Crimea One Year On: Where Does Russia Go Now?
A year has passed since Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed the formal annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation. This act, which in the Kremlin’s narrative amounted to the rightful return of an ancient Russian holy land, seemingly elevated Vladimir Putin to near savior-like status in the eyes of the Russian people. read more...
Will the Ukrainian Economy Collapse in 2015?
On March 11, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved an Extended Fund Facility for Ukraine. This is the tenth IMF program with Ukraine since 1994, none of which have been completed. Op-ed by Anders Åslund. …read more Source: Peterson Institute for International...
Serbia Makes Landmark Arrests of Massacre Suspects; Kazakhstan Convicts Police of Torture
Plus, rights groups accuse Ukrainian Army and rebels of using cluster bombs and Kyrgyzstan begins legalizing the underground economy. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to hold news briefing in Kyiv today
KYIV, 19 March 2015 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing today in Kyiv. Alexander Hug, the Deputy Chief Monitor of the SMM, will talk about the recent Mission’s activities and the general security situation throughout Ukraine. Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing today, 19...
Imitating Chavez: A Year of Nationalization in Crimea
Although it began with state-owned assets, the nationalization project in Crimea quickly consumed Ukrainian and Russian private property. One year on, every significant Crimean enterprise is in the hands of local authorities, and there is little hope for privatization. | Русский …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
OSCE Chairperson Dačić and Secretary General Zannier condemn horrific terrorist attack in Tunisia
BELGRADE, 18 March 2015 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, and the Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, condemned the horrific terrorist attack in Tunis today, and expressed their deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims. “The attack in Tunis today highlights yet again that the...
Broken Ukraine
The rise of an ungoverned, violent Donbass-which had a prewar population of six million-is likely to be one of the war’s most important lasting legacies. …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
Press Communiqué of the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions
GENEVA, Switzerland, 18 March 2015 – The thirty-first round of the Geneva International Discussions has just been concluded. It turned out to be very difficult due to divergent views and approaches of participants on various issues, including on certain agenda items. As part of the review of the security situation, the participants...
OSCE provides equipment for humanitarian demining operations in coastal waters to Ukrainian emergency service
ODESA, 18 March 2015 –The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine will donate equipment for humanitarian demining operations in coastal waters to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on 19 March 2015 in Odesa. Special dive suits, masks, fins and hydro-acoustic communication systems will be provided to the national underwater emergency response...
OSCE PA President marks anniversary of Crimea’s illegal annexation
COPENHAGEN, 18 March 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, Ukraine by the Russian Federation: “Last March, Russia attempted to legitimize its occupation of Crimea and the fabricated ‘referendum’ that...
