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SOS FROM LUKASHENKA, HUNGRY IN HUNGARY, ARMENIA'S AUTUMN POLITICS
by Timothy Spence
Transitions Online
http://www.tol.org/client/article/22666-sos-from-lukashenka-hungry-in-hungary-armenias-autumn-politics.html
Sept 2 2011
Czech Rep.
Plus, leaks about Russia's exclusive men's club, Balkan talks, and
what Islam Karimov didn't say on Independence Day
1. Lukashenka May Seek Help from Foreign Armies
Alyaksandr Lukashenka appears so threatened by popular dissent over
Belarus' crumbling economy that he reportedly wants to call in the
troops to help - foreign troops.
According to an analysis in the Russian news agency RiaNovosti, the
Belarusian president seeks to expand the use the Collective Rapid
Reaction Force, which comprises units from seven former Soviet
Republics. The multinational force is on call to deter external
aggression and to provide joint support for counter-terrorism
operations and disaster assistance. Lukashenka is reportedly seeking
to expand its mandate to quell domestic unrest.
RiaNovosti commentators Konstantin Bogdanov and Maria Selivanova
suggest that the main contributor to the force, Russia, may not be
keen on the idea. Facing economic woes and discontent, the Lukashenka
regime has become increasingly ruthless toward dissidents since he
was elected to a third term in December.
2. Another Round of Talks for Kosovo and Serbia
Serbia and Kosovo are heading back to the negotiating table following
a stormy summer pause.
A report by Europolitics in Brussels says the two sides are likely
to take up issues related to customs, which were left unresolved when
talks were canceled in July. The negotiations are being brokered by a
special European Union envoy and focus on trade and other cooperation,
but skirt the controversy over recognition. Meanwhile, Balkan Insight
reports that Serbia has lost 9 million euros worth of trade since
Kosovo banned Serbian imports in July. The loss could rise to 250
million euros by the end of the year, the report says.
EU officials are pressing Serbia to improve relations with its former
province if the country ever hopes to join the European bloc. But
TOL's Tihomir Loza recently analyzed the broader question of whether
Kosovo can ever become an EU state without Serbian recognition.
3. A Diplomatic Zinger for Russia's 'Male Bastion'
When was the last time you saw a female Russian ambassador? According
to the London's Telegraph daily, America's top diplomat in Moscow
thinks that sexism is "rampant" in the Russian Foreign Ministry.
John BeyrleThe Telegraph's item on the latest WikiLeaks documents
says U.S. Ambassador John Beyrle wrote that the Russian ministry is
"a bastion of Slavic males," and that women roaming around the halls of
the ministry "are typically secretaries or freshly minted attaches who
have yet to go overseas." Women reportedly comprise some 15 percent
of Russia's diplomatic corps.
Perhaps things will change with Valentina Matviyenko as the new
speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian
parliament. As TOL's Galina Stolyarova recently reported, the former
St. Petersburg mayor was anointed to the post with the help of
President Dmitry Medvedev (and a healthy dose of back-room politics).
4. From Arab Spring to Armenian Autumn?
After a long spring and summer of anti-government protests in the
Arab world, one of Armenia's main opposition groups is threatening
to take to the streets in the tiny Christian country, claiming one
of its activists is being held as a political prisoner.
Members of the Armenian National Congress recently suspended
talks with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia over early
elections, according to a report by the respected Yerevan news site
ArmeniaNow.com. Government authorities accuse the opposition movement
of deliberately terminating the discussions.
With Armenia due to head into elections by next year, there are
painful reminders of its chaotic elections 19 February 2008.
Opposition groups challenging the Republican Party's sweeping victory
took to the streets, leading to mass arrests and the killing of 10
people and wounding of scores of others, according to an OSCE report.
The government temporarily imposed martial law and restricted
independent reporting, drawing protests from human rights groups as
well as the former Soviet republic's important American and European
allies.
5. Super-sizing it costs more in Hungary
Hungary is trying to take a bite out of its weight problem. From the
start of September, cakes and other sugary confections are subject to a
"fat tax."
Germany's SpiegelOnline reports that the tax, equivalent to 0.37
euros, will also cover foods with high fat and salt content. Prime
Minister Viktor Orban has said the tax is aimed at making those
who eat unhealthy foods pay more for health care. "In other words,"
SpiegelOnline reports, "the new law is based on the idea that those
whose diets land them in the hospital should help foot the bill,
particularly in a country with a health care deficit of 370 million
euros."
6. What Wasn't Said on Uzbek Independence Day
What do you say when you are the Soviet-era leader of your country,
still clinging to power, and you have to give a speech about your
country's 20th anniversary of independence?
Islam KarimovJudging by the speech of Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov, you
talk a lot about "noble thoughts," prosperity, and "honorable duty"
but avoid some of the nastier bits about the past couple of decades.
Bruce Pannier of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty apparently didn't
expect the Uzbek president to talk about the latter when he offered
a few suggestions on what Karimov wouldn't say in advance of the 1
September holiday. Pannier mentions the Andijan uprisings in May 2005,
when security forces killed up to 750 people (the government claims
they were Islamic militants and puts the death toll at 169). He
also recalls the 24 October 2007 murder of Alisher Saipov, a young
journalist known for his daring reporting in a country where free
expression has never been in abundance.
Karimov, a voluminous author, has been in power longer than his
country has been independent.
7. Albanian Organized Crime Research Center Accused of Illegal Activity
News to scratch your head by: SEtimes.com reports that the Albanian
Interior Ministry is seeking to shut down an independent group that
researches terrorism and organized crime. The report says the Albanian
Study Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime allegedly engaged in
"unconstitutional conduct and illegal activities."
Specifically, it said .. Well, actually, it didn't say much
specifically. The group allegedly "operated as a private investigative
police by applying methods characteristic of the state." There's
something about people with criminal records having ID cards,
presumably from the center, "and other documents that could be
misleading for the citizens." The police are also investigating the
center for embezzlement, according to the report.
8. How Do I Love Thee? Pretty Quickly, If I'm Lithuanian
We, um, love this story: the Baltic Times reports on a survey of
adults from the United States, Russia, and Lithuania that found that
Eastern Europeans fall in love more quickly than Americans. Most
Yanks reported taking, say, two months to a year to fall, compared
with 90 percent of Lithuanian respondents saying they typically fell
within a month of meeting one another. They also seem to fall out of
love pretty quickly. "The idea that romantic love was temporary and
inconsequential was frequently cited by Lithuanians and Russians, but
not by U.S. respondents," the Times quotes the survey as saying. The
research was carried out by the State University of New York at New
Paltz and Russia's Moscow State University for the Humanities.
Timothy Spence is TOL's former managing editor and a European-based
freelance writer, editor, and journalism trainer.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Timothy Spence
Transitions Online
http://www.tol.org/client/article/22666-sos-from-lukashenka-hungry-in-hungary-armenias-autumn-politics.html
Sept 2 2011
Czech Rep.
Plus, leaks about Russia's exclusive men's club, Balkan talks, and
what Islam Karimov didn't say on Independence Day
1. Lukashenka May Seek Help from Foreign Armies
Alyaksandr Lukashenka appears so threatened by popular dissent over
Belarus' crumbling economy that he reportedly wants to call in the
troops to help - foreign troops.
According to an analysis in the Russian news agency RiaNovosti, the
Belarusian president seeks to expand the use the Collective Rapid
Reaction Force, which comprises units from seven former Soviet
Republics. The multinational force is on call to deter external
aggression and to provide joint support for counter-terrorism
operations and disaster assistance. Lukashenka is reportedly seeking
to expand its mandate to quell domestic unrest.
RiaNovosti commentators Konstantin Bogdanov and Maria Selivanova
suggest that the main contributor to the force, Russia, may not be
keen on the idea. Facing economic woes and discontent, the Lukashenka
regime has become increasingly ruthless toward dissidents since he
was elected to a third term in December.
2. Another Round of Talks for Kosovo and Serbia
Serbia and Kosovo are heading back to the negotiating table following
a stormy summer pause.
A report by Europolitics in Brussels says the two sides are likely
to take up issues related to customs, which were left unresolved when
talks were canceled in July. The negotiations are being brokered by a
special European Union envoy and focus on trade and other cooperation,
but skirt the controversy over recognition. Meanwhile, Balkan Insight
reports that Serbia has lost 9 million euros worth of trade since
Kosovo banned Serbian imports in July. The loss could rise to 250
million euros by the end of the year, the report says.
EU officials are pressing Serbia to improve relations with its former
province if the country ever hopes to join the European bloc. But
TOL's Tihomir Loza recently analyzed the broader question of whether
Kosovo can ever become an EU state without Serbian recognition.
3. A Diplomatic Zinger for Russia's 'Male Bastion'
When was the last time you saw a female Russian ambassador? According
to the London's Telegraph daily, America's top diplomat in Moscow
thinks that sexism is "rampant" in the Russian Foreign Ministry.
John BeyrleThe Telegraph's item on the latest WikiLeaks documents
says U.S. Ambassador John Beyrle wrote that the Russian ministry is
"a bastion of Slavic males," and that women roaming around the halls of
the ministry "are typically secretaries or freshly minted attaches who
have yet to go overseas." Women reportedly comprise some 15 percent
of Russia's diplomatic corps.
Perhaps things will change with Valentina Matviyenko as the new
speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian
parliament. As TOL's Galina Stolyarova recently reported, the former
St. Petersburg mayor was anointed to the post with the help of
President Dmitry Medvedev (and a healthy dose of back-room politics).
4. From Arab Spring to Armenian Autumn?
After a long spring and summer of anti-government protests in the
Arab world, one of Armenia's main opposition groups is threatening
to take to the streets in the tiny Christian country, claiming one
of its activists is being held as a political prisoner.
Members of the Armenian National Congress recently suspended
talks with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia over early
elections, according to a report by the respected Yerevan news site
ArmeniaNow.com. Government authorities accuse the opposition movement
of deliberately terminating the discussions.
With Armenia due to head into elections by next year, there are
painful reminders of its chaotic elections 19 February 2008.
Opposition groups challenging the Republican Party's sweeping victory
took to the streets, leading to mass arrests and the killing of 10
people and wounding of scores of others, according to an OSCE report.
The government temporarily imposed martial law and restricted
independent reporting, drawing protests from human rights groups as
well as the former Soviet republic's important American and European
allies.
5. Super-sizing it costs more in Hungary
Hungary is trying to take a bite out of its weight problem. From the
start of September, cakes and other sugary confections are subject to a
"fat tax."
Germany's SpiegelOnline reports that the tax, equivalent to 0.37
euros, will also cover foods with high fat and salt content. Prime
Minister Viktor Orban has said the tax is aimed at making those
who eat unhealthy foods pay more for health care. "In other words,"
SpiegelOnline reports, "the new law is based on the idea that those
whose diets land them in the hospital should help foot the bill,
particularly in a country with a health care deficit of 370 million
euros."
6. What Wasn't Said on Uzbek Independence Day
What do you say when you are the Soviet-era leader of your country,
still clinging to power, and you have to give a speech about your
country's 20th anniversary of independence?
Islam KarimovJudging by the speech of Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov, you
talk a lot about "noble thoughts," prosperity, and "honorable duty"
but avoid some of the nastier bits about the past couple of decades.
Bruce Pannier of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty apparently didn't
expect the Uzbek president to talk about the latter when he offered
a few suggestions on what Karimov wouldn't say in advance of the 1
September holiday. Pannier mentions the Andijan uprisings in May 2005,
when security forces killed up to 750 people (the government claims
they were Islamic militants and puts the death toll at 169). He
also recalls the 24 October 2007 murder of Alisher Saipov, a young
journalist known for his daring reporting in a country where free
expression has never been in abundance.
Karimov, a voluminous author, has been in power longer than his
country has been independent.
7. Albanian Organized Crime Research Center Accused of Illegal Activity
News to scratch your head by: SEtimes.com reports that the Albanian
Interior Ministry is seeking to shut down an independent group that
researches terrorism and organized crime. The report says the Albanian
Study Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime allegedly engaged in
"unconstitutional conduct and illegal activities."
Specifically, it said .. Well, actually, it didn't say much
specifically. The group allegedly "operated as a private investigative
police by applying methods characteristic of the state." There's
something about people with criminal records having ID cards,
presumably from the center, "and other documents that could be
misleading for the citizens." The police are also investigating the
center for embezzlement, according to the report.
8. How Do I Love Thee? Pretty Quickly, If I'm Lithuanian
We, um, love this story: the Baltic Times reports on a survey of
adults from the United States, Russia, and Lithuania that found that
Eastern Europeans fall in love more quickly than Americans. Most
Yanks reported taking, say, two months to a year to fall, compared
with 90 percent of Lithuanian respondents saying they typically fell
within a month of meeting one another. They also seem to fall out of
love pretty quickly. "The idea that romantic love was temporary and
inconsequential was frequently cited by Lithuanians and Russians, but
not by U.S. respondents," the Times quotes the survey as saying. The
research was carried out by the State University of New York at New
Paltz and Russia's Moscow State University for the Humanities.
Timothy Spence is TOL's former managing editor and a European-based
freelance writer, editor, and journalism trainer.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress