Russia, Lithuania Tussle Over Reporter’s Extradition, EU Finds Billions for Migrant Aid
Plus, IMF call to tax the poor puts Albania in a dilemma, and a Bernini masterpiece resurfaces only to vanish from Slovakia. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
OSCE Project Co-ordinator and EUAM join efforts in supporting Ukraine’s police and justice reforms
KYIV, 11 August 2015 – Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and Kalman Mizsei, Head of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), signed a memorandum of co-operation to support Ukraine in the fields of security and justice sector reform. The document formalizes agreements to...
The Ebbing of the Patriotic Wave
President Vladimir Putin has seen his approval rating reach a record-high of 89 percent in recent months, riding a wave of so-called “patriotic mobilization” triggered by Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. But are Russians truly enthusiastic about Putin’s policies, or are they merely passive supporters? Donald Jensen, resident...
Chaos in the Arab World Suits Russia’s Domestic Propaganda
Chaos in the Arab world has offered the Kremlin a convenient opportunity to shape public opinion at home on such issues as the legitimacy of the regime, its confrontation with the West and the situation in Ukraine. …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
Croatia, Kosovo Refuse Joint War Holiday With Serbia, Vilnius Says Moscow Planned Crimea Grab …
Plus, Russian state media whistleblowers allege a Kremlin-directed propaganda campaign, and a journalist dies after being attacked in Azerbaijan. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Macedonian Police Raid ISIS Suspects, Analyst Warns of Russian Advance in Ukraine
Plus, Croatia condemns flag-burning in Belgrade, Czechs to toughen up gambling laws. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 6 August 2015
This report is for the media and the general public. The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. There was a significant increase in ceasefire violations at and around Donetsk airport. An SMM-facilitated...
Ukraine Runs Out of Coal, May Run Out of Gas
Ukraine’s government has failed to properly adapt to the reality of Russia’s energy blockade. Just like at this time last year, Ukraine’s power plants are currently short of coal, ahead of the heating season, which begins in October, and no natural gas is being imported from Russia. Ukraine’s coal industry has been ruined...
Ukraine Is Asked to Provide Legal Cover for Donetsk-Luhansk ‘Elections’
Moscow is prepared to orchestrate local elections in the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk (“DPR, LPR”), separately from Ukraine’s upcoming local elections. Donetsk and Luhansk announced this intention in early July (see EDM, July 9) and reaffirmed it during the Contact Group’s failed meetings in Minsk, on July 21 and...
Reforms in Ukraine: No Room for Pessimism
Ukraine’s old, corrupt political system is determined to resist change. At the same time, the country’s civil society activists are determined to change that system. …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
