I am a Swedish specialist on politics and security in Russia and “Eastern Europe.” I have been dealing with the region on and off since the early 1990s and been around quite a lot.
At Vilhelm Konnander's Weblog I blog about all the thoughts and reflections within my field that I need to get out of my system. No wonder, given the theme of my blog: Politics & Security in Russia, Central & Eastern Europe & Central Asia. On Twitter @vkonnander.
Latest posts by Vilhelm Konnander from July, 2009
Latvia: Limiting civil liberties
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia argues that a new government proposal to expand security police powers would increasingly limit the scope of civil liberties in Latvia.
Ukraine: Running out of time to dissolve parliament
Ukraine Today draws attention to the coming week being the last when president Yushchenko can constitutionally dissolve parliament before the 2010 presidential elections.
Belarus: Europe's only non-free country
Bielar.us directs attention to the 2009 Freedom in the World Index, by Freedom House, showing Belarus as the only non-free country in Europe.
Russia: Rocket science in reverse
Streetwise Professor discusses the problems that the new Russian sea launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the Bulava, is still experiencing after years of testing.
Balkans-EU: Schengen's leftouts and letins
Eberhard Rhein of BlogactivEU writes about the EU's plans for visa deregulation to Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. Gray Falcon presents some critical views from the perspective of Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina, and Albanian Blogger gives his version on why also Albania is left out.
Estonia: Holes in the NATO-umbrella?
Itching for Eestimaa discusses whether Estonia's membership of NATO really is the security umbrella the country imagined when it sought entry into the organization.
Hungary: Economics opposition style
Hungarian Spectrum writes about what economic policies the country's opposition might have to offer for the upcoming 2010 parliamentary elections.
Lithuania: View from Vilnius on anti-gay law
Lituanica raises the heated issue of the new anti-gay legislation in Lithuania, and explains that it is still some way to go before it enters into force, not least as it confronts opposition from most educated and liberally inclined Lithuanians.
Russia: Birth of Pirate Party
LJ user savinkoff posts [RUS] the manifest of the recently founded Russian Pirate Party, following the pattern of protagonists for Internet freedom in the rest of Europe.
Russia: History of kommunalkas
English Russia presents an abridged history of soviet kommunlkas – communal apartments – with accompanying pictures.
Belarus: Arrests of opposition activists
LJ user ingannatore reports [RUS] on yesterday's arrests of some 50 opposition activists in Minsk and other cities in Belarus and goes on to comment the conduct of the authorities.
Russia: Reflections on Estemirova's murder
Sean's Russia Blog further reflects upon today's murder of Russian Human Rights’ activist Natalya Estemirova, and puts the case into wider perspective as for the general situation for freedom of speech and human rights in Russia.
Russia: Infringing on constitutional rights
LJ user srmt argues [RUS] that new regulations concerning correspondence is an infringement on the right of privacy regulated by the Russian constitution and the UN Declaration on Human Rights.
Russia: From Reykavik to Reset
Russian Life Blog publishes an interesting and initiated exposé of US-Russian relations from Reagan to Obama.
Russia: Medvedev, Obama, and the lot…
Windows to Russia! ironises over Obama's visit to Russia and Medvedev's visit to South Ossetia.
Russia: Politkovskaya laureate murdered
Just another death, just another obituary. That seems to be the general sentiment as news of today's murder of Russian Human Rights activist, Natalya Estemirova, broke. However, there are still people out there, in the Russian blogosphere, who challenge disillusion as yet another voice of conscience and tolerance is silenced by violent death.
Latvia: IMF raises the stakes
Baltic Economy Watch speculates upon what new conditions the IMF has set for Latvia to receive new loans to avert the country's financial crisis.
EU-Serbia: Visa freedom in 2010?
Popkitchen writes about rumours that the EU might lift visa regquirements for citizens of Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia in 2010. Americans for Bosnia reacts against Bosnia-Hercegovina, apparently, being excluded from this deal.
Lithuania: Interview with new president
Lituanica posts a translation of an interview in Verslo žinios with Lithuania's new president, Dalia Grybauskaite, upon her inauguration.
Slovenia: Averted assassination attempt
Sleeping with Pengovsky discusses the aftermath of an alleged assassination attempt on Slovenia's Prime Minister, Borut Pahor, and how the media is dealing with the incident.
Russia: GUM – a strategic object?
Your Life Will Turn Into Photography reports [RUS] that Moscow's world famous department store, GUM, apparently has been turned into a “strategic object,” along with an increasing number of Russian business ventures.
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