Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from July, 2008
Russia: Prostitution To Be Legalised?
LJ user mbpolyakov discusses (RUS) proposals and rising support for legalising prostitution in Russia.
Lithuania: President Abstains from Attending Olympics
Lituanica reports that the Lithuanian president, Valdas Adamkus, has decided not to attend the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.
Russia: An Expat Exodus?
Copydude follows up on an earlier story, on increasing difficulties for foreigners to stay on in Russia, and partly supports his claim with statistics, and Russia Blog picks up and develops the story.
Russia: Military Service Exchanged for Construction Work?
LJ user dragspapa reports (RUS) about a proposal that young people should be able to do construction work as an alternative to military service.
Belarus: Failed States Index
Belaruskaya palityka LJ community recounts (RUS) this year's Foreign Policy Failed States Index and notes that Belarus ends up on 53rd place out of 60.
Russia: 30 July in History
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis accounts for a few examples on what has happened on the 30th of July in Russian history.
Russia: Evictions in Sochi for 2014 Winter Olympics
Grigory Pasko at Robert Amsterdam addresses the problems local population in Sochi are experiencing as plans and building for the 2014 Winter Olympics go ahead.
Ukraine: Protests Against Image as a “Brothel of Europe”
The Turkish Invasion writes about a demonstration in Kiev, staged by a women's student organisation, in protest against the widespread image of Ukraine as a “brothel-state and bridebasket of Europe.”
Russia: Calls for Reinstating Regional Elections
LJ user Aleksandr Gnezdilov notes (RUS) that an increasing number of Russian politicians call for the return of regional elections in Russia, abolished after the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis.
Serbia: Liveblogging the Riot
LimbicNutrition Weblog was liveblogging the rioting in Belgrade.
Ukraine: Flooding
Ukrainiana reviews media reports on the flooding in Western Ukraine, which has killed at least 22 people, including six children.
Serbia: Pro-Karadzic Rioting in Belgrade
Balkan File writes about the pro-Karadzic rally in Belgrade and reports that the city's center “now looks a complete mess.”
Hungary: Gas Pipeline and Relations With Russia and the U.S.
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Hungary's negotiations with Russia on the Southern Stream gas pipeline and the effect it is having on the U.S.-Hungarian relations.
Serbia, Russia: Karadzic's and “Russian Energy Imperialism”
James of Robert Amsterdam's Blog is wondering whether “Karadzic arrest [could be] a response to Russian energy imperialism.”
Russia: The Mechel Affair
Updates on PM Vladimir Putin's attack on the steel and coal giant Mechel – at Robert Amsterdam's Blog (here, here, and here).
Ukraine: Battles for Dniproenergo
Kremlin, Inc. writes about the battles for Dniproenergo: “Of course, while they may make for interesting reading, such events are not very helpful for Ukraine’s business world…”
Ukraine: Lenin and Church Bells
Copydude writes about the decision of Lutsk authorities to “remelt [the town's] Lenin monument into church bells.”
Latvia: Teasing the Guards
Arnis Balcus posts photos from the early 1990s, when it was still possible to “tease the guards at the Freedom Monument in Riga.”
Hungary: Higher Education
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Hungary's system of higher education.
Czech Republic: Fear of the Olympic China
The Czech Daily Word explains why “Czech athletes are a little afraid to go to China.”
Bosnia & Herzegovina: 7 Serbs Convicted
Srebrenica Genocide Blog reports on the sentencing of “Milenko Trifunović, Brano Džinić, and Aleksandar Radovanović to forty-two (42) years long-term imprisonment, the Accused Miloš Stupar, Slobodan Jakovljević, and Branislav Medan to forty (40) years long-term imprisonment, and the Accused Petar Mitrović to thirty-eight (38) years long-term imprisonment”: “All 7 Accused...
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.
