Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from December, 2010
Hungary: Protesting the New Media Law
Hungarian Spectrum writes about the second wave of protests against the new media law.
Ukraine: Efforts to Save Tustan Preserve From Illegal Construction
The Uncataloged Museum writes about efforts to prevent illegal construction at an archeological fortress site in Western Ukraine: “Rather than wait for someone else to take action, a group of young people, led by the site's director, Vasyl Rozkho, organized a protest […]. A flash mob, photographs documenting the construction,...
Russia: New Language for Organised Crime
In Moscow's Shadows notes that “modern organised crime has in some ways evolved beyond the language” and “new terms for new types of organised crime figures” are needed.
Slovenia: More on Sunday's Referendum
Sleeping With Pengovsky writes more about Sunday's referendum, examining the potential benefits of the new public TV law.
Belarus: Election and Unrest
At OpenDemocracy.com, Olga Birukova writes about the upcoming presidential election in Belarus and the potential post-election protests: “No one actually knows what the level of protest could realistically be in a fully developed dictatorship in a country squeezed in between Russia and Europe.”
Russia: “Battle for Russia’s Heritage Resumes”
Clementine Cecil, a journalist and co-founder of the Moscow Architectural Preservation Society (MAPS), writes on OpenDemocracy.net about protests against the proposed amendments to Russia’s heritage law: “Experts have already written to President Medvedev to voice their concern with the proposals, arguing they would ‘place tens of thousands of monuments of...
Macedonia: Wikileaks Perceived as Samizdat
Prof. Jasna Koteska considers Wikileaks “the first global [samizdat].”
Russia: Winter in Yakutia
Photos and video of Yakutia's very cold winter – at eYakutia.
Poland: Eurostat Data on Safety
A discussion of how Poland compares to other countries safety-wise – at Polandian.
Russia: World Cup; Google's Mistake
Siberian Light writes about FIFA's announcement that Russia will host the 2018 World Cup. Profy.com notes that “Google hurries to congratulate Russia on World Cup results… and offends Russians” by putting the wrong flag on the “doodle” on the Russian domain.
Hungary: U.S.-Hungarian Relations
Hungarian Sprectrum writes about the “U.S.-Hungarian relations during the George W. Bush era.”
Russia: Khodorkovsky Legal Team on Trial and WikiLeaks
FP's Passport talks to Mikhail Khodorkovsky's legal team about the trial and the relevant WikiLeaks’ content.
Russia: Old and New Media Panel
A Good Treaty reports from the Old and New Media in Russia Today panel, held in Los Angeles on Nov. 19.
Belarus: Notes on Dec. 19 Presidential Election
Democratist writes about the upcoming Dec. 19 presidential election in Belarus – here and here.
Moldova: Election Results
Notes on the Moldova election results – at Democratist and Morning in Moldova (here and here).
Transnistria: A Trip to Tiraspol
The Kalpak writes about a short trip to Tiraspol, Transnistria. Morning in Moldova has more on the situation with Transnistria.
Estonia: Discussion of Cablegate Content
Itching for Eestimaa discusses the WikiLeaks’ Cablegate Estonia content.
Slovenia: National Radio and TV Referendum
Sleeping With Pengovsky reports that “Slovenia is to hold yet another referendum this Sunday, this time on the recently passed law on national radio-television, RTV Slovenia”: “In short, it’s about turning state radio and television into public radio and television once again.”
Serbia: Boycotting Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony
Belgraded.com writes about Serbia's decision to boycott this year's Nobel peace prize ceremony.
The Sad Fate of Russia's “YouTube Cops”
Several police officers have followed in the footsteps of Alexey Dymovskiy, uploading YouTube testimonies of wrongdoings within the police force in the past year. Unfortunately, nearly all have suffered arrests, beatings, firings or criminal prosecution, and justice has never been done.
Russia: Khimki Local Provider Blocked Environmentalist Website
Telincom, Khimki city Internet provider, applied regional blocking technique by preventing access of its users (all other users could freely access the website) to the environmentalist website ecmo.ru, kasparov.ru reported. The blocking started after the website began to collect signatures for the dismissal of the local mayor, Vladimir Strelchenko.
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