· May, 2006

Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from May, 2006

Czech Republic: Wedding Tradition

  31 May 2006

David of Prague Blog writes about a fun wedding tradition that the Czechs seem to observe: “After the wedding ceremony, and before the reception, the best man “kidnaps” the bride...

Belarus: Lukashenko's Childhood and Family

  31 May 2006

Tobias Ljungvall writes about Aleksandr Lukashenko's difficult childhood and posts a photo of the dictator's aunt that he took in 2002. (Two photos of Lukashenko's wife have been added, too.)

Belarus: Hunger Strikes and Persecutions

  31 May 2006

Andrei Khrapavitski writes about “repressions and deaths” in Belarus, as well as two hunger strikes – by the young politicians and a businessman facing a 6-year sentence for tax evasion.

Estonia: Nordic Battle Group

  31 May 2006

Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa writes about the history of military action of Sweden, Norway, Estonia and Finland, and reports on a Nordic Battle Group's workshop that took place Tuesday.

Latvia: Aleksiy II's Visit

  30 May 2006

All About Latvia writes about the visit of Aleksiy II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, to Latvia last weekend. Latvia is home to some 350,000 Orthodox Christians.

Latvia: Second Gay Pride Parade

  30 May 2006

All About Latvia writes about the politics of this year's gay pride parade (to be held in Riga on July 22): “For political parties who objected the march last year,...

Slovenia: President's Book Review

  30 May 2006

AlesS of A Little Blog For a Restless Mind reviews a book written by Janez Drnovsek, Slovenia's president: Thoughts on Life and Awareness. “To me the president with this book...

Estonia: “The Hole” Review

  30 May 2006

David McDuff of A Step At A Time reviews The Hole, a study on the sinking of Estonia, “a giant passenger and car ferry in the Baltic Sea in September...

Russia: Pogrom Instead of Gay Pride

  29 May 2006

LJ user greenmih posts photos from the pogrom that took place in Moscow on Saturday instead of the gay pride parade, which had been banned by Moscow's mayor (RUS). Riot...

Russia: Moscow Roma

  29 May 2006

Julia (LJ user kunstkamera) posts striking photos of the Roma living in Moscow (RUS). She went to their camp together with a friend – who, at one point, even lent...

Russia: The Plight of Russian-Germans

  29 May 2006

J. Otto Pohl writes about one Russian-German family's road to political asylum in the U.S., the plight of the Russian-Germans during WWII and now, and the “deep-rooted Germanophobia among the...

Ukraine: GUAM Founds ODED

  29 May 2006

Vilhelm Konnander writes about a new organization whose founding members are Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM): the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (ODED), to be based in Kyiv,...

About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage

Filip Stojanovski
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Daria Dergacheva
Daria Dergacheva is the Eastern Europe editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.