Latest posts by Vilhelm Konnander
Latvia: Uncertain Election Outcome
Veikko Spolitis of Baltic blog discusses the uncertain political situation in Latvia subsequent to the 23 July referendum resulting in a call for new parliamentary elections on September 17, where a third of the electorate is undecided whom to vote for.
USA-Russia: Pros and Cons of the Reset Policy
Morning in Moldova joins an intensifying discussion about the US Russia reset policy, and lists pros and cons with the Obama administration's relations to Moscow.
Poland: Can Communist Architecture Be Cherished?
Michael Dembinski of W-wa Jeziorki discusses whether edifices of communist era architecture, such as Warszawa Zachodnia station, can be as cherished as older historical landmarks.
Hungary: Memory of a Political Thinker
Eva Balogh of Hungarian Spectrum commemorates István Bibó (1911-1975), who in her opinion is one of the greatest political thinkers in Hungary during the 20th century.
Estonia: A Breivik of Tallinn?
Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa draws parallels between the confused motives of Oslo killer Anders Breivik and Karen Drambjan and his failed attempt at attacking the Estonian Ministry of Defence in Tallinn on 11 August.
Russia: Moscow Calls for Limited OSCE Election Observation
The Democratist argues that the OSCE should not bulge to Russian demands to limit the number of election observers for the December 2011 parliamentary elections in the country.
Russia-Georgia-US: Versions of War
Eugene Ivanov of The Ivanov Report – on the third anniversary of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war – argues that US demands that Georgia should control its entire territory to become a NATO-member was a key motivation for escalation of the South Ossetian conflict into outright war.
US-Russia: Reset in the Balance
Gordon Hahn of Russia: Other Points of View provides perspective to the gradual decay of US Russia reset policy against the background of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war and increasing political turmoil in Ukraine.
Russia: Prokhorov Launches Pravoe Delo Pre-election Campaign
Kevin Rothrock of A Good Treaty presents an extensive analysis on billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov and his Kremlin-close opposition party Pravoe Delo [ru], as the party joins an intensifying campaign to lay the ground for success in parliamentary elections due in December this year.
Russia: No Exaggeration in Rumours of Reset Death?
Edward Lozansky of Russia Blog argues that the US Russia reset policy is losing steam in view of decreased domestic support and increasing opposition.
Russia: Babe Armies of Putin, Medvedev and Limonov
Gerhard Mangott reports [ger] that the use of Russian pre-election campaign videos with scantily clad girls now has spread from Prime Minister Putin [ru], via President Medvedev [ru], to National Bolshevik leader Limonov [ru].
Lithuania-Belarus: Banks Help Prosecute Opposition Activist
Albatros of Litauen blog discusses [ger] how Lithuanian banks and authorities have delivered information on bank accounts of Belarusan opposition groups, which has led to the prosecution of Viasna activist Ales Belyatsky for tax evasion.
Germany: 50th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall
Kelly Hignett at The View East writes about the Berlin wall, and its historical significance as a divide between East and West, as it is now 50 years since the wall – demolished in 1989 – was constructed.
Russia: Soviet Sources to Middle East Actions
Vladimir Kara-Murza of World Affairs blog discusses a recently published book – Behind the Desert Storm – by Russian emigré Pavel Stroilov, which is based on secret soviet archives concerning policies towards the Middle East.
Poland-Russia: Haunting Memories of Afghanistan
Leoš Tomíček of Austere Insomniac reports that Russian ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, is asking whether Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, killed soviet soldiers in Afghanistan during the 1980s, when working as a journalist there with Afghan guerilla fighters.
Russia: Arctic and the Northern Sea Route
Mia Bennett at Foreign Policy Association writes about an ongoing international conference, hosted by Russia, about the future of Arctic resources and the opening of sea routes in the Norhtern Sea.
Russia: Much to defend but too few men
Streetwise Professor reflects upon the future of Russian defence from a piece by Russian Military Reform blog, and concludes that the only viable option for the country is to downscale its forces.
Ukraine: Language Confusion
Austere Insomniac thinks that Ukraine's former PM Yulia Tymoshenko's insistence of having Russian interpreted to Ukrainian in the court-case against her is silly, as Russian is her mother tongue, and goes on to discuss language issues in Ukraine.
Ukraine: Time for a Change?
Vasyl of uaMuzik argues that it is time for new and independent politicians to enter the Ukrainian political scene, so that the country will be able to leave the conflicts and controveries of current politicians behind.
Ukraine: Courtroom Mudslinging
LEvko of Foreign Notes discusses how Ukrainian Prime Minister, Mykola Azarov, appeared as an unexpected witness in the trial against his predecessor, Yulia Tymoshenko, which resulted in loads of political mudslinging.
Ukraine: US and Russia Condemn Tymoshenko Arrest
Andy Young of Siberian Light reports that for once both Russia and the US stand united on one issue of international relations, namely their common condemnation of the arrest of former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko.
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