Stories about Governance from February, 2008
Taiwan: No City for Old Aborigines
The first Presidential debate powered by citizen media platform Peopo was held on Feb 24. Two candidates running for President answers 20 questions raised by citizens who use Youtube-like video clips to express their wishes and problems.
China: Harmonious Olympic Make-up
Angel apple from Duller feels sick of local Beijing Olympic news report. Some local newspapers keep on publishing guidelines and reminding citizens how to behave harmoniously during Olympic. For example, women are advised to wear light make-up.
Anguilla, Trinidad & Tobago: Procurement
“We live in a time when coping with corruption is high on the agenda of all countries. It is therefore important that we take the opportunity to discuss transparency and accountability in procurement”: Corruption-free Anguilla leads the discussion.
Bermuda: Silo Situation
The fact that “the cement company at Dockyard would not be required, at least for now, to relocate the contentious silos” should be raising political questions – at least in the opinion of two Bermudan bloggers, Vexed Bermoothes and A Radical In Bermuda.
Serbia: Ambassadorial Discontent
While some of the foreign embassies were being set on fire in Belgrade in protest to the unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo, Serbian embassies in Belgium and Russia were having diplomatic activities of a different kind - and Serbian bloggers took interest in them. Sinisa Boljanovic translates.
Ukraine, Russia: A Gas War, Again
Leopolis reports on what looks like yet another Russian-Ukrainian gas war.
Kosovo: Implications for Other States
Pestcentric believes that “Kosovar independence has really opened a can of worms, the full extent of which has yet to manifest itself.”
Serbia: Charges Against Two Looters
East Ethnia reports on the charges against two young Serbian women “whose little looting adventure made them internet celebrities for one brief, greasy moment”: “And we know that they are about to be charged with theft, a crime which carries a sentence of between one and eight years. This will...
Yemen: Gaza, My Grandmother and Candles
Yemeni blogger Maysaa Shuja has written a profoundly thoughtful post about candles, electricity, and the possible introduction of nuclear energy to her native country - a country which cannot supply a steady stream of electricity. And while the outpour of sympathy for Gaza and its electricity problems continue, Maysaa Shuja talks about how her enterprising grandmother, may Allah rest her soul in peace, taught them the value of candles at their greatest hours of need.
Kosovo, Serbia: A Roundup
Update on Kosovo/Serbia: Belgrade 2.0 sums things up; East Ethnia discusses the possibility of partition; Csíkszereda Musings writes on the meaning of Kosovo for Romania's Székelyföld autonomy; Greater Surbiton re-posts his article on what's “at stake in the struggle for Serbia”; Steady State writes on the implications of Kosovo for...
Latvia: Kārlis Ulmanis
Marginalia writes about “every Latvian's favorite dictator, Kārlis Ulmanis.”
Ukraine: Missing Children
Orange Ukraine writes about Ukraine's missing children.
Estonia: National Identity
Itching for Eestimaa marks Estonia's independence day (Feb. 24) by writing about Estonian national identity.
Czech Republic, Slovakia: 60 Years Since Communist Takeover
The Reference Frame writes about the 60th anniversary of the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia.
Slovenia: RIP Janez Drnovšek
Slovenia mourned former president Janez Drnovšek today; Sleeping with Pengovsky and Dr. Filomena paid tribute to the man who “has influenced Yugoslav and Slovenian politics profoundly, giving a stellar performance in a relatively short period of time.”
Czech Republic: Still Some More on the Election
Belatedly, another link on the presidential election in the Czech Republic: The Reference Frame writes that “one of Klaus's numerous tasks in the second term will be to abolish the global warming religion in the European Union that will be under the Czech Republic presidency in H1 of 2009.”
Montenegro: Milo Djukanovic
A Fistful of Euros writes about Milo Djukanovic, prime minister of Montenegro: “By 1991 he was the youngest Prime Minister in Europe. By 1998 he had squeezed out various rivals to become the most powerful man in the country. Which he still is today.”
Ukraine: Baba Paraska
Ukrainiana writes about Baba Paraska, “an elderly activist easily recognized as the icon of the Orange Revolution,” and her birthday wishes to president Yushchenko.
Ukraine, Russia: “An Octopus of Cash and Gas Flows”
Ukrainiana sums up the results of Yulia Tymoshenko's recent visit to Moscow: “It’s still unclear when and to what extent the current matryoshka system will be redesigned in favor of a more transparent one. The system Ukraine has today — an octopus of cash and gas flows — hinders energy...
Ukraine: Yanukovych's Real Estate
Ukrainiana translates and comments on Victor Yanukovych's controversial statements about the state-owned real estate he is allegedly attempting to privatize at “at a discount price.”
Russia, Ukraine: February 23
Scraps of Moscow, Ukrainiana, and Windows to Russia! write about the Defender of the Fatherland Day (formerly known as the Soviet Army Day). Feb. 23 also happens to be president Victor Yushchenko's birthday, and, as Window on Eurasia points out, it is also the day on which Stalin’s deportation of...
