Eastern Europe it looks like, but this story is remarkably similar to my experience as a graduate student / technical staff at public research institutions in both the United States and Japan.
I noticed several bizarre things in the story that were familiar.
Maybe Academic Batpoop Insanity disease is spread at international conferences.
Please share, if you feel inclined to.
I don't wanna name and blame the country, and I didn't do it in the article as I don't think it matters that much, but the other replies are correct in their assumption, is all I can say.
Good instincts. It's not relevant and anyone who has seen state or academia up close in different countries knows that, no matter if people from some countries may want to pretend it's "these other countries".
I think it might be relevant to know so to avoid it for people that might want to study outside their home
country in Europe
This happens everywhere. In some shape or form. That's the point.
Taking into account the 500€/month scholarship ("about the average salary", euros), Eastern EU. Add in the Romanian sounding author's name, it's probably Romania.
The name on the byline is Romanian, which sounds about right given what my Romanian friends have told me about their country.