Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
PUTIN-GYURCSANY MEETING STEERS HUNGARY’S GOVERNMENT ON THE “THIRD PATH”
Hungary’s crisis-plagued government under Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany seems to have embarked on a “third-path” course between the institutional West, where Hungary belongs, and Russia toward which Gyurcsany and his closest associates seem increasingly to gravitate. The concept of a “Third Path” (Harmadik Ut) between... MORE
CORRUPTION IN PUTIN’S SYSTEM BECOMES MURDEROUS
The first week after the September 13 murder of Andrei Kozlov, first deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, saw no breaks in the case. Investigators are still examining a range of possible options and do not have a single suspect. The 41-year old official... MORE
TRADE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA SLOWS DOWN
The Kremlin has repeatedly pledged to boost Russia’s economic ties with China. Recent statistics indicate that bilateral trade is rising, but at a rate slower than previously expected. In the first eight months of 2006, bilateral trade between Russia and China was up 20% year-on-year,... MORE
KIRIYENKO INSISTS BUSHEHR PLANT WILL BE OPERATIONAL BY SEPTEMBER 2007
On Monday September 18, the chief of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), Sergei Kiriyenko, told reporters in Vienna that Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power reactor will be operational by September 2007 and is scheduled to begin producing commercial electric power in November 2007. Kiriyenko also... MORE
OPPOSITION FRAGMENTS AHEAD OF GEORGIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS
On October 5, Georgians will vote to fill 1,683 seats in 69 local municipal councils. Unlike the 2002 local elections, where voters directly elected the mayors except in Tbilisi and Poti, the October ballot will chose city councils, which will later elect mayors. In Tbilisi... MORE
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, ALLIES ON THE DEFENSIVE OVER NATO POLICY
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych clearly exceeded the powers of his office, breached internal governmental procedures, and undoubtedly usurped the presidency’s constitutional authority by announcing in Brussels that Ukraine is opting out of NATO’s Membership Action Plan. Shocked, President Viktor Yushchenko and his supporters in... MORE
YANUKOVYCH’S NYET TO NATO MEMBERSHIP: PAINFUL, BUT NOT THE FINAL WORD
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s September 13-14 announcement in Brussels, removing Ukraine from consideration for a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP), was entirely predictable (see EDM, August 7, September 12). In all its aspects, including its technical breach of Ukraine’s constitution, which empowers the president... MORE
YANUKOVYCH’S REMARKS ON NATO HEAT UP COALITION DEBATE
President Viktor Yushchenko’s camp has reacted to Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s September 14 statement to the effect that Ukraine is not ready for a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) with ostentatious indignation. Yanukovych has been accused of violating inter-party accords and spoiling Ukraine’s chance to... MORE
JOURNALIST’S BEATING SPARKS CONCERN ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM IN ARMENIA
The reported beating of the editor of a leading Armenian newspaper has sparked domestic and international concerns about the state of press freedom in Armenia. The September 6 incident was the latest in a series of attacks against local journalists critical of the government. Armenian... MORE
TAJIK PRESIDENT USES NATIONAL HOLIDAYS TO LAUNCH HIS RE-ELECTION BID
Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov is actively campaigning ahead of presidential elections scheduled for November 6. In the last two weeks, Rahmonov celebrated four national holidays before other candidates could legally announce their own participation. Under the president’s leadership, Tajikistan celebrated national independence day, the year... MORE