool for documenting and responding to rights violations against key populations. Initially, we employed directed content analysis based on Yogyakarta Principles to analyse narratives of violations. A codebook was developed through contextual, manifest and latent coding, with themes, categories and codes converted into quantitative variables for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the characteristics of violations. A total of 456 cases of rights violations related to SOGI and HIV were documented, ranging from 22 cases in Tajikistan to 217 in Ukraine. Most violations concerned gbMSM (76.5%), with one-fifth involving TP, predominantly transgender women. Complex violations with multiple perpetrators or infringements were documented in Armenia and central Asia. Privacy rights were commonly violated, often through outing. Cases of violations of the right to the highest attainable standard of health (13.6%) and protection from medical abuses (2.6%) were also documented. Other rights violations were sporadic, with each country exhibiting distinct patterns of violated rights and types of violations. In Ukraine, the full-scale war in 2022 influenced the nature of documented cases, reflecting the challenges faced by gbMSM and TP. Monitoring rights violations proved effective for assessing the situation of gbMSM and TP, particularly in the insufficiently studied and diverse eastern Europe, Caucasus and central Asia regions. As rights violations are linked to both legislation and law enforcement practices, comprehensive interventions to minimize structural and interpersonal stigma are essential.

Impact of Ownership-Location-Internalization (OLI) Paradigm and Investment Development Path (IDP) on Gravity Model of Foreign Direct Investments in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) Region

This study investigates the impact of OLI paradigm and the IDP on the gravity model of FDI in EECA region. Using panel data from 1995 to 2017, the analysis employs POLS, Fixed Effects, and Random Effects estimation methods to examine the determinants of FDI inflows. The results highlight the significance of the receiving country's GDP and labour market quality as the most consistent and statistically significant factors influencing FDI inflows. The distance between source and receiving countries also exhibits a negative relationship with FDI flows. Other variables, such as the source country's GDP, tertiary education, institutional governance, taxation, infrastructure, foreign exchange rates, and labour costs, do not show consistent or statistically significant effects across the estimation methods. The Fixed Effects model demonstrates the highest explanatory power, suggesting its suitability for capturing the variation in FDI inflows. These findings contribute to understanding the determinants of FDI and provide insights for policymakers and investors. Countries aiming to attract FDI should focus on promoting economic growth, improving labour market conditions, and reducing perceived distances between source and receiving countries.