· December, 2006

Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from December, 2006

Belarus, Russia: Gas Problems

  26 December 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog writes that the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom “is not going to tolerate Lukashenka’s bluff and proceeds from warnings to direct actions.”

Bulgaria, Libya: Tripoli Six Death Sentence

  26 December 2006

Declan Butler writes about the Tripoli Six death sentence: “That is despite the fact that this was not a fair and impartial trial, and that the court refused to hear the considerable body of international scientific evidence that could exonerate the medics, and show that this is a typical hospital-borne...

Ukraine, Poland: Traffic Jam

  25 December 2006

Abdymok writes about a neglected story of “a 20 kilometer-long line of cars, buses, and trucks trying to make it back to ukraine before the new year . . . polish border guards with machine guns. eye witnesses say little kids are sick and dying. they say the crossing zone...

Russia: “No Bears, Only Beauties” in St. Pete

  25 December 2006

Russian Marketing Blog writes about a St. Petersburg promotion campaign: “It would cost the City Council about 1 million Euros to place 300 billboards in London, Amsterdam and Paris till the middle of December.”

Russia: A Blogger's Short Stories

  25 December 2006

Copydude is posting short stories – one, two, three, four – he wrote while in Tatarstan: “They come under the category of ‘True Lies’ – or what writers prefer to call ’semi-documentary’. I wrote them about real people – but sourced largely from local gossip.”

Russia: Litvinovich on Beslan Report

  25 December 2006

David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates a piece by Marina Litvinovich, an activist and founder of the Truth of Beslan portal; she writes: “Another of the report’s conclusions is that 32 people took part in the school seizure, of whom 31 were killed and one has been...

Poland: Honorary King

  25 December 2006

The beatroot reports: “46 members of the Polish parliament have tabled a motion to name Jesus Christ as the ‘honorary King of the Republic of Poland’. […] There is an historical precedent to this mad move, however. The Virgin Mary was made Honorary Queen of Poland 350 years ago by...

Croatia: War Crimes

  25 December 2006

Neretva River writes: “As exhumations begin at Osijek's central cemetery as part of the Croatian judiciary's investigation of war crimes committed against Osijek's non-Croat civilian population during December 1991, 2006 could prove to have been the year that domestic courts in Croatia demonstrated that they are serious about prosecuting war...

Russia: Arkhangelsk Mayor For President

  22 December 2006

Russia From The Inside tells of the “strange things” that began to happen to the mayor of Arkhangelsk after he decided to run for president of Russia in 2008.

Estonia: Estonica

  22 December 2006

A Step At A Time links to Estonica, “a web encyclopedia about Estonia, in English and Estonian.”

Poland: No Banking Experience

  22 December 2006

Traveling Life writes about the man with no relevant experience who has been appointed to run Poland's main banking group.

Hungary: “The Peaceful Majority”

  22 December 2006

Pestcentric writes about Hungary's “peaceful majority”: “Although I think this whole “I’m the peaceful majority” postcard thing is a nice gesture, it’s empty. Firstly, because those against whom it is addressed obviously don’t care. Second, because the majority of the peaceful majority is an angry majority within the majority, (got...

Romania, Bulgaria: Joining the EU

  22 December 2006

Neretva River writes about the EU's “unwelcome newest members”: “Romania and Bulgaria will join the EU on January 1st with less fanfare than any other previous EU enlargement.”

Lithuania: Camerata Klaipeda

  21 December 2006

Music and Life – Everywhere! writes about the Lithuanian Camerata Klaipeda – “a very interesting little string orchestra” – and other music matters.

Estonia, Latvia: EU for Non-Citizens

  21 December 2006

Itching for Eestimaa reports that the Council of the European Union now permits non-citizen residents of Latvia and Estonia to travel in the EU without visas: “Hopefully those newcomers that couldn't make it in Estonia can press their luck elsewhere.”

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.