Monday, December 14, 2015

Regional imbalance: visa liberalisation for Ukraine, sanctions for Russia

      Today, on the 14th of December, the Foreign Affairs Council discusses the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Frederica Morgherini, denied the possibility of a debate on the extension of the economic sanctions against Russia on this level. According to her, there is no dispute regarding this subject among the foreign ministers. This topic will be raised on the summit of the European Council this week. 
      Before today’s foreign ministers meeting, the commissioner for ENP and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, commented the possibility for a non-visa regime for Ukraine as a positive step. There is a high probability that very soon the citizens of Ukraine and Georgia will not need a visa in order to visit the countries of the EU.


Saturday, December 12, 2015

The enemy of my enemy is my friend

      Just as Russia pushes away its closest friends, threatening them by any means (that usually hurts Russians), Ukraine take an initiative for deeper co-operation with these states. Ukraine is going to increase the export of wheat,  corn and oil to Turkey in case of Russian sanctions against Turkey. The Ukrainian-Turkish meeting regarding agriculture will take place shortly.
      This is the continuation of the historical matrix of Ukraine: whenever Cossacks had a big threat, they found an ally among Turks, creating a union. And then they became a strong actors in the region. 

Historical Matrix of Ukraine

     Yesterday, in the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, a fight between deputies occurred. It seems it is just the Ukrainian manner of doing politics. Looking back to the Ukrainian history: the rebellious Cossacks, who did not like any authority, any pressure from the influential Empires around, exercising independence and democratic self-rule starting  the 17th century, it is hard to demand from such freedom-loving nation less emotions and more restrain.
     The question is why in Russia (not mentioning Belarus) any fights in the Parliaments occur? It would be better if there was any life at all.

                                                  Photo from Українські Новини 


Friday, December 11, 2015

Belarus is not ready for visa liberation with the EU

       While Ukrainian government is eager to get the visa-free regime with the EU, hoping for its launching in 2016, Belarusian Foreign Ministry is somehow surprised by the proposal of the EU officials of visa liberation. The agreement is ready for the initialling and signing. The main concerns of the Belarusian government are the policy of the readmission, and lack of the infrastructure for the citizens of the third countries. The situation is much more complicated: Belarus should make the same gesture towards EU citizens obtaining Belarusian visa. And what about millions EUR income per year? In order to obtain Schengen visa through Polish consulate, Belarusian citizen have to pay besides 60 EUR visa price, 150-200 EUR local service company, because the registration page of the consulate is blocked by nobody knows who. And in the end, for Belarusian government is more safe when its citizens are "safe" home.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

When will we stop selling our values?

   Apparently, for the Italian government it is not enough thousands of deaths and ruined lives in the Eastern Ukraine. It is not also enough - the Russian military destroys civilians and necessary for living infrastructure in Syria.
  The six moths extension of the sanctions against the Russia had to be agreed on the meeting EU member states held on the 9th of December. However, Italy opposed, referring to the big economic loses. Of course, it is more convenient to speak out loud your values, keeping your pocket safe. But will it bring any change to the world? How many more lives should “eat” Russian monster, before the European politicians will stop feeding him?

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Three get closer, three standstill

    On the 14th of December the Council of the European Union will discuss the cooperation with its Eastern European Partners. The emphasis of the ministers’ meeting will be the Free Trade Area with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
   On the contrary,
 three other members of the Eastern Partnership – Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan – do not make any positive steps towards better cooperation with the EU.


   

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Armenia: violations on the Constitutional Reform

       Referendum on the constitution change was held in Armenia on the 6th of December. It concerned the switch from a presidential system of government to a parliamentarian. In that regard the president will be able to stay at the office seven years instead of five. President also will be chosen by the parliament, not by the people. Protests of opposition side occurred on the streets of Yerevan this Friday. “Referendum results do not reflect the free will of Armenian citizens and should not be considered to be legitimate” – state the citizen Observer Initiative and the European Platform for Democratic Elections.
      Meanwhile, the negotiation on the new trade agreement between Armenia and the EU reopened in Brussels. The European Union hopes it will bring the new opportunities for the further investments and trade development with Armenia. However, the participation of Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) along with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and the strong Russian influence in the country can be serious obstacles for the future agreement. The Russian-Turkish conflict also brings a new role for the Armenia in the region. 

Monday, December 7, 2015

Nobel Lecture by Svetlana Alexievich

    There will be Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture in Literature at the Swedish Academy today at 17:30 Stockholm time. The live video transmission will be available on www. nobelprize.org, YouTube and “Belsat TV”. Svetlana Alexievich is going to speak about her 40 years work, about the “red person” (Soviet person), about current Belarus. On the 10th of December “Belsat”, broadcasting from Poland, will show the live Nobel Prize ceremony in Belarusian language at 18:30.

 The text of the Lecture in English you can find here:


“In order to win in this life, you should be a little bit of idealist” - Svetlana Alexievich about Nadiya Savchenko

      Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, Svetlana Alexievich, wrote a letter, singed and sent her books to the imprisoned Ukrainian pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, in Russia. Svetlana Alexievich called Nadiya Savchenko Ukrainian “Jean of Arc”, adding that “she is actually the person fighting for her motherland, she is the true soldier”.  
Nadiya Savchenko, a deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament and of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Ukrainian pilot, has been taken as a prisoner by pro-Russian separatists in summer 2014 and accused of murdering two Russian journalists in Luhansk region, despite the international condemnation.
Nadiya Savchenko finds the title of the S. Alexievich book “War does not have a woman’s face” ironic: “I am a woman who saw the face of the war” – she says.


Sunday, December 6, 2015

Mikheil Saakashvili is still Georgian, even without a citizenship

   Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili has been stripped of his Georgian citizenship. The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, appointed M. Saakashvili to be governor of the Odessa region in May 2015. Mikheil Saakashvili commented the news from Georgia:
 “By fighting for the Ukrainian statehood, we help Georgia. Striping me of the Georgian citizenship, Russian oligarch, Ivanishvili, is taken the control over my country. But he is not able to change the history of my country”.
   M. Saakashvili was the President of Georgia in 2004-2013. During his presidency Georgia was successfully reformed, in particular in anti-corruption, ease of doing business and privatization areas.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Official Belarus: ashamed to be proud


  Belarusian Television and Radio won’t transmit the ceremony held on the 10th of December in Stockholm, where Svetlana Alexievich will be awarded by Nobel Prize for the Literature. It is the first Nobel Prize being awarded to a Belarusian.
The only channel that will show the Belarusian pride and talent will be “Belsat”, based in Poland and broadcasting news for Belarus in Belarusian language.

Show me your Zoo and I will show you who you are

It is impossible to look at this picture without tears. It was posted by blogger "Lenz Gottfried".
The dramatic situation of human rights in Russia is widely known , however such a horrible attitude toward animals is striking example of the deviation of the core values of the state.
The author of the picture says "the bear in the Kaliningrad Zoo, the symbol of the country, is the best description of the current situation in Russia".


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

All quite on the Western front

   It seems like NATO woke up after the tension appearance between NATO member and Russia. Recently the negotiations on the accession of Montenegro to NATO started. Montenegro could become the 28th member of the alliance.
   Meanwhile, NATO is preparing its support the Turkish counter-air defence by the military aircrafts and ships in the Eastern Mediterranean see.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Tomatoes issue

    It seems like Russian government is more concerned, how to prevent Turkish tomatoes coming to the Russian market, than to bring the light to covered in darkness in winter time Crimea, annexed by Russia in March 2014.  On the 28th of November President V. Putin approved sanctions against Turkey: it concerns food, flights between Russia and Turkey, however not manufactured products. From the 1st of January the non-visa regime between two countries will be stopped. How fragile a friendship can be.


Monday, November 30, 2015

First Belarusian Nobel Prize laureate, Svetlana Alexievich

       Nobel Prize in Literature will be awarded to the Belarusian journalist and author, Svetlana Alexievich, on the 10th of December 2015 in Stockholm. She is the first Belarusian Noble Prize laureate.  Her books are heavy but ponderable in its truth of people’s life and sad events on the Soviet and post-Soviet territory.  Among her most recognized works are: “War does not have a woman’s face”, “Zinc-Covered Boys”, “Second-hand time”.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Closer cooperation with the EU by Moldova and Ukraine

      Couple days ago the last EU member state ratified the EU association agreement with Moldova. The entire process of ratification by both parties – Moldova and the EU - was prompt and efficient. Since April 2014 citizens of Moldova do not need a visa to visit the EU.
Although the ratification of EU association agreement with Ukraine stumbled on a referendum in the Netherlands, it is still proceeded and expected to be finalized till the end of the 2015.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Russia refuses Turkish resorts but not the money for gas

    Current tension between Turkey and Russia over shot plane, violated Turkish air-space, grows everyday.  This was not only a warning signal to V. Putin - “do not mess up with Turkey”, it was a signal for the whole region. It seems like no one but Russians will pay for the boldness of Turkish government. Russia scares Turkey by the economical revenge, however it is knows that similar food embargo against the European Union impacted rise of the prices on the food products in Russia, not bringing much damage for the EU. While Russia considers how to punish rebellious „ex-friend”, Russians are restricted to take holidays in Turkey. Goodbye, Turkish food, resorts, small-medium business with Turkey! However, there was no word about cutting gas supply from Russia to Turkey. Well, Russian government won’t do anything that might hurt particular pockets.