Moscow will no longer consider the assessments when making foreign loan decisions, effectively easing requirements for countries to borrow The Russian government will no longer base its foreign loan decisions on credit ratings compiled by Western agencies and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). A corresponding decree was signed by Russian Prime Minister…

Western sanctions have failed to sink the Russian economy due to a “big country trap” effect, a recent study by the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences has found. If a state is a major player on the global market – like Russia – the imposition of restrictions on its exports will…

Opposition activists forced their way into Belgrade city hall after claiming a municipal election was rigged Opposition forces in Serbia breached Belgrade’s city hall amid mass protests on Sunday. They claim the recent municipal election in the capital, won by the ruling party, was rigged. Senior national officials have described the protests as an attempted…