Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from August, 2008
Georgia, Russia: Interethnic Relationships
Tbilisi-based LJ user shupaka and Russian war journalist Vadim Rechkalov (LJ user voinodel) share stories about interethnic relationships in Georgia and North Ossetia, Russia, in the time of conflict between the two countries.
Ukraine: Tymoshenko's Response to “Accusations of Treason”
Ukrainiana examines PM Yulia Tymoshenko's response to “accusations of treason.”
Kuwait: Parading Purchases at the Olympics
Arabs really love shopping, they spend hours after hours in malls, and that's why they wanted to show their shopping skills at this year's Summer Olympics. Unfortunately shopping is not included in the games, but this couldn't stop some Arabs from parading their purchases.
Georgia: Pulitzer Crisis Analysis
Untold Stories, Dispatches from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, quotes from a speech made by its Executive Director blaming all sides for the crisis in Georgia. In a second post, the blog examines the issue of Abkhazia's independence.
Georgia: Russian-Georgian News Item Translations
Exercises in Translation has started translating news items in Russian and Georgian on the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In the two most recent posts, for example, the blog translates a news item on Russian president Dmitri Medvedev's interview to French TF-1 and a Georgian...
Georgia: The View from Tbilisi
Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal is in Tbilisi and reports from the Georgian capital on a recent press conference given by the government's media advisor. The blog also recounts a conversation on the conflict with Russia between Totten and veteran Caucasus journalist and author, Thomas Goltz.
Poland: Reactions to the Russian-Georgian Conflict
The beatroot writes that “Poland – in the shape of its government and particularly its president, Lech Kaczynski – has been using the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi to nail their colours to the mast of “protecting freedom and democracy” of the brave young George against the might of an...
Hungary: Reaction to the Russian-Georgian Conflict
“Hungary's reaction to the Russian-Georgian conflict is in line with that of the European Union,” Hungarian Spectrum reports. “Given Hungary's energy needs and its reliance on Russian gas and oil the country can't afford to lash out against Russia.”
Estonia: Setomaa
Itching for Eestimaa writes about a recent trip to Setomaa, “the southeastern most corner of Estonia, the home of the Orthodox, Finno-Ugric Setu people.”
Czech Republic: iPhone Has Arrived
The Czech Daily Word writes about the arrival of iPhone in the Czech Republic.
Bulgaria: Institutionalized Children With Disabilities
Maya of Maya's Corner follows up on her earlier posts on Bulgaria's institutionalized disabled children and posts an account by a woman who adopted two Bulgarian Roma children ten years ago and managed to locate her adoptive daughter's twin sister.
Serbia: Belgrade's New Mayor; Monopoly
East Ethnia reports that Belgrade has got a new mayor – and is now featured in the international version of Monopoly.
Ukraine: “Gender Equality and Genuine Democracy”
Mayia guestblogs at The 8th Circle about “gender and democracy” in Ukraine.
Georgia: Blogging from Poti
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is once again blogging from Georgian towns under Russian military occupation. The station's Tea Absaridze is providing daily updates on the situation in the strategic Black Sea port of Poti, currently controlled by the Russian military despite a ceasefire agreement requiring Moscow to withdraw...
Russia, Georgia: Unilateral Recognition of Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's Independence
Russia has formally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia today. Below are some of the initial reactions from LiveJournal's Cyrillic sector.
Georgia: Photo Blogs
Georgia & South Caucasus posts a selection of images from two photo blogs taken in the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian conflict over South Ossetia. The photos include those of IDPs in Tbilisi and from the strategic town of Gori which was until recently occupied by Russian troops.
Ukraine: More on Independence Day Parade
Greetings from Kyiv writes about this year's Independence Day in Kyiv: “In the last few years, Ukraine focused on featuring non-profit organizations and cultural groups in their Independence Day parade, but this year, they decided to go back to holding a military parade.”
Ukraine: Independence Day Parade and Tymoshenko
Petro of Petro's Jotter was watching live coverage of the Independence Day parade in Kyiv: “[Yulia Tymoshenko] was not shown in any of the coverage. I wonder where she is celebrating?”
Georgia: Pepsikolka's Dispatches From Poti
OpenDemocracy.net posts translations of posts by LJ user pepsikolka (Samira Kuznetsova), a blogger living in Poti, Georgia: here, here, and here. (Earlier GV translations of pepsikolka‘s posts are here and here.)
Georgia: Russian Parliament Recognizes Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Unzipped comments on news that the Russian parliament has voted to recognize the independence of the breakway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia. The Armenian blog says that the move sets an important precedent for resolving another frozen conflict in the region — Nagorno Karabakh.
Georgia: Dispatches
My The Caucasian Knot has posts accompanied by photographs of a press conference given by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, an account of attempts to get into the Russian-occupied town of Gori, humanitarian concerns in Tbilisi following an influx of IDPs, and a report...
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