Latest Articles about Europe
POLISH COMPANY ACQUIRES MAJORITY STAKE IN LITHUANIA’S OIL SECTOR
Lithuania’s oil industry holding, Mazeikiai Nafta, seems finally to be safe from takeover by Russian state-connected interests. The holding’s centerpiece, the Mazeikiai refinery, is the only refinery in the three Baltic states and the single most lucrative business entity in the three states. The Russian... MORE
COALITION TALKS: YUSHCHENKO DECIDES TO STEP IN
President Viktor Yushchenko will strive to carry on as the main powerbroker in Ukraine despite the constitutional reform that came into effect on January 1, 2006. This assertion was probably the main message of Yushchenko’s first speech before the new parliament elected in March. The... MORE
PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE TO TRANSFORM RUSSIAN “PEACEKEEPING” IN MOLDOVA
International talks were held on May 24 in Brussels on the possible transformation of Russia's "peacekeeping" operation in Moldova into an international mission. The talks were held in a 3+2 framework -- that is, Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE as "mediators" and the United States... MORE
BELARUS: THE MYTH OF “PEOPLE POWER”
On May 23 Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka delivered a "state of the nation address" that was broadcast live on Belarusian TV and lasted a relatively modest 51 minutes. The speech was significant for being his first major post-election broadcast, and it provided some rationale behind... MORE
GUAM IN KYIV: ANOTHER SUMMIT OF GOOD INTENTIONS
Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, Vladimir Voronin of Moldova, and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine met on May 23 in Kyiv for another effort to revitalize the GUAM group of countries. Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus attended as well, in line with his... MORE
ENERGY INSECURITY, FROZEN CONFLICTS PREOCCUPY GUAM SUMMIT
The GUAM summit in Kyiv on May 23 called international attention to the challenges and threats posed to the four member countries by energy insecurity and secessionist conflicts. Furthermore, Moldova and Georgia are the targets of politically motivated Russian embargoes on agricultural products and wine,... MORE
INCONSISTENT LANGUAGE POLICY CREATES PROBLEMS IN UKRAINE
The Party of Regions (PRU), which strengthened its grip on Ukraine's Russophone east and south after the March 26 parliamentary election, continues to probe the government's weaknesses, challenging it on the sensitive issue of language. The PRU-dominated Donetsk regional council has followed the example of... MORE
BELARUS SEEKS TO EMULATE GERMAN-GAZPROM DEALS
President Alexander Lukashenka's government in Belarus is drawing inspiration from German companies' emergent model of relations with Russia's Gazprom, a model blessed by the German government as well and antithetical to market economics. On May 17, top officials of the Belarus government and the state... MORE
REGIONS OF UKRAINE COMES BACK, TAKES UP LANGUAGE ISSUE
Though defeated in the Orange Revolution, regional elites scored a strong performance in Ukraine's March 26 general election, strengthening the position of their main party -- the Party of Regions (PRU) of former presidential contender Viktor Yanukovych. President Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc emerged very... MORE
MOSCOW PRESSING FOR CFE TREATY RATIFICATION DESPITE ITS OWN NON-COMPLIANCE
Amid a deep secrecy that belies its democratic professions, the OSCE is preparing to hold a Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) in Vienna at the end of this month. Some West European chancelleries are seeking ways... MORE