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Mark Baker

Mark Baker is a freelance journalist and travel writer based in Prague. He has written guidebooks and articles for Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, and Fodor’s, and his articles have also appeared in National Geographic Traveler and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications.

Also by Mark Baker

February 27, 2018
The Weird, Wacky Wonderworld Of Communist-Era Hotels

A celebration of classic haunts where the spirits of the old regimes still often sleep
June 06, 2015
Turkey's Vote Is All About Erdogan

Polls have now closed in Turkish parliamentary elections that are more about the fate of Turkey's long-time leader, President Tayyip Recep Erdogan, than they are about forming a new government.
May 30, 2015
With Russia Boxed In, Frozen Transdniester Conflict Could Heat Up

Ukraine's decision to halt military cooperation with Russia may unintentionally rouse the long-sleeping conflict in breakaway Transdniester.
May 20, 2015
What Is Killing Off Kazakhstan's Rare Antelope?

Herds of one of Central Asia's most iconic animals, Kazakhstan's saiga antelope, are dwindling rapidly and no one seems to know why.
May 15, 2015
B.B. King Wowed Soviet Audiences

Fans around the world are mourning King's death, but for music lovers in Moscow and the countries of the former Soviet Union, King's loss strikes particularly close to home.
May 13, 2015
Postcommunist Kids Are No Know-It-Alls, After All

The survey's results appear to dash the widely held assumption about the former communist countries of Europe that while they performed poorly in many areas, at least students there were well educated in math and science.
May 06, 2015
Moldova's Mysterious Magnate

Who exactly is Ilan Shor, the 28-year-old millionaire who may be behind Moldova's "heist of the century"?
April 29, 2015
Macedonia Dead Last In Europe On Press Freedom

Macedonia has fallen to the bottom of the table in Europe in terms of press freedom, according to the watchdog Freedom House. The road forward looks far from promising.
April 23, 2015
Moldova's Missing Millions: Massive Bank Scandal Roils Chisinau

One-fifth of Moldova's GDP vanished in a matter of days late last year in one of the biggest banking scandals per capita in history. The central bank is now on the hook for around $1 billion, threatening to drag down both the economy and pro-Western attitudes.
April 03, 2015
For Iran, Was It Worth The Wait?

Iranian officials must now be wondering why they waited so long to agree to international terms to open up their nuclear program -- terms they essentially could have had years ago. Economic sanctions cost the country billions and it's not clear what, if anything, was gained.
March 29, 2015
New Chinese Bank Becomes Major Headache For U.S.

China's decision to establish a new China-led development bank for Asia is causing major headaches in Washington. As countries -- including, now, Russia -- rush in to join the bank before a March 31 deadline, the United States looks increasingly isolated.
March 21, 2015
Carmakers In Russia Face Tough Road Ahead

International automakers were once salivating over the prospect of tapping Russia's rapidly growing car market. The recent announcement by U.S. auto giant General Motors that it's pulling out of Russia shows how quickly that perception has changed.
March 19, 2015
Explainer: Many Winners, But Some Big Losers As Oil Prices Drop

Falling oil prices are causing havoc in world markets, creating many winners -- but some big losers, too.
March 13, 2015
IMF Loan Package For Ukraine Promises Pain, Questionable Gain

The benefits of the newly approved International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package will come in the long term. But for ordinary Ukrainians, the pain from its conditions will be immediate.
September 26, 2005
Germany: Biggest Parties Struggle To Form Government

CDU leader Angela Merkel applauds during the final election-campaign rally in Berlin on 16 September Talks on forming a German government are continuing following inconclusive elections on 18 September that failed to give any party a mandate. Representatives of the two biggest parties -- the right-leaning Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the left-leaning Social Democrats (SDP) -- will meet this week for talks aimed at forming a unity government. RFE/RL reports that many issues divide the two -- in particular, who will be Germany's next chancellor?
September 19, 2005
Germany: Vote Dashes Right's Hopes, Leaves Many Questions

Will Gerhard Schroeder complete his comeback and form the next government? German politicians today (19 September) will be trying to pick up the pieces from yesterday's election. The result dealt a shocking blow to Angela Merkel's hopes of forming a center-right coalition in Germany's 598-seat lower chamber of parliament, the Bundestag. But the vote has also made it almost impossible for the left -- led by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his Social Democratic Party -- to govern as well.
September 18, 2005
Germany: Election Seen As Too Close To Call

Germans in traditional Bavarian dress walk past campaign posters German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder faces his toughest challenge in seven years in office in today's general election. Opinion surveys predict Angela Merkel's right-of-center Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will unseat Schroeder's Social Democratic Party (SPD). But the CDU may not win enough support to form a government. With nearly a quarter of voters still undecided, pollsters say almost any outcome is possible -- even a "grand coalition" linking the two major parties across the political divide.
September 16, 2005
Germany: Polls Foresee Tightening Race Ahead Of Vote

Schroeder could be on his way out (file photo) Polls suggest a tight vote heading into Germany's elections on 18 September and say nearly a third of the electorate remains undecided. The vote -- which could see Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder ousted from office after seven years -- will have important consequences for the country's economic and foreign policy.
April 13, 2005
Africa: Donors Pledge Billions In Aid For Sudan

International donors are congratulating themselves on their generosity, after exceeding their targets for aid to Sudan at a recent donors conference. Donors pledged some $4.5 billion to help the country recover from two decades of civil war. Now the challenge will be actually paying the money. With aid budgets tapped out by the recent Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, the danger is that needy Sudanese might not see the promised cash.
April 12, 2005
East: Why Do OSCE, CIS Observers Rarely Agree On Elections?

Ukrainian demonstrators disagreed over election results. So did OSCE and CIS monitors The OSCE and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have emerged as strong rivals when it comes to judging elections in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Both regularly send out teams to monitor votes and both solemnly render verdicts afterward on whether a vote did or did not meet international standards. But the problem is that these two groups rarely agree with each other.

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