· September, 2010

Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from September, 2010

Russia: September 30 is Internet Day

RuNet Echo  30 September 2010

Russian online users celebrate Internet Day in the country on September 30. This day also traditionally marks the start of the voting process for the best Internet project in the country that will be determined by the most amount of votes by  the second half of November.

Russia: Landscape and Trends of Online Transparency Initiatives

RuNet Echo  30 September 2010

Alexey Sidorenko analyzes the five main groups of the Russian transparency projects: official and semi-official transparency websites; chaotic transparency communities; online representation of civil activism NGOs; next-generation transparency and civil rights activism social networks; and Ushahidi-based projects.

Russia: “Web of Justice”

RuNet Echo  29 September 2010

The Russian Internet is presented, especially in some Western media, as being one of the few democratic forums in the country. However, these reports should be taken with a grain of salt, as it is still unclear just how much of Internet freedom the government is willing to tolerate.

Europe: “Mapping Stereotypes”

  28 September 2010

Via Dr Sean's Diary, “a series of maps of Europe mapping the (supposed) prejudices of various nations […] and, for some reason, also of gay men” by “Bulgarian visual artist, graphic designer and illustrator Yanko Tsvetkov.” Also, “What European Tribes Think About One Another” – at eXile.ru; a similar map...

Russia: Moscow Mayor's Dismissal

RuNet Echo  28 September 2010

Today, the main topic of all discussions in the RuNet is the dismissal of Yuri Luzhkov, mayor of Moscow. While some bloggers (1 [RUS], 2 [RUS]) consider it a victory of the opposition, others say, nothing had changed [RUS] – mayor's team is on it's place. Zyalt posts [RUS] pictures...

Russia, Czech Republic: “The Velvet Surrender”

  28 September 2010

Robert Amsterdam's blog links to an investigative report by Gregory Feifer and Brian Whitmore, published in the New Republic (full text available to subscribers only, however), which examines “Russia's ambitious nuclear diplomacy and foreign policy with the Czech Republic.”

Hungary: “Roma Reports”

  28 September 2010

“Roma reports” at Pestiside.hu: a video about a “Roma fashion show” recently held in Budapest; and a Romanian Roma music video that “seems to have… borrowed quite a bit” from a Hungarian Roma music video.

Russia: Moscow Mayor Luzhkov Fired

RuNet Echo  28 September 2010

Notes on the sacking of Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov: before (The Moscow Diaries and FP's Passport) and after (A Good Treaty, The Russia Monitor, Robert Amsterdam, Russia! and Windows to Russia).

Macedonia: Blogging for Proper Language Use

  27 September 2010

Two professional and licensed proofreaders, Biserka Velkovska and Maja Katarova, recently opened the blog Lektor [MKD] to dispense free advice on proper use of the grammar and other rules of the standard Macedonian language.

About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage

Filip Stojanovski
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Daria Dergacheva
Daria Dergacheva is the Eastern Europe editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.