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(updated 08 March 2010)

   Former Czech PM Miloš Zeman elected leader of new Citizens' Rights Party
   Poland succeeds in moving NordStream gas pipeline

   Civic association demands work on Charles Bridge be suspended
   Issue of Polish minority in Belarus raised at Visegrad meeting
   Yanukovych sworn in as Ukrainian President
   OSCE dissatisfied with media independence and regulation in Bosnia
   Olympic luger Kumaritashvili buried at home
   Flight log data shows rendition planes landed in Poland
   Russian MPs upset by dismal Olympic performance
   Outgoing Croatian President ends a decade in power
   Russian migrant wins gold and silver medals for Slovakia
   Montenegro PM wants to avoid foreign interference in drug dealer case
  The Kurent mask – a Shrovetide tradition from Slovenija
   Russia-Belarus oil supplies protocol ratified

 

Immigration to the UK from central Europe fell in 2009
New EU regulation allows accents for some web domain names
Anti-federalist MEPs form new EP group
European Parliament 2009 election results
Schengen area enlargement
How the European Union has grown

 

Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Bosnia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Estonia
Georgia (Gruziya)
Hungary
Kaliningrad

Kosovo

 

Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia (FYR)
Moldova
Montenegro

Poland
România
Russia
Serbia

Slovakia
Slovenija
Ukraine

 

News from central and eastern Europe

Reports are grouped by country or special region, alphabetically
  For quick links use the News Index at the top of the page or the indexed Map

Georgia  (Sakartvelo / Грузия)

Olympic luger Kumaritashvili buried at home

On 20 February the funeral of Nodar Kumaritashvili took place in his home town Bakuriani. He had died during a training run at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. The 21-year-old luger came off the Whistler track at high speed and crashed into metal pillars just a few hours before the opening ceremony.  The Georgian Olympic Committee said safety standards had not been met and is deciding whether to take action.

Under clear skies mourners, who included President Mikheil Saakashvili and other top officials, gathered outside Kumaritashvili 's home to lay flowers and pay their respects.

Family and friends had gathered earlier for a traditional funeral feast at the Kumaritashvili family home, where a small choir sang Georgian chants. The athlete's father, David Kumaritashvili, gazed at a portrait of his son and said: "I wanted to throw a wedding feast for you. Instead, we have a funeral."

Much still remains unexplained about the accident that led to Nodar Kumaritashvili's death. His sled struck the inside of the track's last turn during his sixth and final training run, sending his body into the air and over a concrete wall. Georgian Olympic officials say his death was caused by a lack of attention to safety standards. But his parents did not blame anyone - they want Nodar remembered as a heroic athlete who represented his country.

The luge competition went ahead last Saturday after probes by the Coroners Service of British Columbia and the International Luge Federation concluded the track was not deficient but that the athlete “did not compensate properly” going into a bend. The track at Whistler, which is shared by the sports of luge, skeleton and bobsleigh, has the reputation of being one of the fastest - and most dangerous - in the world. Speeds of 150 kph are achieved.

Secessionist president inaugurated for second term

Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh, was inaugurated on 12 February as president of the secessionist region. Two months earlier he had been re-elected for a second term with up to 60% of the votes in Abkhazia.

Foreign guests participating in the inauguration ceremony in Sokhumi, the region’s capital, included Sergey Mironov, chairman of Russia’s upper house of the Parliament, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, as well as heads and governors of Russia’s southern provinces and officials from Venezuela and Nicaragua – the only two countries to have recognised Abkhazia, other than Russia and Nauru. Nauru is the world's smallest island nation, situated in the Pacific. The decision to recognise the independence of Abhazia seems to have been linked with Russian aid of $50 million.

Following the inauguration changes in the region’s cabinet were anticipated. Sergey Shamba, a long-time foreign minister, was thought likely to be appointed as prime minister.

Demolition of WW2 memorial stirs ill-feeling

In late December a memorial to World War 2 heroes in Georgia's second largest city, Kutaisi, was demolished. The authorities in Kutaisi had started demolishing the memorial several days earlier, until two people were killed in an explosion, said to have resulted from ignoring safety regulations. The monument was being cleared to make way for the construction of a new parliament building. Apparently the demolition process had been hurried to complete the work symbolically by 21 December, President Mikheil Saakashvili's birthday.

The government has said that the relocation of the Georgian parliament from Tbilisi to Kutaisi was aimed at boosting the development of western Georgia, but the move has sparked protests among Kutaisi residents and from the Georgian opposition.

The World War 2 memorial demolished in Kutaisi

Sculptor Merab Berdzenishvili, the creator of the war memorial, said the demolition had been an insult to the memory of thousands of Georgian soldiers who gave their lives in World War 2. The forces would then have been part of the Soviet war effort. Russia has condemned the demolition as an act of barbarism and state vandalism.  The Russian Foreign Ministry said the Georgian authorities "have committed an act of state vandalism, offending the feelings of any civilised person."

The Georgian authorities have, however, pledged to erect a new memorial, saying that the old one was already partially destroyed and could not be restored.


Georgia - key facts
Sakartvelos Respublikis
Republic of Georgia
(Gruziya)

Geography  69,700 square km (26,900 square miles) in area. Georgia, occupies the western part of the Caucasus Mountains;   it is flanked by Russia to the north, Azerbaijan and Armenia to the east and south-west and Turkey to the south. Its western border runs along the Black Sea. Its frontier with Russia includes a mountainous stretch bordering Chechnya. The capital Tbilisi is referred to in some European languages and formerly in Russian as Tiflis.

Population  4,489,000 as of January 2001, the latest estimate by the State Statistics Department. According to Central Election Commission estimates, there are 2.8 million eligible voters.

Ethnic composition  As of 1997, 69% Georgian, 9% Armenian, 7.4% Russian and 5% Azeri. Other small indigenous minorities include Ossetians (3%), Abkhazians (2%) and Adzhars.

Language  Georgian, written in a unique ornate, rounded alphabet. It is the largest among the Ibero-Caucasian languages, a non-Indo-European group. The script, with 33 letters, draws on ancient Eastern Aramaic.

Religion  The Orthodox Church of Georgia is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating back to 337. Most Georgians belong to this faith. There are small communities of Muslims, Catholics, Slav Orthodox believers, Armenian Apostolics and Zoroastrians.

Government  Georgia is defined as a democratic republic under the constitution adopted on 24 August 1995. The President is directly elected for a five-year term and cannot serve more than two terms.

Armed forces  Estimated at 17,500 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The defence ministry publishes no figures. US military advice and training has recently been attempting to bring Georgia's armed forces up to modern standards.


Economy
  Traditionally agricultural, producing fruit, wine, oils, tobacco and spices. Industries include manganese and coal mines, crude oil and gas production and food processing. Privatisation began after independence in 1991 and the selling off of communications and manufacturing enterprises are continuing. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated gross domestic product in 2002 at $15 billion or $2,900 per person. The consumer price index rose 5.6% in 2002. GDP growth was 5.4% in 2002 and is projected to be 8% to 9% in 2003.

Currency  Lari. The exchange rate was 2.1 lari to one U.S. dollar as of 31 October 2003.


History  Under Tsarist rule from 1801, Georgia (Gruziya) became a Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921 and constituent of the USSR in 1936.  Independent from 1991.  South Ossetia and Abkhazia seceded in 1991-2, leading to a destructive civil war till 1993.


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Hungary   (Magyarország)

Right-wing parties still far ahead in opinion poll

It was reported on 12 February that support for the opposition party Fidesz had fallen from 63% of decided voters in January to 58% this month (February). Fidesz, however, still maintained a huge lead over the Socialists, whose standing rose slightly from 21% to 22%, according to the latest survey by Szonda Ipsos.

Support for far-right party Jobbik grew from 12% to 14%, while no other party registered the 5% necessary to gain entry into Parliament. The MDF (Magyar Democratic Forum) had 2% support, Politics Can Be Different and the SzDSz (Free Democrats) had 1% each, and other parties 2%, while support for the Christian Democrats was too small to be measured.

Some 43% of respondents remained undecided, but only 46% of respondents said they would be voting in April, a figure actually a little up from 43% last month. Among committed voters 76% among Jobbik supporters said they would definitely vote, alongside 67% among Fidesz sympathisers and 61% among Socialist voters.

Fidesz has about 2.8 million supporters, of whom about 1.8 million can be counted on to vote and a further 700,000 are highly likely to turn out. A further 200,000-300,000 will require more persuading.

The Socialists have 700,000 hardcore supporters and can convince a further 300,000 of the need to vote. With strong canvassing the Socialists could mobilise a further 100,000 potential supporters who might otherwise be likely to stay home.

Government and IMF deny report of new austerity measures

The Finance Ministry denied on 11 February reports that the IMF has been urging the government to implement further austerity measures to keep the budget deficit target at 3.8% of GDP.

IMF and the EU delegations were currently in Hungary for the quarterly revision of the country's public finances. They have warned of increasing risks of possible revenue shortfalls and higher expenditures in the 2010 budget, totalling 250-300 billion forints. This would mean a 1% overshoot of the deficit target.

Finance Minister Péter Oszkó called the report a fabrication and the IMF denied making any comment to the press.

Media reports had pointed to possible risk factors in meeting the deficit goals, which include the drawing of guarantees by state-owned companies, lower than expected VAT revenues, and the consolidation of state-owned companies. Both the government and the IMF believe that the 3.8% target is achievable, although there are threats to meeting this goal.

A recent ruling by the Constitutional Court to abolish property tax and include family allowances in the tax base suggested there would be substantial shortfalls in the revenue budget.

The daily newspaper Népszabadság commented that the government's sizeable 200 billion forint reserve couild cover the revenue losses. It also pointed out that pensioners switching from private to state-owned health schemes had led to an unexpected surplus in the budget figures for January.

Bank guarantee must provide liquidity for Malév airline

The government will enforce the €32 million bank guarantee from Russian bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) in order to provide quick liquidity to troubled airline Malév.

The state asset manager (MNV) has been asked by its executive arm, the national asset management council, to take immediate steps to enforce the bank guarantee. The move has become necessary due to AirBridge's failure to meet commitments set out in the Malév privatisation agreement in 2007. AirBridge is 49% owned by VEB.

Miklós Kamarás, CEO of MNV, said on 10 February that his organisation would wait two weeks and take legal action if Vnesheconombank failed to meet its commitments. The MNV will also request that no steps are taken to collect Malév’s 6.5 billion forint overdue debts (equivalent to £20.8 million).

Malév has convened a new EGM for 26 February.


Government and Russian bank discuss future of Malév airline

Cabinet wants to extend land sale moratorium

The cabinet will extend the moratorium banning foreigners from purchasing land in Hungary by three further years to 2014. Agriculture Minister József Gráf said on 10 February that the proposal would have to be supported by the EU. Gráf said cheap land prices and a need to amend legislation necessitated extending the 7-year moratorium.

Hungary, along with other central European countries when joining the EU in 2004, was given a 7-year delay on land being subject to the EU free market. This was to protect the country from being bought up by citizens from richer EU countries. It had been expected that national economies would have levelled out within the first seven years.

Holocaust survivors families sue state railway

Families of Hungary’s Holocaust victims are suing the Hungarian state railways MÁV in a United States court for $240 million damages and $1 billion non-asset compensation for its part in the deportation of Jews in World War 2. The lawsuit was filed with Illinois northern district court on 9 February and a judge has already been selected for the case.

The plaintiffs are saying that MÁV knowingly provided trains for the deportation to Auschwitz of nearly 437,000 Hungarian Jews from March to October 1944, and took the assets and valuables of the later victims, in violation of an international convention banning genocide.

Most of the plaintiffs are resident in the US or Israel, with one each in the UK, Brazil and Hungary.


Hungarians dissatisfied with life

According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, Hungarians have been found to be the second least satisfied nationality in the 27 countries of the EU as regards their own lives and social conditions. Bottom place was occupied by the Bulgarians.

Bulgaria scored minus 1.9 and Hungary minus 0.8 on a sliding scale of minus 10 to plus 10. The EU average was plus 3.2 points. The Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands were ranked at the top of the satisfaction scale.

Hungarians were found to be the least satisfied regarding state measures against poverty and the gap between rich and poor.


Government and Russian bank discuss future of Malév airline

The government may choose to convert loans owed by Malév airlines (Magyar Légiközlekedési Vállalat) into equity rather than call on the €32 million bank guarantee issued by Russia’s Vneshekonombank (VEB). The two sides having been negotiating to resolve the airline’s finances.

In March 2009 the Russian state-owned VEB took a minority stake of 49% in AirBridge which holds the shares of the struggling airline. The majority, 51%, remained in Hungarian ownership. The managing control was however to be taken over by Aeroflot – the Russian national airline. VEB has said it is ready to finance the airline’s operations, if the Hungarian side is ready to contribute.

Malév is believed to have negative equity of 14.4 billion forints (about £47.5 million). One condition might be that the Russian bank could lend an amount similar to €32 million to Malév to guarantee the operation of the airline in 2010. Alternatively the government could again become a majority shareholder in Malév by converting part of the airline's 19 billion forints of outstanding debt into equity, according to a government order issued this week, which sets 31 January as the date for the transaction.


Tolna county link with West Sussex

A delegation from Tolna Megye (county) in Hungary
was hosted by West Sussex in June 2005.
Click here to see more about the visit


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Kaliningrad

Lithuania rejects offer of partnership in Kaliningrad power project

Russia has been planning to build its own nuclear plant in Kaliningrad, located just a few kilometres from the Lithuanian border. Lithuanian support had been sought for a joint project, but on 12 February the Lithuanian president rejected the offer.

Click for more

Belarus warns Russia of power cut

Belarus and Russia eventually ratified on 12 February a new agreement on Russian oil deliveries for 2010. Prolonged delay had led Belarus to threaten to cut the supply of electricity crossing its territory to Kaliningrad.

Click for more

Things to know about Kaliningrad

Population: About 1 million, a fall of 500,000 since Soviet days.

Size: The area is half the size of Belgium - 15,000 square kilometres. It is bordered by Poland to the south, Lithuania to the north and east and the Baltic Sea to the west.

The Kaliningrad enclave of Russia (formerly Königsberg)

Capital: Kaliningrad city and port

Strategic importance: Kaliningrad port is headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet, and was formerly a closed Soviet military zone.

Economy: According to the World Bank, Kaliningrad receives proportionally more foreign direct investment than Russia as a whole, but far less than neighbouring Baltic countries. Some estimates suggest the enclave's residents are 65 times poorer than EU citizens.

Amber: Kaliningrad is the world centre of production of amber - fossilised tree resin used for jewellery and decoration - most of which is smuggled out via Poland and Lithuania.

Health issues: Residents have the highest incidence of AIDS in Europe. There are 3,794 officially registered cases of HIV infection. The official figures probably represent just one-fifth of the extent of the problem. Its port is thought to have been the first place where the disease got into Russian territory, spread by prostitution and drug use. There are estimated to be as many as 3,000 prostitutes in the enclave.

Crime: EU officials have called Kaliningrad a "black hole" of criminality. Organised crime is rampant in the enclave, and crime may account for half of the enclave's income.

History: Kaliningrad was formerly the Prussian port of Königsberg, capital of East Prussia. It was captured by the Red Army in April 1945 and ceded to the Soviet Union at the Potsdam conference. It was renamed in honour of senior Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin, although he never actually visited the area.

Architecture: Much of the city's historic heart was levelled by British fire bombing in 1944, and aggressive Soviet attempts to remove German cultural symbols demolished most surviving monuments, churches and castles.

Significant residents: Philosopher Immanuel Kant was born in what is now Kaliningrad (1724), and is buried there (1804). More recently, Vladimir Putin's wife Lyudmila was born in the enclave.

Tourism: Around 70,000 German tourists, most with family roots in East Prussia, visit the enclave every year. Ethnic Germans were expelled from the area under Stalin.


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Kosovo   (Kosova, Kosovë / Косово и Метохија)

MEP suggests EU integration depends on domestic leadership

On 7 February European Parliament member Doris Pack said on local TV that Kosovo would need 12 to 18 months to meet the EU criteria before it can benefit from visa liberalisation. "It depends on politics. If Kosovo authorities work faster, the processes can move faster too." She said progress had generally been uneven. However she did more positively note that many Serbs had participated in the November municipal elections, and thought their involvement would be key to future progress.

PM reveals plans for Serb-language TV channel

The time has come for a TV channel that broadcasts in Serbian, International Civilian Representative (ICO) Pieter Feith and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci jointly announced in late 2009. "The ICO and the government of Kosovo are," the two officials in a joint statement said they were committed to establishing an independent broadcaster.

"Work in the media sector for the past year has shown that Serbian speakers in Kosovo want to receive information and entertainment produced here in Kosovo, in their own language," Feith was quoted as saying. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said he supported "freedom of expression in a mother tongue as a constitutional obligation and an inalienable human right for all".


Uneasy recent history in  Kosovo

Ethnic Albanians make up 90% of Kosovo's estimated population of two million. Of some 200,000 Serbs now left in Kosovo, about half live in enclaves protected by NATO forces.

1989
     Ethnic Albanians protest with strikes and demonstrations against oppressive rule from Belgrade. Serb leader Slobodan Milošević sets about removing Kosovo rights to autonomy, given in the 1974 Jugoslav constitution.

1990     Ethnic Albanian MPs in the province declare Kosovo independent from Serbia. The Belgrade government dissolves Kosovo's autonomous assembly and government.

1991     Albania recognises Kosovo as independent.

1992     Writer Ibrahim Rugova is elected President of the self-proclaimed republic.

1998     Serb police say they have eliminated the nucleus of the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army, killing guerrilla leader Adem Jasari. The claim proves to be premature. In March Serb police continue their onslaught against separatist guerrillas. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says the United States will not tolerate a return to bloodshed and holds Milošević responsible. In September NATO issues an ultimatum to Milošević to stop attacks on Kosovo Albanians or face air strikes.

1999     In March Kosovo Albanians sign a peace deal in France. Belgrade rejects it. Peace talks end in failure. NATO begins air strikes against Jugoslav positions in Kosovo on 24 March.  In June Milošević agrees to withdraw troops from Kosovo. NATO suspends air operations. U.N. approves peace plan for Kosovo and the establishment of Kosovo Peace Implementation Force (KFOR). NATO troops enter Kosovo one day later. NATO and the Kosovo Liberation Army sign a formal agreement requiring ethnic Albanian guerrillas to disarm.  In November U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Kosovo and urges ethnic Albanians to forgive Serbs, saying "time for fighting is past".

2000     Violence in the city of Mitrovica kills eight ethnic Serbs in February. Kosovo Serbs demand the return of Serb forces. In October there are the first free elections in Kosovo. Ibrahim Rugova claims victory, raising hopes for co-existence with the ethnic Serb minority.   In November Rugova urges the world to recognise the territory as an independent state. EU foreign ministers reject the call.

2002     Kosovo's main ethnic Albanian parties reach a power-sharing deal at the end of February. They agree to elect Rugova president with Bajram Rexhepi as prime minister.  In June Serb leaders formally end the boycott of Kosovo's new government and take an oath of office alongside their ethnic Albanian colleagues.  In October Serbian and Kosovo Albanian leaders open their first direct talks since 1999 but Rexhepi stays away.   In December the U.N. unveils a 'road map' setting out the conditions Kosovo must meet by mid-2005 before further talks on its final status.

2004     Worst violence between Albanian and Serb ethnic communities since 1999.


2005     March   Ramush Haradinaj resigned as prime minister after being indicted for war crimes. Haradinaj had been in the job for only three months before his indictment, but huis acqyuittal did not come until 2008.  He was replaced by Bajram Kosumi, deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). Regarded as a moderate, his key priority was the pursuit of independence for Kosovo, and to seek integration with the EU and NATO.

The next Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi was a former teacher of Albanian language and literature. As a student, he was sent to prison in 1981 for organising ethnic Albanian protests against Serb rule. He later supported the goals of the Kosovo Liberation Army but was not actively involved in combat.


October   UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said that talks should start soon on whether Kosovo should remain part of Serbia or be given independence.

2006   January  President Ibrahim Rugova dies.
February   UN-mediated talks between Albanian and Serbian negotiators about the future status of the province start in Vienna.
March   Former KLA leader Agim Ceku was nominated as Prime Minister.
October  Contact Group proposes delay in status decision.

2007  March   UN Security Council receives UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s status plan.  Russia calls for more talks between Serbia and the ethnic Albanians.  No UN resolution can be agreed.
July    EU, Russia and US troika appointed to mediate between Serb and Albanian parties. Renewed talks began in September.
November    General and municipal elections

2008  February   Kosovo declares unilateral independence, backed by some EU countries and by the US.

President: Fatmir Sejdiu
Prime Minister: Hashim Thaçi

The flag of the new state of Kosovo is blue with the yellow map of Kosovo in the middle and six white stars above it.

National flag adopted by the Kosovo Parliament on 17 February.

2008 December  European Union launches EULEX mission

2009 February  One year after declaration, independence still not recognised by 140 countries.


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Latvia

State Revenue Service still without a director

The government dismissed State Revenue Service chief Dzintars Jakans, accused of corruption, in order to replace him eventually with a protégé of the prime minister’s New Era party. Political analysts, however, suggested on 10 February that the corruption suspicions raised against Jakans had been exploited as an excuse to weed him out because of his affiliation to the People’s Party. Despite the economic crisis, the State Revenue Service had already been working for four months without a director.

High mistrust of politicians, poll shows

According to a study commissioned by Eurobarometer Standard, an overwhelming majority 95% of Latvian citizens do not trust the country’s political parties. This statistic accentuated the ongoing topic of general mistrust among the Latvian public. The same study showed slightly less distrust of parliament and government, though these still came out at 92% and 88% respectively.

Soviet military ghost town auctioned off for $3 million

Latvia's privatisation agency has sold an entire town once used by the Soviet military as a base. The deserted town once known as Skrunda-1 was auctioned off to a Russian firm for $3 million (£1.9 million). Officials said that was about 10 times its listed price.

Skrunda-1 was a secret settlement for staff at a Soviet missile base.

The lot includes 45 hectares of land, 10 apartment blocks, two nightclubs, a shopping centre, a kindergarten, barracks and a sauna.

The town, about 150 km west of Riga, was abandoned after Russian troops withdrew from Latvia in 1994, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The area was sold to the Aleksejevskoje-Serviss company, the privatisation agency which carried out the auction said on 5 February.

Skrunda-1 was a closed settlement not marked on Soviet-era maps because it was used as anti-missile radar base. The base itself was dismantled in the late 1990s.

Allegations of toxic waste dumping near Sweden

The Defence Ministry commented in early February that it was not ruling out the possibility that military containers may have been sunk in the Baltic Sea when the Russian army was withdrawing from Latvia. Sveriges Television (Swedish TV) reported on 3 February that the Russian military was suspected of having dumped chemical weapons and radioactive waste off the Swedish island of Gotland in the early 1990s.


Latvia - factfile

Population  2.3 million, of which 58% are Latvian and 29% are Russian. Two other Russian-speaking minorities are Belarussians (5%) and Ukrainians (4%). Lithuanians, Estonians and Poles make up the remaining 4%.

Language  The official language is Latvian, but Russian is widely spoken.  Latvian is a Balto-Slavic language, similar only to Lithuanian.

Religions  Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox.

Geography  Its area is 64,589 sq km (24,937 sq miles). The country is situated with the Baltic Sea to the west, Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south and Belarus and Russia to the east. It is mainly flat and over 40% forested.

Capital: Riga, population 740,000, with a high proportion ethnic Russian.

History  In the past Latvia had been occupied at different periods by Swedes and by Germans. In 1721 it was absorbed by Russia. In 1918 it became an independent state, but in 1940, under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. It was then occupied by Germany during the rest of World War 2.

Following the Soviet WW2 victory in that region, thousands of Latvians were deported to Siberia, while Russians and people from other Soviet republics started moving to Latvia due to the manpower needs of the rapidly expanding planned economy.

The Perestroika reforms of the then President Mikhail Gorbachev prompted an upsurge in nationalism across the Baltics in the late 1980s, and independence movements won control in the region in 1990 after the so-called Singing Revolution.

Latvia's parliament voted for full independence and banned the Communist Party after the failed Russian coup against Gorbachev in August 1991.  The country was recognised by the United States a month later and subsequently admitted to the United Nations.

In 1999, psychology professor Vaira Vike-Freiberga was elected as the first female president in central and eastern Europe, and Latvia was invited to start negotiations for EU membership later that year.

Political system The Republic of Latvia is a parliamentary democracy. The 100-seat single chamber Saeima is elected for a four-year period, with the latest elections held in October 2006.

   President  Valdis Zatlers
   Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis

Economy Latvia launched itself on a path of reform along market economy lines after it regained independence in 1991.

After a banking crisis in 1995 and a significant setback due to the Russian crisis in 1998, Latvia set about reducing its dependency on Russia. There was a period of budget stringency and reorientation of exports to the EU and other western countries. It has now developed into an open economy, with its stable currency, the lat, pegged to the International Monetary Fund's Special Drawing Rights since 1994.

Latvia started accession talks with the EU in 1999 and continued to develop its financial institutions to meet western standards and attract foreign investors.

Latvia still has the lowest per capita income of the accession countries, but in the period 1998-2002 it had the fastest-expanding economy of the EU candidates, with average growth of 5.1%. In 2002, its economy grew by 6.1%. The central bank plans to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM-2), the waiting room for the euro single currency, in 2005 and replace the lat national currency with the euro in 2008.


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Lithuania     (Lietuva)

Russian nuclear plant proposal rejected

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite rejected on 12 February an offer from Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of joint co-operation in constructing a new nuclear power plant to meet the energy needs of the region.

After EU demands over safety concerns forced the closure of its Soviet-era nuclear power plant at Ignalina, Lithuania had drastically to increase its energy imports. There have been long-standing plans to build a new nuclear facility to meet Baltic energy needs, but the international project has faced numerous delays following economic difficulties and arguments over quota of power to be distributed among the potential partners.

Russia has been planning to build its own nuclear plant in Kaliningrad, located just a few kilometres from the Lithuanian border.
It was looking for Lithuanian support for the project. But foreign affairs adviser Darius Semaska reported that "President Grybauskaite told the Russians bluntly that Lithuania is not interested in joining in building a nuclear power plant in Kaliningrad, because we are going to build our own plant."

The government has narrowed the list of potential commercial partners for its own nuclear power plant project down to five companies, but is not expected to make a final decision until summer 2010.


Lithuanian Government website

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Macedonia   (Македонија)

EU urged to set date for Macedonia accession talks

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution on 27 January urging that during their March summit EU leaders should set a date for accession negotiations with Macedonia to begin.

The EP Rapporteur on Macedonia, Zoran Thaler, said after the vote "I see this as a positive development for Macedonia." In the resolution, the EP "calls on the Council to confirm the Commission's recommendation without further delay at the summit in March 2010 and expects the negotiations to begin in the near future". The document drawn up by Zoran Thaler, a Slovenian member of the EP, was approved in a 56-5 vote following a debate on more than 80 amendments.

The final draft gave a positive overall assessment of the efforts Macedonia made in 2009 towards meeting EU entry requirements. If Macedonia is to stay on track for membership, it said, the government in Skopje must do a better job fighting corruption, while improving the rights of women and people of all ethnic backgrounds, not just those that are officially recognised.

The document called on Macedonia to take the necessary measures to discourage "hate speech" in regard to neighbouring states, whether in the media or in school textbooks.

The EC recommended last October that the EU open accession talks with the government in Skopje, noting that Macedonia "sufficiently fulfils the political criteria" for membership of the EU.

EU urged to get more involved in settling name dispute

Late in 2009 the EU postponed talks on Macedonia’s accession after Greece opposed it because of a twenty year-old dispute over the name of Macedonia. There was then a promise to revisit the issue during Spain's 6-month term supporting the Presidency of the Union, which runs from January to June 2010.

EU foreign ministers had urged both governments to "redouble their efforts" towards finding a mutually acceptable solution to the name dispute, and subsequently the European Parliament stressed that the EU must be ready to engage more actively in the UN-led negotiations on the name issue between the two countries.


The Schengen “White List”

Applicant states have to undertake reforms in order to qualify for visa-free travel with the Schengen countries. The necessary reforms are far-reaching, but it is clear that these reforms would be beneficial not only to the Balkan countries, but also should help protect the EU against crime and illegal immigration from all over the world.

Assessment for Macedonia (PDF download)


What’s in a name?
International pressure to refuse use of Macedonia’s name

Greece has continued to threaten to veto the Macedonian government’s bids to join NATO and the EU under the country’s name, Macedonia. The Greek government remains adamant that it implies a claim on a northern province of Greece with the same historical name and could destabilise the region. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that if bilateral ties and regional co-operation were to be improved, Skopje needed to demonstrate good-neighbourly behaviour and abandon its use of the name. This has been a long-standing policy of the Greek government.

The awkward acronym FYROM has been widely substituted (standing for Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).  President Branko Crvenkovski has said that his country is prepared to join NATO under the name FYROM but would not make any concessions in the search for an official name in the long term. “We have already made too many concessions,” he said, his people are keen to “rid ourselves of this anachronistic and degrading term.”

Typical of the pressure put on Macedonia was a letter circulated by Luigi Sandrin, Director of the European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR). In 2005 EAR announced a competition on the topic “Support of minority rights/activities”. In due course a project was selected with a promise of finance. Subsequently, after the project was well underway, an extra condition was imposed: “The name Republic of Macedonia or Macedonia is not to be used, notwithstanding the fact that it is the official denomination used by the country itself and that all documents from Skopje (letters, reports etc.) will refer to it in this form”.

Instead Sandrin quoted Resolution 817/1993 of the UN Security Council and Resolution 225/1993 of the UN General Assembly that the only denomination that could be used must be “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (with a small f and a small o and with capital letters only in the beginning of the sentence). “Please, ensure that all printed documents and external communication, as well as the web-sites, books and other materials related to EU-funded projects follow this policy.”


At the NATO summit in Bucharest on 2 April 2008 Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis vetoed a NATO invitation to Macedonia to join.  Outlining Greece's positions on the issue, Karamanlis emphasised there would be no consent to Macedonia’s NATO entry invitation if the "name issue" were not resolved first.

Opposing the Greek position and supporting a NATO invitation without such a condition were Turkey, Slovenija, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Lithuania. Other European countries said they understood the Greek arguments, but Canada, Great Britain and Portugal refrained from taking a stand on the issue.


Macedonian Government website

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Moldova

Moldova moving toward Brussels agreement

MEP Monica Macovei, who chairs the European Parliament joint EU-Moldova committee, said in mid February that Moldova could conclude EU association talks by the end of 2010 and sign an association agreement with Brussels early in 2011. In a radio interview she acknowledged that some "old" EU members were wary of bringing new countries closer to membership, particularly after the bloc "had problems" absorbing poorer members like Romania and Bulgaria.

Monica Macovei, a Romanian MEP, has been credited with bringing crucial reforms to her own country when she served as justice minister. She said that upgrading Moldova's legal system would be key to its European integration.

Moldova is one of the former Soviet republics included in the EU Eastern Partnership programme, which promises better ties and more freedom to travel in exchange for democratic reforms. It does not however provide any guarantee of future EU membership. The new government in Moldova has said it wants full membership, and has welcomed the partnership programme as a step in that direction.

Russian troops to stay in Transdnestr region

Transdnestran leader Igor Smirnov said on 17 February that the Russian government had given him assurances that its troops would stay in the region until a final solution is reached on its status. He claimed that the 500 Russian troops provide security against "provocations" from Moldovan authorities.

The narrow sliver of territory on the eastern border of Moldova broke away in 1990 and in 1992 war between Moldovan forces and separatists left 1,500 people dead.

In 1999, Russia promised to withdraw its troops at a summit of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The status of those troops and their role in the 1,500-man peacekeeping force based in Transdnestr has become significant in negotiations with NATO over a major treaty that would govern the presence and movement of military forces around Europe.

At his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Foreign Minister Yuriy Zubakov, Igor Smirnov asked for the consolidation of the military strength of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the region, with an increase in the number of Russian peacekeepers. He pointed out that according to the agreement signed in Odessa (Ukraine) in 1998, the maximum number of Russian peacekeepers was to be 2,400. But now only about 500 Russian forces were participating in the peacekeeping operation.
In particular he wanted a Russian helicopter squadron to be re-established there.

Smirnov referred to a referendum in September 2006 when most Transdnestr residents voted for independence from Moldova and subsequent accession to Russia. “The presence of Russian troops has no other goal but the preservation of peace,” Smirnov emphasised.

Out of Moldova's 4.1 million population, some 500,000 live in the Transdnestr region.

Gagauz minority wants Russian to be an official language

The Gagauz authorities said in early February that a proposal would be made to the Chisinau government to change the Constitution so that Russian language would become a recognised state language in Moldova.

Initially a draft law would be submitted for adoption by the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia – the legislative body of the autonomous region. After that the proposal would be forwarded for approval in the Moldovan Parliament.

Mihai Formuzal, governor of the Gaugaz region, said he believed making Russian language an official language of the country would encourage inter-ethnic harmony throughout Moldova. In Gaugazia there are already three official languages – Moldovan, Gagauz and Russian.

Gaugazia

Location of Gagauzia (coloured darker blue)

The Gagauz people descend from a group of Seljuk Turks which migrated to the Balkans during the inter-tribal conflicts with other Turks. The clan converted from Islam to Orthodox Christianity after settling in the eastern Balkans (in Bulgaria) and were called Gagauz Turks. Together with other ethnic Bulgarians they later migrated to Bessarabia.

In 1989 an autonomous territory was agreed in the south of Moldova, with the city of Comrat as its capital. The territory is not unified geographically, but consists of two enclaves centred on cities and two villages.

IMF approves $574 million for Moldova

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 29 January approved 3-year arrangements for the Republic of Moldova under the Extended Credit Facility and the Extended Fund Facility, each providing an equal amount. The combined financial assistance will be equivalent to about $574.4 million) and would be targeted at supporting the country’s economy, restoring fiscal and external sustainability, preserving financial stability, reducing poverty and encouraging growth.

The new arrangements follow a previous IMF 3-year Poverty Reduction and Growth programme, which ran from May 2006 and expired in May 2009.

Romanian President urges Moldova to join the EU

During a visit to Moldova, Romania's President Traian Băsescu on 28 January urged Moldovans to carry out reforms to join the European Union. "I tell you, Moldova's place is in the EU. You need to take a decisive road to the EU," he told students at a university. "This means sacrifices - to be accepted by the political class and the population... but these are worth it because the EU means you can aspire to prosperity," he said. Romania joined the EU in 2007.

Băsescu said EU membership would bring foreign investments.

Moldova was part of Romania until 1940 when it was annexed by the Soviet Union, and more than 80% of the population is ethnic Romanian. The country has mostly been governed since the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union by communists and loyalties to the Kremlin remain strong.

Before taking his flight to Chişinău Traian Băsescu had explained that joint projects worth €130 million, offered by the EU, must be agreed between officials of Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. His visit had been arranged for completing bilateral negotiations on 12 agreements.

First visit by PM to United States

Prime Minister Vladimir Filat was in Washington in late January to sign an agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation for $262 million in aid. He also met senior US officials, including Vice-President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Filat’s arrival marks the first official visit of a Moldovan prime minister to the United States in memory – a historic change.

For years, Moldova has held the unfortunate distinction of being Europe’s poorest country, known for problems of corruption, trafficking in persons, and the separatist region of Transdnestr.

The parliamentary elections in July 2009 ended eight years of communist party rule. The new government, which assumed office in late September, is a coalition of parties which formed the Alliance for European Integration. The Communists nevertheless have enough parliamentary seats to block election of a new president. Moldova has been without a president since Vladimir Voronin came to the end of his maximum term of office. The votes of at least 61 MPs in the 101-seat parliament are needed to choose a president and the Communists still have 48 seats leaving the coalition parties 8 votes short. The resulting stalemate means that Moldova must hold elections again later this year. This is a prime motive for western nations to help the reformist parties sooner rather than later.


Moldova - part Romanian, part Russian

Much of contemporary Moldova was part of Romania until World War 2, when it was annexed by the Soviet Union, and about 65% of its 4.5 million residents speak Romanian. Moldova became independent in 1991, after its eastern, mainly Russian-speaking, Transdnestr region had already broken away, fearing reunification with Romania.

In 1940, the territory of Transdnestr - which had been an autonomous area within Ukraine - had been merged with Bessarabia to form the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. The territory became independent in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and as Moldova then joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).


In the summer of 1992, the two sides fought a short but bloody war, which ended when Russian forces stationed in Transdnestr (the eastern side of the Dnestr River) intervened on the side of the separatists. Some 2,000 Russian troops and thousands of tons of military equipment are still located in the region. The secessionist region Transdnestr, whose capital is at Tiraspol, has not been recognised internationally.

Moldova's secessionist region lies to the east of the Dnestr river

Ten years of inconclusive negotiations between the Moldovan and Transdnestran administrations followed. Currently trilateral mediation by Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE has been seeking a solution to the conflict.

Moldova is Europe's poorest state. The 2004 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ranks Moldova 113th among 177 countries. In comparison, Albania ranks 65th. Moldova's annual per capita GDP for 2003 has been estimated at $460. The Communists came to power in 2001 promising a return to at least a Soviet-era standard of living. But economic troubles and poverty have deepened, with Moldova becoming one of the main suppliers for traffickers of human beings and human organs. The Moldovan economy is dominated by often murky business interests. The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index for 2004 ranks Moldova in position 114 among 146 countries, with corruption being one of the fundamental features of Moldova's social and economic strata.


In the Transdnestr region, arms and drugs trafficking have flourished under the control of criminal groups, and the separatist leadership is often seen as connected with them. The volume of the annual narcotics business in Moldova is estimated to be about $200 million to $250 million, a figure that is nearly four times the country's annual direct foreign investment. One of the main factors generating corruption and fuelling the actions of criminal networks in the country is customs activity. Trafficking, contraband, and tax evasion are flourishing across the borders of the secessionist Transdnestr region with Ukraine and Moldova.

Recently published:
Historical Dictionary of Moldova
by Andrei Brezianu and Vlad Spânu
click for more information


A nation in transit

Link
: An in-depth report on Moldova from the Freedom House Foundation series Nations in Transit: Civil Society, Democracy, and Markets in East, Central Europe and the Newly Independent States. The latest 2005 report can now be downloaded as a PDF file.

Links:

Country information and history

The Parliament of Moldova
Independent Moldovan website and news service

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Montenegro   (Crna Gora)

PM wants to avoid foreign interference in drug dealer case

Montenegro wants co-operation in fighting against organised crime, but would not be taking orders from other countries, said Prime Minister Milo Ðukanović on 17 February.

He was commenting on the case of Darko Šarić, wanted on an Interpol arrest warrant. Ðukanović stated that his government was ready to co-operate with all countries in combating organised crime. But, as he put it, Montenegro “did not take orders from other addresses”.

There has been for several days a tug of war between Montenegro and Serbia, when it became apparent that legal and police procedures were not co-operating in the case of Darko Šarić. It appeared that, after being arrested in Montenegro, associates of Šaric had been released from custody.

Serbian Special Prosecutor for Organised Crime Miljko Radisavljević stated that it is possible that Šarić, who is wanted on drug trafficking charges, was currently located in Montenegro, adding also that "Slovakia is investigating how the suspect obtained its citizenship".

After a meeting with Belgian PM Yves Leterme, PM Ðukanović protested that his country "was not treated as a partner in the fight against organised crime". It was certainly ready to fight crime. “Everybody must understand that Montenegro is an independent country,” Ðukanović said.

But leaders of the opposition have been accusing Ðukanović of being “vitally interested in keeping Šarić and his helpers at large because of fear of their possible testimonies before the court.”  Šarić is a Montenegrin native who holds a Serbian passport issued to him in 2005. His gang is suspected of attempting to smuggle more than two tons of cocaine from South America into Europe.

At the same time the Slovak Interior Ministry has also been dealing with the case of Darko Šarić. It has been investigating how a man wanted by Interpol had also managed to receive Slovak citizenship. Slovakia has announced that it was working closely with Serbian police on the case.

Montenegro shortlisted in World Tourism Award

In 2003 the World Travel and Tourism Council established the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognising best practice in sustainable tourism in four different categories - Destination Stewardship, Conservation, Community Benefit and the Global Tourism Business. Over 160 entries were received this year from 45 countries, and 3 final nominations were shortlisted in each category.

Montenegro’s Ministry of Tourism won a nomination in the Destination Stewardship category and was shortlisted among the three finalists.

The 12 finalists uin all four categories this year were selected in early February by an international team of independent tourism experts from Australia, USA, Mexico, Denmark, Kenya, Uganda, India, Malaysia and China.

Previous winners over past years in the same Destination Stewardship category include: Blackstone Valley in the USA (2008), a famous marine park with over 2 million visitors a year; the Great Barrier Reef in Australia (2007), the UK’s “Jurassic Coast” (2006) and Sierra Gorda in Mexico in 2005.

Nikica the hippo returns home

Nikica, currently the world's most famous hippopotamus, made international headlines on 12 January when her compound on Skadar Lake flooded after weeks of torrential rains, allowing her to swim over the barrier and wander into nearby villages. There were fears that the 11-year-old, two-tonne hippo might trigger an international border incident by crossing into Albania, which shares Skadar Lake with Montenegro and is only 15km from the Plavnica resort where she is penned. She had been checked in her pool as night fell, then the waters rose and she made her escape.

The authorities in Montenegro promised not to harm Nikica unless she attacked somebody. "When the water warms up and does not seem so threatening, she will return of her own free will," said one zookeeper. "She loves mud more than life itself."

A week later she made her own way back to the resort at Plavnica, where she has lived since she was three years old. "Nikica can survive on a diet of grass, but she has a fondness for bread, so started home when she got hungry," said Dragan Pejović, owner of the resort. Nikica has been known to eat as much as 50kg of bread a day.

There was good reason to be concerned about this hippopotamus being on the loose. Several years ago  Vienna Zoo sent a young male hippopotamus to Plavnica to be her companion. The attempt at match-making failed when Nikica killed her suitor. Owner Pejović said the romance was ill-fated. "Nikica rejected him right from the start, but he persisted."


From Illyria to the 21st century

The name Montenegro (black mountain) is Venetian in origin referring to the black appearance of Mount Lovcen's pine forests. Crna Gora is the same name in slavic.

Republic of Montenegro (Crna Gora)

Geography   Montenegro borders Croatia and Bosnia to the north, Serbia and Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south. About half of the country is covered in thick forest. It has an Adriatic coastline, lowlands and high mountain ranges. The Tara River gorge is the deepest and longest canyon in Europe.

Population & religion   620,145. Montenegrins (62%) along with Serbs (9%), Albanians (7%), Slavik Muslims (15%), Croats (1%) and others (1991 census). The majority of the population belongs to the Orthodox Christian tradition (Montenegrins and Serbs); there is a substantial Muslim population and some Roman Catholics.

Capital   Podgorica

Language   A variety of Balkan languages are in use, with Serbian used in government.

Government   Parliamentary republic. In May 2003 Filip Vujanović was elected by universal suffrage as President of Montenegro. The next presidential elections are due in 2007. Local and parliamentary elections were held in September 2006. The new government coalition was led by the Democratic Party of Socialists, with Zeljko Sturanović as Prime Minister. The DPS has 41 out of the 81 seats in the National Assembly. In February 2008 Milo Đukonović, a former Prime Minister, was re-appointed.

History

The history of Montenegro begins in the early Middle Ages, after the arrival of the Slavs into that part of the former Roman province of Dalmatia. Before the arrival of the Slav peoples in the Balkans during the 6th century AD, the area now known as Montenegro was inhabited principally by the Illyrians. Substantial Greek colonies were established on the Adriatic coast during the 6th and 7th centuries BC, and Celts are known to have settled there in the 4th century BC. During the 3rd century BC, an indigenous Illyrian kingdom emerged with its capital at Skadar. The Romans mounted several punitive expeditions against local pirates and finally conquered this Illyrian kingdom in AD 9.

In 1516, Montenegro became a theocratic state under the rule of the prince-bishop (vladika) of Cetinje, which continued through to the first half of the 19th century when, in 1852. the vladika married, assumed the title of knjaz (Prince), and transformed his land into a secular principality. From the 1860s wars against Ottoman Turkey expanded Montenegrin territory. International recognition of the country came in 1878, and it became a kingdom in 1910.

The Kingdom of Montenegro suffered severely from World War 1. Austro-German armies finally overran Serbia, and Montenegro was invaded in 1916. King Nicholas fled to Italy and then to France. Eventually the forces of Serbia liberated Montenegro from the Austrians, but deposed the absent king. Serbia subsequently annexed Montenegro on 29 November 1918, and Montenegro thus became the only Allied nation to lose its independence after the war.

The majority of Montenegrins fought in World War 2 for liberation. Tito's Partisans won the war of liberation and acknowledged Montenegro's contribution, rewarding its efforts by establishing it as one of the six republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Jugoslavija. Montenegro became economically stronger, gaining help from federal funds, and becoming a tourist destination as well.

During the Jugoslav civil war in the 1990s the United Nations imposed a trade embargo which affected many aspects of life in the country. Its location on the Adriatic Sea and across Lake Skadar to Albania turned Montenegro into a hub for smuggling activity. The republic's main economic activity became the smuggling of user goods - a de facto legalised practice which it went on for years. The Montenegrin government either turned a blind eye or took an active part in it. Smuggling made millionaires, including senior government officials. Prime Minister Milo Ðukanović himself has been accused in various Italian courts of having a role in widespread smuggling during the 1990s and in providing safe haven in Montenegro for some Italian mafia figures. In February 2003 the federal union of Serbia-Montenegro replaced the republic of Jugoslavija.

In May 2006 a referendum resulted in 55.5% voting for the independence of Montenegro. In June this was acknowledged by Serbia. The European Commission continued separately negotiating with Montenegro on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement originally opened with federal Serbia-Montenegro. The SAA between Montenegro and the EU was signed on 15 October 2007 in Luxembourg.

Economy   
Unemployment
18.5% (2004)
Currency is the euro
Trade with EU (2004): imports from EU25 €139 million; exports to EU25 €227 million.
Tourism and financial sectors have become the most dynamic factors in economic growth. Foreign investment has come with the privatisation of state assets in telecommunications, aluminium and banking. Foreign trade and customs policy are being aligned with EU requirements.


Elizabeth Roberts: Realm of the Black Mountain - a history of Montenegro.  Hurst & Co. London 2007

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