Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from September, 2009
Serbia: The Death of a French Football Fan
Brice Taton, a 28-year-old French citizen and a fan of the Toulouse football team, was brutally beaten by fans of the Partizan football team in downtown Belgrade on Sept. 17, before the Partizan vs Toulouse game. He died in a Belgrade hospital on Sept. 29.
Romania: “20 Years After the Revolution”
David Sasaki/El Oso writes about his trip to Romania and the country's recent history, and posts a video interview with the executive director of Casa Sperantei hospice.
Ukraine: “The Ghosts of Chernobyl”/Destination Truth
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe writes about a Destination Truth episode about the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – “The Ghosts of Chernobyl” – which is scheduled to air on Wednesday, Sept. 30, on cable's SyFy channel.
Russia: “Afro Plus”
Adventures in Wheelville expresses solidarity with Moscow's African residents: “While Obama is busy making buddy with Medvyedev, scores of black folks on Moscow streets are looking over their shoulder every two seconds in fear. It's horribly ironic.”
UK: Przemek Wajerowicz's “From the Upper Deck”
the POLSKI blog highlights Przemek Wajerowicz's London street photography project: From the Upper Deck.
Ukraine: Political Rivalry and Journalism
Foreign Notes writes about a popular Ukrainian political talk show that was to feature “a battery of eminent journalists” posing questions to PM Yulia Tymoshenko this past Friday, but which evolved into yet another political battle when a group of Tymoshenko's rivals showed up in the studio, seemingly uninvited.
Poland: Sexual Crimes and Roman Polanski
Polandian writes about Poland's plans to legalize chemical castration for those who commit sexual crimes against minors – and about the arrest of Roman Polanski in Switzerland and the Polish foreign minister's intention to ask the U.S. president to pardon the film director: “Now, if the 1977 charge had been...
CEE: History, Nationalism and Identity
Marietta Le of Remainder of Budapest writes about issues of history, nationalism and identity in Hungary and other states of Central and Eastern Europe.
Czech Republic: Temelín Nuclear Power Plant
The Journeys of Captain Oddsocks writes about the Temelín nuclear power plant, which has been in the news recently “because of a controversial and overpriced contract awarded to a shady company whose former director was recently jailed for planning the violent abduction of his replacement.”
Russia: Kronstadt Photos
Photos of Kronstadt – at Arnis Balcus’ Photo Blog.
Czech Republic: The Pope's Visit
The Reference Frame writes about the Pope's visit to the Czech Republic.
Russia: “Promoting State Interests” Online
Evgeny Morozov writes that “Kremlin no longer hides its [internet] spinning strategy”
Lithuania, Latvia: Capitals of Culture
Viola in Vilnius writes that Riga has been nominated as one of the 2014 European capitals of culture, and comments on how this year’s title holder, Vilnius, has done so far.
Hungary: Pro-Nightlife Rally; Art Station
Marietta Le of Remainder of Budapest posts photos and video from a rally in support of Budapest's nightlife and from a graffiti and extreme sports competition held inside a metro station whose construction had been halted due to financial difficulties.
Hungary: Political Talk Show Taken Off Air
GV Author Marietta Le of Remainder of Budapest and Eva S. Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum write about Nap-kelte, a morning political TV talk show that was taken off air last week, some 20 years after its launch in 1989.
Hungary: Healthcare
Hungarian Spectrum writes about healthcare in Hungary.
Serbia: Gay Pride Parade Postponed
Sinisa Boljanovic writes about the cancellation of the gay pride parade in Belgrade and reviews bloggers reactions to statements made by politicians and ultra-nationalist groups regarding the event.
U.S., Europe: “R.I.P. Missile Defense”
A roundup of blog coverage of the Obama Administration's decision to abandon plans to build the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic: A Fistful of Euros; Edward Lucas; Poemless; Ukrainiana; FP's Passport; Leopolis – here and here; and Robert Amsterdam's Blog.
Serbia: No Gay Pride This Year
Belgraded, Cafe Turco, Balkan File and Anegdote write about the cancellation of this year's gay pride in Belgrade.
Latvia: Security Police Questions Blogger
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia highlights the case of a Latvian blogger who “harshly criticized the Latvian state and government as being little more than a rapacious mafia and has said in some posts that revolutionary violence against such a system would be justified” – and was later questioned by...
Russia: Ulitskaya-Khodorkovsky Correspondence
Robert Amsterdam's Blog links to OpenDemocracy.net's translation of correspondence between writer Ludmila Ulitskaya and former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, published (RUS) in Novaya Gazeta earlier this month.
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
