Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from January, 2008
Ukraine: Minimum Wage vs MPs’ Income
Ukrainiana compares Ukraine's nationwide minimum wage with MPs’ official salaries.
Serbia, Slovenia: Kosovo Independence
Dr. Filomena writes on Kosovo's independence and explains why she thinks Slovenia should not be the first to recognize it: “If for no other reason, then for the sake of our investments in Serbia.”
Russia: German Sadulayev's Appeal
Window on Eurasia writes about a Chechen writer's appeal to his fellow countrymen.
Poland, Scotland: Wojtek the Polish War Hero Bear
The beatroot writes about Wojtek the Polish war hero bear.
Estonia: Fewer Stateless People
Itching for Eestimaa reports that the number of Estonia's stateless persons continues to decrease.
Czech Republic, Serbia: Embassy Corruption
The Czech Daily Word writes on the corruption scandal at the Czech Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia.
Serbia, Albania: Kosovo Rapper
BBC's Mark Mardell interviews “Kosovo’s premier rapper” Genc Prevlaka.
Czech Republic: Presidential Debate
Dr. Sean's Diary comments on the Czech presidential debate between incumbent Václav Klaus and challenger Jan Švejnar.
Serbia: Kostunica's Choice
A Fistful of Euros explains why PM Kostunica's refusal to endorse either of the candidates is good for Nikolic and bad for Tadic.
Ukraine: Affordable Housing
Ukrainiana writes on what looks like a competition between Ukraine's PM and president in promising a better mortgage deal to the electorate.
Albania: President Bamir Topi
A Fistful of Euros writes about Albania's president and some of his policies.
Russia: Osoaviakhim-1
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about the Soviet balloon Osoaviakhim-1, which reached the record altitude of 22,000 meters on Jan. 30, 1934, but crashed during the descent.
Russia: Khodorkovsky on Hunger Strike
Robert Amsterdam posts updates on Mikhail Khodorkovsky's hunger strike in protest against the treatment of jailed former Yukos executive Vasily Alexanyan – here and here.
Russia: No Future for “Nashi”?
Robert Amsterdam and Vilhelm Konnander write about what looks like the end of pro-Putin youth movement Nashi.
Russia: Internet Regulations
Perspectives on the new Russia writes about the Russian government's plans to regulate the internet.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: New Blogs by Public Figures
A few interesting blogs have emerged in the Bosnian blogosphere recently, showing the growing interest in blogging and Web 2.0 in the Balkans. Elia Varela Serra introduces the newcomers: a president, an ambassador, and a travelguide writer.
Armenia: Russian Masters
After a visiting Russian official effectively endorsed the candidacy of the prime minister ahead of next month's presidential election in Armenia, Nazarian asks if it isn't time Armenians started to think for themselves.
Serbia: Choosing Between Tadic and Nikolic
Sinisa Boljanovic translates two Serbian bloggers whose views are representative of those who support Boris Tadic and closer relationship between Serbia and the EU, and are opposed to Tomislav Nikolic's nationalist policy.
Albania, Italy: Adrian Paci
Living in Shkoder writes about the work of Adrian Paci, an Albania-born, Italy-based artist.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Against Division
Balkanizer comes up with “an argument against the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina.”
Belarus, Latvia: “Ploshcha”
Marginalia watches Ploshcha (“The Square”), a film about the March 2006 mass protests in Minsk – “and watching it is a good way to mark Ceauşescu's birthday and Suharto's death” – and muses on freedom in Latvia and the lack of it in Belarus.
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
Daria Dergacheva is the Eastern Europe editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
