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August 26th, 2008
Russia to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
Russian lawmakers almost unanimously voted to grant recognition to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Although the ruling is merely a recommendation to the Russian authorities, it is also a concrete sign that Russia might move to recognize these breakaway states. Both breakaway leaders — Kokoiti (South Ossetia) and Bagapsh (Abkhazia) — were in Duma gleefully applauding their [...]

August 20th, 2008
Why Russia is wrong to attack Georgia
Russia’s invasion of Georgia has finally brought out to light processes that have been taking place for 2 decades now. 17 years ago, when Georgia was at war with the same Abkhazian and South Ossetian regions, Russia secretly supported the breakaway leadership with military, economic and human resources. Since then, Russia has repeatedly tried to [...]

August 10th, 2008
Russia at war with Georgia
Georgia is openly invaded by Russian military forces. Cities and villages of the entire country are bombed. Hundreds of civilians are being killed, thousands of people are homeless, material loss for the country infrastructure is vast. Georgia never wanted the war. We are punished for our aspiration to become part of democratic world. Today our choice [...]

July 17th, 2008
Culture of Democracy in Georgia
A big question hangs over the quality of democracy in Georgia. On the paper all looks good: the country is governed by the champion of the democratic revolution and an erudite western educated lawyer Mikheil Saakashvili. There are institutions that are supposed to safeguard collective decision making and ensure justice in the society. There is [...]

July 15th, 2008
Burjanadze’s ambitious comeback
Nino Burjanadze, the former Saakashvili’s frontline guru and the parliament speaker is back into the Georgian politics after a brief retirement motivated by a power sharing bust up with the ex-boss Saakashvili. Burjanadze established a foundation that in theory aims to help the Georgian democracy develop, thrive, prosper, propel and vive. In short, she seeks [...]

July 15th, 2008
Romen Theatre
Romen Theatre is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world. The theatre is a key object of Romani culture in Russia, and from the moment of its foundation in 1931, it has been a centre of attraction for Romani artists in Russia. Forerunners of Romen Theatre In the 18th and 19th centuries, [...]

June 20th, 2008
When friends meet in the conflict zones
The conflict zones continue to heat up as incidents and “provocations” take place on weekly basis. Abkhazia and South Ossetia fear war. There is suspicion in Georgia that Russia is annexing those territories though carrying out its plan of “providing social assistance to its citizens”. Russia has many other things on mind. A few days ago, [...]

June 18th, 2008
Democratization
Georgia’s public defender evaluated the recent parliamentarian elections in Georgia as the “worst in the country’s history”. Unlike previous falsifications, this time the state resources were directed at intimidating, blackmailing or bribing the voters — says Sozar Subari in an interview with the Georgian newspaper Asaval-dasavali. The international organizations observing the elections, of course, noticed [...]

June 6th, 2008
Forget politics, watch football
“Prime-time” is a popular political talk show hosted by the former Imedi TV journalist Inga Grigolia. This is the only TV program in Georgia that broadcasts live debates between the opposition and authorities. Some call it Georgia’s “only island of free speech”. Needless to say, the bi-weekly evening show attracts a lot of interest. Recently it [...]

June 1st, 2008
The Lost Colony
I went to see the documentary The Lost Colony today by the Dutch film-maker Astrid Bussink. It is about the Sukhumi Primate Centre, which is the oldest in the world, which was the site of major research in the Soviet period but which has had to cease most activities since the war. The documentary covers [...]

May 30th, 2008
Gypsy refugees from Kosovo in Beograd
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May 25th, 2008
Disturbing report on the Abkhaz conflict zone
The election period in Georgia was marred by media reports and speculations of external threats and aggression coming from Russia/Abkhazia. On the election day, two busses carrying ethnic Georgians from the Abkhaz side were hit by grenades - an incident widely covered by the Georgian media. Human Right Center in Georgia ran a report on [...]

February 14th, 2008
Licence to kill
With weak laws and no place to imprison them, Bosnian minors with criminal records have become “the untouchables”. Whole Sarajevo is still shocked from the last horrifying crimes committed by minors in this city - in January it was a death of an old woman who was poured upon by petrol and then set on fire [...]

December 25th, 2007
Going Right To Gallows
by Viacaslau Karasiou for Salidarnasc Why the Russian side decided to grant that 1.5 billion USD loan to Belarus is getting clear only now. It looks like the Russian side decided to DO something with Belarus: when it does not go about political Anschluss, the economic one is on its way. And the longer it gets, [...]

December 24th, 2007
No Imminent Anschluss
While meeting with Putin, Lukashenka expressed surprise that Belarusian and Russian media used to sink in speculations on the form of the to-be-signed Unity Act. No one doubted that it will be signed in this or that form during this meeting. Whilst the background did not seem bright for both sides, Unity Act would have [...]

December 21st, 2007
New Web Site on Roma in Kosovo
A new web blog covering the situation of Kosovar Roma was launched this week. The authors aim to post on the Roma in Kosovo and Kosovo Roma in Diaspora. The web site contains useful links for those who interested to know more about the situation in the region. The first Roma settlements in Kosovo can [...]

December 21st, 2007
Seminar on social inclusion of Roma in Brussel
The European Roma Information Office (ERIO) and the Centro Don Calabria (Italy) are organizing a seminar on social inclusion of Roma in Brussels from 29 to 31 of January 2008. The seminar aims at discussing patterns of social exclusion faced by Roma and exchanging good practices for promoting their inclusion . It is also aimed [...]

December 19th, 2007
Freedom of the Press on Trial in Belarus
More than 30 people came to a court hearing to support Alexander Tamkovich, author of the alleged libelous article about Mikalai Charhinets, and Aliaksei Karol, editor-in-chief of Novy Chas, the independent newspaper which published the article. The assigned room in Minsk?s Pershamaiski District Court Building was too small to hold all the journalists, authors, [...]

December 17th, 2007
Learning English in Bosnia
Want to learn English from native speakers and have fun? an advertisement just like this one caught my eye few days ago while running down the corridors of Sarajevo university . There was something familiar with it, and it took me few seconds to place name of the organization in my memory. Bingo! So, the [...]

December 13th, 2007
Several Moments Marking December 12th
AMAP (OMON) attacked a couple dozens demonstrators which gathered on the October Square in Miensk to protest against Putin’s visit and possible annexing of Belarus by Russia. Zmicier Chviedaruk of Malady Front Youth Organization had been knocked down and walked on by AMAP soldiers which resulted in his hospitalization. Luckily he is conscious and speaking [...]

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