Doc. Jan Koura’s Article “In the Service of the Eastern Bloc” Awarded the Article of the Year 2025

The article “In the Service of the Eastern Bloc: Czechoslovak Intelligence and the Cyprus Conflict 1974–1989”, published in the Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, was praised by the judging committee as methodologically impeccable, and making a significant contribution to the field of history, with particular reference to Cyprus and Cold War history. The Vasileios Fouskas and Bülent Gökay Award in the Study of International Economics, Politics, and History of the Balkans and the Near East was presented to doc. Jan Koura from the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, for an article developed within the framework of the CoRe project.

The primary objective of doc. Koura’s study is to assess how one of the socialist states, Czechoslovakia, attempted to influence the Cyprus conflict between 1974 and 1989 through its foreign intelligence services. Even after the division of the island in 1974, the “Cyprus Issue” remained a significant determinant in the relations between Greece and Turkey. In the context of the ongoing Cold War, the Eastern Bloc sought to exploit this situation, aiming to undermine the cohesion of NATO’s southeastern wing. The study illustrates Czechoslovak influence through the example of its residency in Nicosia, showcasing Czechoslovakia’s intelligence methods in recruiting foreign collaborators, acquiring information, and conducting intelligence operations in one of the world’s most geopolitically exposed regions.

The Article of the Year Award honours the best article published in the Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies in the previous volume of the journal. Shortlisted articles are selected based on the criteria of methodological and analytical rigour, originality, critical approach and impact as measured in article views, citations, and Altmetric mentions.

The winning article is free to access until 31 January 2027.