 RFE/RL Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova Report 26.06.2009 A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. For more stories on Eastern Europe, please visit and bookmark our Eastern Europe page . |
| Belarus  Belarus Cycling Star Dies In Traffic Accident Prominent Belarusian cyclist Zinaida Stagurskaya, 38, was killed in a traffic accident on June 25, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports. More  Minsk Wants Free-Trade Zone With EU Long accused of human rights violations in the West, Belarus has been moving closer to the EU since quarreling with traditional ally Russia in 2007 over energy prices. More  Radio Sweden To End Broadcasting In Belarusian Radio Sweden plans to stop broadcasting in Belarusian as of September 1, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports. More Russia will help Belarus construct a new nuclear power plant, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports. More  Inside The Mind Of Belarus's Cocksure President In a recent interview with Russian media, Belarus's Alyaksandr Lukashenka displayed the pugnacious, didactic stance that has fascinated Belarus-watchers throughout his 15-year presidency. So what's going on in his mind? For help in drafting a psychological portrait of "Europe's last dictator," RFE/RL's Belarus Service spoke to two political analysts: Uladzimir Padhol in Minsk and Leonid Radzikhovsky in Moscow. More  Jailed Belarusian Activist Faces New Charge Jailed Belarusian activist Mikalay Autukhovich, who has been on hunger strike for 70 days, now faces an additional charge, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports. More  Widow Of Slain Balloonist Wants Answers From Minsk British-born U.S. balloonist John Stuart-Jervis had made a career of airborne adventure, serving as a Royal Navy fighter pilot before moving on to commercial air shipping, parachuting, and work as a flight instructor. In 1995, at the age of 68, he entered the Gordon Bennett Cup, the world's most prestigious hot-air balloon race. But the event ended in tragedy when the Belarusian army shot down his balloon, killing him and his partner, and sparking a major diplomatic dispute with Washington. Fou More  EU Says It Will Help Belarus If Democracy Advances The European Union's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, visited Minsk on June 22 for talks with Belarusian officials including President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Foreign Minister Syarhey Martynau. Ahead of her visit, RFE/RL's Belarus Service solicited questions from listeners to put to Ferrero-Waldner in an online interview. More  EU Official Says No ‘Zero-Sum Games’ With Belarus The European Union's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, has said Belarus does not need to choose between the European Union and Russia, RFE/RL’s Belarus Service reports. More The Week In Facebook Inspired by "The Atlantic's" mock "World Leaders" Facebook group, RFE/RL presents a Facebook-style summary of last week's events. More  Moldovan President Accuses Romania Of 'Revisionism' Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has told journalists that his country would not lift visa requirements for citizens of Romania, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports. More  Moldova's Parties Must Act Now To Exercise Their Rights New legislative elections in Moldova will take place July 29, following the collapse of the old parliament that deadlocked over the election of a new president. That parliament was elected in a highly contentious poll in April that the opposition denounced as fraudulent. More  Is EU Doing Too Little To Help Eastern Neighbors? It has been just over a month since the European Union attempted to draw six post-Soviet neighbors -- Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia -- closer to its orbit with its Eastern Partnership program. But a new report by the European Council on Foreign Relations blasts the EU for what it calls its "complacent" and "long-term" strategy in the region, and warns that without fast action to engage the eastern neighbors, Europe could risk another "August surprise" with Russia -- More  Constitutional Rows Leave Ukraine In 'Legal Turmoil' Between 1996 and 2006, Ukraine has switched from a semi-parliamentary to a semi-presidential system, but neither model yielded political stability. If Ukraine really wants such stability, it needs to opt either for a full presidential or a full parliamentary system. More  'Beach Revolution' In Crimea Tearing Down Fences Locals and tourists on Crimea's Black Sea coast are destroying fences put up by local businesses that limit access to beaches, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports. More |
