Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from September, 2006
Ukraine: Lviv is 750 Years Old
Dominican Cathedral in Lviv, built in the late 18th century. In the Soviet times, the building housed Lviv's atheism museum, which has now been transformed into the museum of religion; also, organ music concerts and religious services are being held in the cathedral. (Photo by Lyncis/Cyril Kalugin.) The wonderful Western...
Poland: Coalition-Building Crisis
The beatroot reports on Poland's government crisis: “So even the Peasants don’t want to get into bed with PiS, it appears. Which shows how bad the image of the government has become: in the past 17 years since parliamentary democracy began in Poland PSL have been known to get into...
Poland: Elevator Graffiti Transformation
Boo writes about an anti-Semitic graffiti in a Polish elevator that was later replaced with a message of tolerance.
Belarus: Protest Diaries and Opposition Leader
Ivan Lenin of Rush-Mush reports that the online diaries of a Belarusian protester Dasha Kostenko have been published in Moscow. He also criticizes the opposition leader Milinkevich: “It's a big shame that the brave Belarusians who were risking their health, their freedom, and their very lives didn't have a better...
Serbia: Kosovo Is (Not) Changing
Wu Wei observes the changes that are taking place in Kosovo and those that aren't.
Serbia: Torture Story Retraction
Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic has found out that a heartbreaking story about “the Sri Lankan-American Buddhist who was tortured by her Serb captors while on an aid mission during the Bosnian war, [was] fictional“: “I regret posting the story when my verification was incomplete. But I also believe that...
Russia: Open Letter on Orphanage Child Abuse
Russia Blog posts an open letter from an American mother of three adopted Russian children: “While looking for articles about the orphanage abuse that occurred in late July, 2006 in Krasnoyarsk, I came across your story about the “Boys for Sale“. It has had a profound affect on me. Thank...
Serbian Blog Roundup
A house at the Golija Mountain – by Bogdan Cirovic At English section of Serbiancafe discussion board, Toshiba blogs out: Village of Rudno at Golija mountain is at altitude of 1200 meters. You would need four hours from Belgrade to get here by car. Beauties of one region are not...
Russia: Sakhalin Housing and Other Problems
Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert posts pictures from Sakhalin Island and writes about housing and other problems he's encountered there: “We have managed to find a very nice apartment to rent for three months until we find somewhere permanent, which is costing my employers a mere $2,700...
Russia: Cultural Misunderstanding
Russian Marketing Blog writes about cultural misunderstanding caused by the ad campaign of a health resorts and spas travel magazine.
Russia: Media Stereotypes Discussion
Yuri Mamchur's recent post on Russia Blog about media stereotypes has drawn some media response in Russia and the blogger has been interviewed on Radio Liberty (RUS).
Russia: Nominee for Best Foreign Film
Russia Blog writes about Russia's nominee for the 2006 U.S. Academy Awards.
Russia: Conflict With Georgia
David McDuff of A Step At A Time writes about the recent escalation of the Russian-Georgian conflict: “The Russian government is expending a great of aggressive rhetoric on this new campaign, accusing Georgia of being a “bandit state”, and talking of preparations for war.”
Ukraine: Babiy Yar Massacre's 65th Anniversary
Stones and flowers were laid at the Babiy Yar Memorial in Kyiv Wednesday, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the 1941 massacre – by Veronica Khokhlova In 1941, at least 33,771 Kyiv Jews were shot by the Nazis on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, in the Babiy Yar ravine of...
Russia: Two Bike Trips
W. Shedd of The Accidental Russophile writes about Herman Veldhuizen, a Norwegian bicyclist: “Herman has made and chronicled two bicycle trips in Russia. His first trip was a 20-day trip in 2004 from Helsinki to Kazan. Having said that he would definitely do such a trip in Russia again, he...
Russia: Chechnya Kidnappings
David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates a piece on the ongoing kidnappings in Chechnya.
Serbia: Oscar Nomination
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia writes about this year's Serbian nomination for the Oscars and reveals his own role in the production of the film.
Ukraine: Traveling the Villages
MoldovAnn writes about and posts pictures and videos of her work-related travel in Ukraine.
Poland: “The Polish Watergate”
The beatroot has posted three entries so far about the beginning of a major corruption scandal, already labeled the “Polish Watergate”: one, two, and three. “It looks very bad for a government that has fashioned itself as the ‘anti-corruption’ government.”
Cuba, Russia: Cold War days
Luis M. Garcia comes across a Russian news service article which states that Cuba was effectively run by the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.
Armenia: Suffering for Russia
At Blogrel, “Observer” argues that Armenia will suffer because of anti-Russian moods on the international scene.