Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from December, 2007
Russia: Kozlovsky's Forced Conscription
Robert Amsterdam's blog follows the story of a Russian youth movement leader's forced conscription to army – here, here and here.
Russia: “Espionage Obsessed State”
James of Robert Amsterdam's blog posts a translation of a Russian article on “the social reality of an espionage obsessed state.” The article's last line is: “Having lost vigilance, Russia may not only not notice the beginning of a new cold war, but may even fail to notice its transition...
Russia: More on Putin the Person of the Year
Further discussion of Time Magazine's Person of the Year pick – at Sean's Russia Blog (27 comments) and Scraps of Moscow (22 comments).
Russia: Robert Amsterdam's Alternative Person of the Year
Robert Amsterdam insists that “TIME’s choice is a great thing for Russia and her people, as we can all take a much closer look now at what is going on (and what’s going wrong) in this great nation.” He also picks his blog's own Person of the Year: The Russian...
Russia: Time Magazine's “Successful Ploy”
Perspectives on the New Russia writes that Time Magazine's decision to name Vladimir Putin its Person of the Year is “a successful ploy serving the interests of both political and media elites on both side of the Russia-US divide. Whether it serves the interests of the Russian people or the...
Ukraine, Russia: On Tymoshenko, Yanukovych and Putin
Foreign Notes writes about Yulia Tymoshenko's TV address and Viktor Yanukovych's “shadow opposition government” – as well as Vladimir Putin's misrepresentation of Ukraine's Russophone population in his Time Magazine interview and a subsequent reaction of the head of Donetsk region, who “emphasized that the Russian-speaking population of his oblast, which...
Ukraine: PM Tymoshenko, Pro & Con
Kiev Blogger believes “Tymoshenko as PM is probably the worst thing that could happen to Ukraine at the moment”: “The only positive thing about it (and it's only positive from a very strategic point of view), is that Ukraine really does have real political competition, backed up by the competition...
Ukraine, France: Prank Protest at Charles de Gaulle
Orange Ukraine writes about the brief arrest of two Ukrainian journalists at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris – for what seems like an exhausted transit passengers’ prank.
Ukraine: New Government
Orange Ukraine writes about priorities of Yulia Tymoshenko's cabinet and about the transfer of power from the old government to the new.
Russia: “Nashi” and Feminism
Natalia Antonova writes about Nashi pro-Putin youth movement – and about feminism in the former Soviet Union: “So is there feminism in Russia today? Yes. Only in many instances, it doesn’t go by that name. And perhaps never will. Is there feminism among Nashi members? I don’t believe the members...
Serbia: Kosovo Roma
TOL's Romantic writes about about Kosovo's Roma and a new blog about this minority group.
Soviet History: The Red Terror
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about the history of Cheka and the Red Terror.
Serbia: 50 Cent in Kosovo
Prishtine: Independence and Kanun hosts a discussion of 50 Cent's recent concert in Kosovo.
The Balkans: Fighting Genocide Deniers
Srebrenica Genocide Blog has two new posts up: on the atrocities of 1943, and on Darko Trifunovic, a “Srebrenica genocide denier” employed by the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Security Studies. In a comment, Alan Jakšić of Serbian Anarchist recommends that Daniel of Srebrenica Genocide Blog file a “formal complaint”...
The Balkans: A Blogroll, Sort Of
Balkan Anarchist posts a blogroll of sorts, listing all blogs (mostly Balkan, but not exclusively so) he has left comments at in 2007. Of special notice are Genocide in Bosnia, a blog by an exile from Srebrenica, and this discussion at Srebrenica Genocide Blog.
Albania: On Corruption and Bribery
Kolin of Living in Shkoder writes about corruption in Albania and answers a reader's question: “As a foreigner, have you ever bribed an Albanian official?”
Albania: Wood Burning Stoves
Living in Shkoder writes about winter and wood burning stoves in Albania.
Russia, Moldova: Interview With Natalia Morar
An interview with journalist Natalia Morar by Grigory Pasko – at Robert Amsterdam's blog.
Russia: Lyudmila Ulitskaya
Russian Blog writes about Lyudmila Ulitskaya's latest – and, possibly, her last – novel, “Daniel Stein, translator”: “After being such a prolific writer for many years, and after the huge work she put into her last effort, she of course deserves a break. Anyone who has read this masterpiece would...
Russia: Putin's Year
Vladimir Putin has been in the news a lot lately. If it's not the overwhelmingly overwhelming majority of Russians voting for his party, then it's Time Magazine naming him as its Person of the Year. Below are some initial reactions to today's piece of Putin news from Anglophone Russia bloggers.
Romania: Health Care
Transatlantic Politics writes about the disastrous state of Romanian health care.
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
