Update on Moldova Matters Newsletter

Introducing Subscriptions and Insider Content!

Hello Moldova Matters Readers!

Thank you for coming on this journey with me at Moldova Matters, and for sending the supportive messages and comments I get for each post. I am thrilled that the Weekly Roundup has become so useful for so many people. 

Some readers have reached out to ask if there is some way they can support Moldova Matters beyond simply sharing it with their friends. After some thought, I’ve decided to add a paid subscription option for those who would like to support the effort that goes into this newsletter, and to provide more in-depth content as well. The Weekly Roundup will remain open and free for all readers so don’t worry! This isn’t a paywall. But if you can support Moldova Matters, and find it useful, we will be adding a $5 / mo subscription option that comes with some additional insider content as well as the good vibes you get from supporting Moldova Matters generally! All for the price of a pint of decent craft beer!

Here is a short rundown of content we will be making for subscribers. Some ideas will change over time as subscribers share feedback and we experiment with new ideas. 

Subscriber Only Content: 

• Subscriber Only Articles - In addition to the Weekly Roundup we sometimes to “Deep Dives” into some topics in the news of the week or “Explainers” focusing on some aspect of Moldovan Political or Economic structures that are worth understanding better. For each of these topics I sit down with an expert on the issue at hand and work through questions that are important to understanding how the underlying structures of Moldova work. The goal is to put out 2 such articles a month. Here’s a sample of topics that we’ll dive into in the coming weeks and months: 

  •  The Moldovan Stock Market - Why didn’t the publicly traded companies in Moldova take off like other Eastern European nations? How does the market work now? And why in the world is the website so bad?

  • How does the Judiciary Work? - Is the Constitutional Court the Supreme Court? (nope), how are judges selected? And what does “judicial reform” really mean?

  • Offshore Companies in Moldova and why this is a Problem - Some of Moldova’s most innovative companies aren’t headquartered in Moldova, why? Why does shareholder management drive people offshore and what can be done about it?

  • Sorting out Political Parties, is there a Left and a Right? - Moldova’s political scene is messy in a way that makes it hard to follow. Looking beyond the news we try to answer deeper questions about ideology, economic policy and whether we can really say there is a right and left in Moldova. 

• Monthly Q&A (or Q&O)  - Using Substack’s “threads” feature we’ll host a monthly “Ask me anything” style discussion thread to talk over the major doings in Moldova and what we all think of them. It’s a sorta Q&A with the reality that I won’t always have the answers. Therefore it’ll sometimes be Question & Opinion based on my read of the situation. Everyone will be welcome to share and we can all benefit from the community’s insights and viewpoints. We’ll also use this format periodically to discuss the development and direction of Moldova Matters as well as suggestions for topics and content for the Deep Dives and Explainers!

If any of that is interesting to you, or you just want to support the work that goes into compiling and untangling the Weekly Roundup consider supporting Moldova Matters by buying a subscription. The basic level is $5 / mo which really shows your support for our work and unlocks all the content above. When you hit the subscribe button you will see some options for early signup discounts, “Founding Member” status if you want to contribute a bit more, and other options. Select something you’re comfortable with - any and all support is greatly appreciated. 

Meanwhile, whether you subscribe or not, please share Moldova Matters with your friends and follow us on Facebook!