Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from January, 2007
Russia: Amber
Copydude writes about the sorry state of the Baltic ecology and about the amber mines of Kaliningrad.
Russia: Conversation With Litvinenko's Widow, Part 10
Part 10 of the conversation with Aleksandr Litvinenko's widow is translated and posted at A Step At A Time.
Poland: Politics
“This is not a deeply unpopular government at all. It’s supporters appear to quite like it,” writes Warsaw Station in a lengthy post (followed by a lengthy discussion).
Poland: Sex Scandal and Cronyism
Traveling Life writes about Poland's ongoing sex scandal and about yet another case of cronyism: “I know that each political appointee has an army of advisers to make sure he...
Poland: LOT Airline
“LOT's passenger numbers have risen by less than 2 percent last year at the time when millions of Poles are traveling to work in Irland and Britain.” Polish Matters writes...
Poland: Clothing for the Pope vs G-Strings
A small Polish town is divided: is it a sin to make sexy underwear for a company that used to make ceremonial clothing for Pope John Paul II? The beatroot...
Poland: PM With a Broken Arm
The beatroot writes: “[The Polish president's twin brother] breaks arm after falling on ice. Does that make him a lame duck Prime Minister?” A commenter responds: “He's a right wing...
Poland: Anti-Missile System
The beatroot argues that “the critics of the decision of placing a US anti-missile system in Poland are being as paranoid as the US government.”
Poland: The Soviets’ Nuclear Arsenal
The beatroot writes about the “now unclassified documents which show that Poland was nothing more than a buffer to the West for the Soviets and one that they could afford...
Russia: On Economy
The Russian Dilettante comments on Masha Lipman's recent column.
Russia: Litvinenko a Target
La Russophobe posts parts of a report from the Polish newspaper Dziennik on the use of Aleksandr Litvinenko's image for target practice by the FSB, and links to a video...
Russia: Conversation With Litvinenko's Widow, Part 9
Translation of part 9 of the interview with Marina Litvinenko is posted at A Step At A Time.
Czech Rebublic: New Arms Race?
NvB: Bored in Brno writes that the “proposed radar stations around the Czech Republic may be a forerunner of the new silent arms race.”
Czech Rebublic: Dechovka Music
NvB: Bored in Brno writes about dechovka music and posts a YouTube video of Eva and Vasek, “the most successful musical group in the [Czech] Republic from the standpoint of...
Czech Rebublic: Straznice Folk Festival
NvB: Bored in Brno writes about the history of the folk festival in Straznice that will be held June 21-24, 2007.
Albania: Petrella Castle
Stepping Stones posts pictures from a trip to Petrella Castle, about 15 km southeast of the capital Tirana.
Albania, Serbia: Views on “Greater Albania”
Our Man in Tirana writes about the views of the international community as well as the Albanian populations of Kosovo and Albania on the idea of a “Greater Albania.”
Czech Rebublic: Return of the Drawings
Four Bees reports on the return of the drawings that were looted by the Nazis in 1939 to the family of a Brno lawyer.
Czech Republic: New Government
The Economist's Edward Lucas writes about the Czech Republic's new government.
Serbia: Mladic and the EU
Neretva River points out some legal issues that might make the transfer of Ratko Mladic to the ICTY impossible.
Ukraine, Romania: Serpent Island Dispute
Ukraine List writes about a Ukrainian-Romanian dispute over Serpent Island: “The island itself is just a small chunk of limestone (.17 km sq.) with a layer of topsoil. […] The...