European Forum

NEWSFLASH#5

NEWSFLASH #5

Covering the period: 18 February 2010 – 8 March 2010

In this issue:
►Croatia could conclude EU accession talks this year
►Turkey demands end of 'genocide' vote
►Turkish President says nation will overcome coup crisis
►Albania’s Socialist opposition returns to Parliament for a brief period
►Karadzic calls Srebrenica massacre "a myth"
►Protests in Bosnia put austerity measures on hold
►Opposition parties in Serbia vow for early elections
►Azerbaijan in new war threat
►Delegation of European Parliament supports economic sanctions against Belarusian Lukashenka
►EU delegation meets opposition in Georgia
►Social-Democratic faction in Moldova’s Chisinau Council disbanded
►Pensioners’ Party in Russia joins Yabloko, other coalitions on the horizon
►Ukrainian Parliament ousts Timoshenko’s government
►OSCE official: “ Kazakhs must loosen media grip”
►Parliamentary elections Tajikistan criticized by the OSCE and opposition
And much more news from:

ACCESSION / CANDIDATE COUNTRIES: Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey

WESTERN BALKANS: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Monetenegro and Serbia

WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine

CENTRAL ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

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The Newsflash of the European Forum of Democracy and Solidarity is a bi-monthly news bulletin covering relevant political developments in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus. We put main accent on political party news, while at the same time attention is being given to gender issues, minority and human rights, and the process of accession to the European Union. It is sponsored by the British Labour Party through the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and is spread by e-mail to more than 500 recipients. The Newsflash is based on mass media and internal sources. Contributions and comments are highly appreciated.

ACCESSION / CANDIDATE COUNTRIES

►Central and East European countries unite to form gas supply triangle
On 24 February 11 Central and East European (CEE) countries agreed to set up a north-south-east gas system that would help both diversify supply sources and routes, as well as beef up energy security in the region. The new arrangement was proposed by Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai during an energy security summit in Budapest. The meeting ended with the signing of a joint declaration by the participating states, including Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The document called for the establishment of the "North-South-East gas supply triangle" as suggested by summit host Bajnai. The Nabucco natural gas pipeline would form the eastern corner of the triangle, while the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the Croatian island of Krk and another in Poland would represent its southern and northern corners, respectively. A planned central European gas line, known as the North-South Energy Corridor, would link the three corners. "It is a very broad and strong co-operation to ensure that fewer people have to endure sleepless nights or freezing temperatures because of any energy crisis in the region," Bajnai noted, in an apparent reference to the gas crisis early last year triggered by a price dispute between Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine. According to plans, the pipeline will carry up to 31 billion cubic meters of Iraqi, Turkmen and Azeri natural gas along a 3,300km-long route. It runs from eastern Turkey to a distribution hub in Austria via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, bypassing Russia.


Croatia

►Croatia could conclude EU accession talks this year
On 5 March officials from Brussels said that it is feasible that Croatia could conclude the accession talks during this year, but warned Zagreb that the country still has to fulfil key conditions, including full cooperation with International Court in The Hague. This message was passed to newly elected Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, who was visiting the EU headquarters in Brussels on 5 March for the first time in his new position. Among Josipovic's interlocutors were top European leaders, including the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the head of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso. Both men confirmed Brussels' full support for Croatia’s membership in the EU. Van Rompuy stressed that Croatia’s accession “will give a very positive signal to the region.” A positive evaluation by chief ICTY prosecutor Serge Brammertz on the level of cooperation between Zagreb and Hague is necessary for opening of chapter 23 in accession talks, which includes judiciary. This chapter remains one of the most important elements in the overall accession process of Croatia. “[..] The EU is ready to welcome Croatia as a new member. But when negotiations are closed Croatia should be fully ready to join the EU,” Barroso said. “We are going to do our best to implement all the necessary reforms in Croatia needed to become a member of the EU. We are especially aware of the things that must be done concerning chapter 23,” Josipovic emphasized.

►Croatia's Josipovic discusses possible RS referendum
On 19 February Croatia's new President, Ivo Josipovic, said in an interview that any possible referendum on the independence of Bosnian Serbs would not affect the current structure of neighbouring BiH. Republika Srprka (RS) cannot change the current situation unilaterally, Josipovic said, adding that even if Bosnian Serbs hold a referendum, it would have absolutely no legal consequences. Earlier this month, the RS Parliament adopted a law that allows citizens to hold referenda on national issues. Meanwhile, RS’ Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said that a referendum would be held in July at the latest. He has repeatedly threatened to call one on RS's independence.

►Social Democrat Josipovic sworn in as Croatia's new President
On 18 February Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic was sworn in as Croatia’s new President at an inauguration ceremony in Zagreb. In his speech, Josipovic vowed to work with the government to implement economic reforms needed for EU integration. He also pledged to strengthen the rule of law, work for the promotion of minorities' rights and to fight corruption and organised crime. Ten presidents of Central and Southeast European countries attended the ceremony, but not Serbia's President Boris Tadic. Tadic refused to attend if Kosovo counterpart Fatmir Sejdiu was present. Josipovic -- a 52-year-old law professor and music composer -- won the Presidential run-off in mid-January. Term limits prevented incumbent President Stipe Mesic from running again.


Macedonia

►Belgium PM: “Chances for asylum nonexistent'”
On 8 March Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme told local media during his visit in Skopje that the chances that Macedonian citizens will be granted asylum in Belgium are nonexistent. During his stay in Macedonia Leterme met with Macedonian PM Nikola Gruevski. The information about Belgium's asylum policy that has spread across the northern part of the country [Macedonia] is wrong, Leterme said. “My country does not give political asylum to economic refugees and so there is no point travelling to Belgium to try and get it.” Leterme told reporters that the number of asylum seekers has dropped in the last few days and announced close cooperation with Skopje to tackle the issue further. PM Gruevski assured Leterme that his country was doing its utmost to inform its people and prevent them from leaving for Brussels to seek asylum. “We informed Leterme about the concrete measures that we have taken, which are already producing results,” Gruevski said. After the lifting of the Schengen visa wall for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro at the end of last year, Brussels has reported that the number of Macedonian and Serbian asylum seekers at its doorstep has soared. Switzerland and Sweden said they too are facing dramatically higher numbers of asylum seekers from the two countries. Belgrade and Skopje have explained that those who are filing the applications are mainly people from several impoverished regions who travel in organised groups in search of a better life.

►Nimetz urges Macedonia and Greece to speed up talks
On 23 February the UN mediator in the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece, Matthew Nimetz, urged both countries to accelerate negotiations to resolve the long-standing row. "I believe it is very important to speed up the talks and make certain decisions," Nimetz said after meeting with Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki in Skopje. Nimetz added that if there is the necessary political will, the issue could be resolved in a relatively short time. He said that he did not come with any specific new proposal, rather with ideas on moving the process forward. On 26 February, Nimetz also paid a visit to Greece.


Turkey

►Turkey demands end of 'genocide' vote
On 5 March Turkey reacted angrily to a U.S. congressional panel's resolution branding the World War I-era mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as "genocide." Turkey recalled its ambassador to the U.S. for consultations after the House Committee on Foreign Affairs narrowly approved the resolution on 4 March. In a written statement, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the nonbinding resolution accused Turkey "of a crime that it has not committed." He also expressed concerns that it would harm Turkish-U.S. ties and efforts by Muslim Turkey and Christian Armenia to bury a century of hostility. Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey would press ahead with those efforts, stemming from an October 2009 accord aimed at normalizing bilateral relations. But he also said parliamentary ratification of that agreement was now at risk. The White House had also urged the U.S. lawmakers not to pass the resolution, saying it would offend NATO member Turkey at a time when relations with Ankara are crucial for U.S. Middle East policy. In Yerevan, Armenian FM Eduard Nalbandian said the vote was "another proof of the devotion of the American people to universal human values" and was "an important step toward the prevention of crimes against humanity." Armenian-American groups have sought congressional affirmation of the killings as genocide for decades and welcomed the 4 March vote -- despite expressing disappointment at the Obama administration's efforts to block the measure. The Armenian Assembly of America told reporters it was satisfied with the vote, which it said came "in the face of extreme tactics." The resolution now goes to the full House of Representatives, where it is unclear whether it will pass.

►Turkish opposition party vows to appeal to Constitutional Court
On 3 March Deniz Baykal, leader of the opposition People's Republican Party (CHP), said that if Parliament passes the proposed new judicial reforms, his party will appeal them before the Constitutional Court. Amending the constitution is a key requirement in EU accession talks. Late last month, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is working on a package of amendments and said they would be put to a referendum if necessary. Parliament can amend the Constitution if the proposal is backed by 367 of 550 lawmakers. If it gets at least 330 votes, it can be put to a referendum. The CHP has repeatedly gone to the Constitutional Court on various issues over the course of the AKP's rule.

►Turkish President says nation will overcome coup crisis
On 27 February President Abdullah Gul expressed certainty that Turkey will overcome the crisis caused by an investigation into a suspected army plot to topple the government. The statement made to local media came a day after an Istanbul court charged two generals in the case. Dubbed the "Sledgehammer", the plot reportedly dates to 2003. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that no-one will be above the law and vowed that everyone who "makes plans behind closed doors" will face justice. Two of the key suspects are retired General Cetin Dogan, in charge of the Istanbul-based First Army when the plot was allegedly prepared; and General Engin Alan, former commander of the country's Special Forces. The court ordered both men to remain in detention. The arrests of Dogan and Alan brought the number of suspects in custody to 33, since police began their round-up in February. Among suspects are dozens of high-ranking officers. Earlier, on 25 February President Abdullah Gul and PM Erdogan held an emergency meeting with the army's chief of general staff. Talks focused on the “Sledgehammer” probe. Observers in Turkey, where the army has toppled a sitting government four times since 1960, described the meeting as unprecedented. In a statement issued afterwards, President Gul said the crisis over the alleged coup plot must be resolved within the framework of the constitution. The plot, first reported by the Turkish newspaper Taraf, allegedly aimed to trigger chaos by placing bombs in mosques and museums. The army denies such a plan. The EU voiced "concern" by saying "the investigation must be exemplary and carried out in full respect of the principles [..] of a fair judicial process."

WESTERN BALKANS

►No agreement on Serbia, Kosovo participation in conference
On 8 March Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian top officials failed to agree on a formula that would allow both Belgrade and Pristina delegations to participate in a regional conference on the Western Balkans to be held in March. The cabinet of Serbian President Boris Tadic has denied statements by Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar, who said that delegations from Belgrade and Pristina would take part in the conference. Tadic stressed that his country wanted representatives of all people living in Serbia to participate in regional forums, under certain conditions. Serbia asks that Kosovo representatives participate in the "format defined by UN Security Council Resolution 1244". Meanwhile, Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci announced they would attend the event "only as representatives of the state of Kosovo". Tadic met Croatian PM Jadranka Kosor and her Slovenian counterpart, Borut Pahor, on 5 March to discuss a conference on the EU integration of the Western Balkans, which is scheduled to be held in Slovenia on 20 March. The conference, which has been named "Together for the European Union: Contribution of the Western Balkans to the European Future", would be the first meeting of all the political leaders in the region in 18 years. The meeting is a clear signal to other countries in Southeast Europe that old grievances can be overcome and bilateral disputes resolved. Pahor and EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, agreed earlier in February that a conference on the Western Balkans should be held with the goal of resolving some of the open issues in the region.

►Balkan Ministers take on border safety issue
On 4 March Balkan Interior Ministers gathered at a two-day regional conference in Tirana to discuss cooperation in handling border security and responses to transnational crime. The meeting was attended by representatives of all the countries in the region and several EU delegations, including Albanian PM Sali Berisha. Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said at the opening that good cooperation between countries in the region is necessary to combat corruption and organised crime. "I am certain that despite political differences we will be able to establish good cooperation to ensure regional security," Dacic said. Albanian Interior Minister Lulzim Basha opened the conference by saying that "the goal is to have borders which everyone can cross, but those borders must be controlled and must not allow passage to international crime." According to Albanian PM Berisha, the border issue is both a great responsibility and an obligation to international partners. The conference was the 7th annual Ministerial conference on cooperation in border safety in South Eastern Europe

►U.S. for Western Balkans in EU and NATO
On 26 February U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton said that the U.S. is opposed to the breaking up of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In her testimonies before U.S. Senate committees, she also reiterated Washington's support for EU and NATO integrations of Western Balkans' countries, Serbia included. Responding to the concerns of Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who recently visited the Balkans, that NATO and the EU are experiencing enlargement fatigue and are therefore disinclined to offer Bosnia a membership action plan, Clinton said that the U.S. is encouraging the EU to work with the government in Sarajevo on membership conditions. The U.S. government supports the same path for Serbia as well, she added. “[..] Bosnia-Herzegovina may not be there yet. But with a little more effort, it could be," Clinton said.


Albania

►Council of Europe discusses visa liberalisation for Albania
On 6 March Council of Europe (CoE) Director for Justice and Home Affairs, Ivan Bizjak, said Albania must meet more requirements before it can be offered visa-free travel to EU member countries. Bizjak stated "I am sure that both Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina know exactly what criteria they have to meet," adding that this stage is just the beginning of a long road to EU membership. Among areas where more work is necessary, Bizjak cited consolidating institutions, boosting the rule of law, fighting corruption and organised crime, respecting human rights and guaranteeing free competition.

►Albania’s opposition returns to Parliament for a brief period
On 25 February the main Socialist opposition party in Albania (SP) returned shortly to Parliament, ending its six-month Parliamentary boycott. However, after the 64 Socialist MPs took their oath of office, they remained in Parliament merely for a few hours after which they again left. They requested to open ballot boxes in several communities for a recount, but Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party did not back the Socialists’ request. The Socialists started their boycott over what they say was fraud in the general elections held on 28 June, which were narrowly won by the centre-right PM Berisha. The decision to return to Parliament follows intense crisis talks in the last weeks held under the umbrella of Albanian President Bamir Topi and assisted by a mission of the Council of Europe. “In less than six months our refusal to be part of a façade Parliament that hides an electoral crime has highlighted the crisis of democracy in Albania,” Socialist leader and mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama said. Until the end of their boycott they had conditioned their return to Parliament on a recount of the electoral ballots of the Parliamentary vote. Although declaring his openness to a Parliamentary investigation of the election, Berisha has stubbornly rejected the possibility of a recount. He argues that the opposition has exhausted all legal options and that he cannot override the judicial process. The return to the Parliament of the Socialist deputies came on the threshold of the constitutional limit of absence, which ends in the beginning of March. If the MPs had continued to be absent past the constitutional limit, they would have been replaced by other party candidates in the electoral lists.


Bosnia-Herzegovina

►Karadzic calls Srebrenica massacre "a myth"
On 2 March Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic said the mass killings of non-Serbs in Sarajevo and Srebrenica during the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict are a "myth", and denied any responsibility for them. During the second day of his opening statement at the UN war crimes tribunal on 2 March, Karadzic said that Sarajevo was not under Bosnian Serb siege; rather, it was his army that was encircled by Muslim and Croatian forces. He also denied that Bosnian Serb forces shelled civilians at random. "We were accused of firing indiscriminately at Sarajevo, but the targets were legitimate targets," he said. Karadzic accused Bosnian Muslims of killing Bosniak civilians in order to trigger foreign intervention. "They shelled their own people and killed their own people [with] snipers," he said. Karadzic is charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the Bosnian conflict

►Dodik “not negating Bosnia”
On 24 February Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, said that his party does not negate Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), but that it will not allow RS to be negated. He told local media that BiH is “a part of an international project called the Dayton Peace Agreement within which there is the possibility to build certain things together to turn Bosnia towards Europe”. “The rights we have in the RS do not go against the Bosniaks (Muslims) or the Croats or against the Federation of BiH, but they do go against some political concepts that have a different view in Bosnia,” he said. Asked whether Serbia should accept the Srebrenica resolution and whether people in the Balkans believe that Srebrenica was the worst tragedy and genocide, Dodik said that the greatest tragedy was the collapse of Yugoslavia, which led to dramatic crimes. “Srebrenica is a place where the greatest crimes occurred, but it is not the only place that should be commemorated,” Dodik said. Meanwhile, Bosniak representatives in RS Council of Peoples vetoed the law on referendums passed by Parliament on 10 February. Edin Ramic, chairman of the Bosniak caucus in the RS Parliament, said that Bosniak representatives insist on several amendments. He said the legislation should precisely say that questions to be asked must be in accordance with the RS powers, RS Constitution and BiH's Constitution. Bosniaks also insist on a provision guaranteeing that BiH's territorial integrity, sovereignty and security cannot be subject to referendums. RS Parliament Speaker Igor Radojcic said the Bosniaks' move is no surprise, as they threatened to veto the law even before it was drafted.

►Protests in Bosnia puts austerity measures on hold
On 23 February a major rally by Bosnia's trade unions forced the Parliament of the country's Croat-Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) region to put on hold an austerity law required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the release of the second instalment of its standby loan for the country. The Parliament withdrew from discussion a law drafted by the Croat-Bosniak government under which all budgetary payments would be cut by 10%. As the parliament session begun, some 2,000 workers gathered in front of the Parliament building in Sarajevo to protest the law, which they claim violates a number of legal requirements, including the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. "This is our first victory," said union leader Ismet Bajramovic, announcing a “wave of protests” if the government fails to initiate social dialogue and find solutions that are acceptable to everyone. IMF agreed last year to provide Bosnia with a three-year, €1.2 billion standby loan. The country has already received €202 million from the loan, but the disbursement of the remainder will depend on the adoption of spending cuts legislation. Bosnia’s other region, the Serb dominated Republika Srpska, has already adopted austerity legislation required by the IMF, but the failure of the Muslim-Croat federation to do the same will put a halt on the disbursement of funding for the entire country. MP of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Bosnia, Damir Masic, stated that the SDP will not accept the proposal for an austerity law and a set of laws reforming and cutting cash transfers to war veterans and families of fallen soldiers, proposed by the government as such. He added that generally the SDP does not accept the concept in which the government is tackling the consequences of the economic crisis at the expenses of the weakest.

►EU Foreign Policy Chief: “EU will never accept dissolution of BiH”
On 18 March the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, said the block was “fully dedicated to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)”. “The EU and our international partners will never accept the dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Ashton said ahead of her three-day visit to the Western Balkans. Ashton said that she was “very concerned” with the current political situation in BiH. “Lack of progress, reforms and local political dialogue are the reasons why BiH is lagging behind the rest of the region,” she said.


Kosovo

►NATO stops co-operating with Kosovo Security Force
On 6 March KFOR, the NATO mission in Kosovo, halted its co-operation with the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) after members of the newly established force carried weapons during a ceremony on 5 March marking the 12th anniversary of the Kosovo Albanian resistance against Serb forces. As a result, KFOR has suspended all support and training activities with the KSF until further notice, the mission announced in a statement. The International Civilian Office (ICO) is supporting the decision, suggesting the KSF had overstepped its bounds. By law, "The KSF is responsible for crisis response, explosive ordnance disposal, civil protection and other security functions," ICO spokesman Kai Mueller-Berner said.

►Serbia Minister: “EULEX doesn't back strategy for Northern Kosovo”
On 3 March Serbian Minister for Kosovo, Goran Bogdanovic, met with Yves de Kermabon, the chief of the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to find functional solutions in the field of justice, police and customs that are acceptable to all communities in Kosovo. Bogdanovic said that the EULEX Chief indicated that the EU does not support “any violence and any imposed solutions for northern Kosovo", meaning the strategy for the north of Kosovo put forward by the International Civil Office (ICO) and the Kosovo government. The strategy, which seeks to bring the Serb areas in Kosovo under Pristina's control, was introduced in mid-January and drew strong opposition from Kosovo Serbs. It was prepared by the ICO, headed by Pieter Feith, and the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina. The Serbian government and its Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija – Kosovo’ southwestern region – have rejected the plan, claiming it is invalid. Bogdanovic and de Kermabon reportedly talked about the need to process war criminals, the importance of the fight against organised crime, and the exchange of documents, which has been stalled for two years.

►EU's Foreign Policy Chief: “Concrete steps forward for Kosovo”
On 18 February the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, met Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and reiterated that the Western Balkans is a top priority for the EU. “We know that Kosovo wants to move forward in relation with visa liberalisation and during the next few weeks a team will come here to visit in order to evaluate the situation,” Ashton said. She added that it was “important to contribute together to the economic development of Kosovo in order to make it possible for people to reach EU standards.” Kosovo Premier Hashim Thaci said that Kosovo would fulfil all necessary criteria and asked for equal treatment for the country in the EU integration process. “We expressed the Kosovo government's dedication to the full implementation of necessary democratic criteria for the process of pre-accession into the EU,” Thaci said. He said Kosovo is building a democratic and multiethnic country and added that the government would soon expect the guidelines for visa liberalisation and trade relations. Ashton came to Kosovo after her visits to Bosnia and Serbia.


Montenegro

►Montenegro expects new questions from EU
On 26 February European Integration Minister, Gordana Djurovic told members of Parliament's European integration committee that the Montenegrin authorities expect additional questions from the European Commission by the end of March. Djurovic said that more EU missions are expected to visit the country soon. Montenegro delivered its responses to the EC membership questionnaire in December. Based on answers to more than 2,100 questions – along with more to come – the EU will assess Podgorica's readiness for membership. Montenegro hopes to obtain candidate status by the end of 2010 and launch accession talks early in 2011. A few days earlier, EU officials praised Montenegro for its progress in EU-related reforms but noted much more must be done for membership. Following a Montenegro-EU political dialogue in Brussels, Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Angel Lossada said Podgorica has made "significant progress" in adopting the acquis, adding he expects ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) to be completed soon. European Commission Director General for Enlargement, Michael Leigh, said the commission is drafting its opinion of Podgorica's EU membership application.

►Montenegrin parties condemn attack on opposition leader
On 21 February both ruling and opposition parties condemned an attack on the leader of the main opposition Movement for Change party (PzP), Nebojsa Medojevic. Medojevic was assaulted outside his home in Podgorica on 21 February. The ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) vowed that authorities will do their best to shed light on the circumstances related to the incident. He said he fears for his life but refused police protection. He vowed to continue fighting organised crime. The opposition leader was attacked by Nenad Micunovic, who tried to hit him and warned him "to stop mentioning the name of Branislav Micunovic", a wealthy businessman that Medojevic has described as "the most powerful person" in the country, allegedly controlling even the police. His relative, the alleged assailant, is in custody but will only be charged with disturbing the public order


Serbia

►DS-led coalition wins local vote in eastern town
On 8 March data from party headquarters suggested that the Democratic Party (DS)-led coalition had won the early local elections in the town of Negotin, eastern Serbia. The Democrats were joined by the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) in this local-level coalition. According to the numbers known so far, they won some 23% of the vote and stand to win 12 seats in the local assembly, followed by the Socialists (SPS) with nine, and the Liberal-Democrats (LDP) with eight seats. Other parties and coalitions that made it to the local assembly are the Progressives (SNS), G17 Plus and Rasim Ljajić's SDP – both in coalition with local political groups.

►Party expects Šešelj acquittal in May this year
On 7 March Head of Vojislav Šešelj's defense team Zoran Krasić said he expects the opposition Serbian Radical Party (SRS) leader to be released in May. Alternatively, Krasić said, the defense will call its witnesses. "The prosecution's witnesses thus far have not contributed to it in any spectacular manner, rather they enabled the public to learn that there is no indictment against Šešelj. For this reason we expect his acquittal," he told reporters. In case Šešelj is not set free, the defense will call its witnesses, Krasić continued, but refused to elaborate on this point, saying only that "it's too early for the defense". Krasić said that Šešelj, who is conducting his own defense, is not receiving money for his expenses, and that he does not have access to the "technical funds", that were at Slobodan Milošević's disposal during his trial. Šešelj, indicted for war crimes, voluntarily turned himself in to the Hague Tribunal seven years ago.

►EU's President: “Ratification of Serbia's SAA will begin in June”
On 5 March EU President Herman Van Rompuy said he believes the EU will begin the ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia in June. Van Rompuy met in Brussels with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, who said his country's number one priority is joining the EU. The EU diplomat said now that an interim trade agreement reached in December is active, the EU can fully support Serbia's bid for integration. Cvetkovic is determined for his country to reach EU candidate status in 2010. Gaining the coveted status has been blocked due to opposition by the Netherlands, which wants Belgrade to fully co-operate with The Hague war crimes tribunal and arrest Bosnian Serb wartime leader Ratko Mladic.

►IMF and Serbia reach agreement
On 23 February the IMF and the Serbian government successfully completed the third review of their 2.9 billion-euro arrangement, IMF mission chief Albert Jaeger stated. He said that key quantitative targets under the program have been met and that the IMF Board will likely approve the disbursement of the next 350m-euro tranche in late March. He also said the fund raised its 2010 GDP growth forecast for Serbia to 2%, up from the original estimate of 1.5%. The IMF then expects growth to accelerate to 3% in 2011, but warned that earlier rates of 5% to 6% economic expansion per year will not be achieved soon. The mission urged Serbia to therefore reduce public spending, increase output of export-orientated goods and strengthen the national currency.

►Serbia returns ambassador to Montenegro
On 23 February Serbian Ambassador to Montenegro, Zoran Lutovac, returned to his office in Podgorica. He was called back to Belgrade in mid-January following a decision by the Montenegrin government to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo. Montenegro recognised Kosovo's independence on October 9, 2008, one day after the UN General Assembly accepted Serbia's draft resolution to place the case of Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Serbia then asked Montenegro to postpone the establishment of diplomatic links with Kosovo for a few months or until the ICJ released its opinion. After much discussion about the right moment to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo, Montenegro's government announced on 15 January that its Foreign Minister, Milan Rocen, had exchanged letters with his Kosovo counterpart, Skeneder Hyseni, signalling the establishment of diplomatic links between the two countries. Immediately after, Serbia's FM Vuk Jeremic ordered the withdrawal of Serbia's ambassador to Belgrade for consultations. In late January, Serbian President Boris Tadic told local media that relations between Serbia and Montenegro were worse than before and that both countries should work on their improvement.

►Police search Mladic's home in Belgrade
On 23 February police searched the Belgrade home of war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic. War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic described it as part of the regular activities of the Action Team in charge of arresting the remaining war crimes fugitives. Unofficial reports suggest police found a large amount of money in the house. Mladic's son, Darko, refused to comment on the operation. The last time the former Bosnian Serb military leader's house was raided was in December 2008

►SNS, NS and DSS vow for early elections
On 22 February leaders of the opposition Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the New Serbia (NS) party, Tomislav Nikolić and Velimir Ilić campaigned in Belgrade for early elections. They were joined by the opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) deputy leader, Nenad Popović. At a meeting organized in order to support the campaign of signature-collection urging new elections in Serbia, Nikolić pointed out that SNS, NS and DSS are united in this, adding that other parties in Serbia will soon be on the same course. He added that so far around one million signatures have been collected. Asked about the creation of a pre-election coalition, Ilić said that this issue will be discussed, and that currently the most important matter is that the people are united as well in the request to hold elections. Popović said that DSS leader Vojislav Koštunica appointed him to attend the meeting, adding that the elections were the only solution for overcoming the "deep political and economic crisis" in the country.

►Ashton in Belgrade talks about Serbia's EU Integration
On 18 February the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, welcomed Serbia's EU membership application and stressed that cooperation with the UN War Crimes Court (ICTY), is central to Serbia's further progress toward the EU. Speaking about Serbia’s EU integration at a press conference in Belgrade, Ashton said that "much needs to be done, but I believe that there is a [Serbian] commitment to necessary reforms, and thus my commitment to our partnership in this endeavour." Ashton was in the region to hold a series of meetings with political leaders and civil society representatives. President of the Foreign Ministry Council for Foreign Policy, Sonja Liht, told local media that Ashton's visit was very important, because "it is always important to be on the EU's agenda as a country and region." Following the meeting, Ashton met with Serbian President Boris Tadic and the country’s Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic. Cvetkovic said that Belgrade received firm assurances that the EU will help Serbia in the European integration process after he had informed her about Serbia’s progress last year and presented the government’s plans for further steps towards EU. "We have firm assurances that the EU will support us on the path of European integration [..]," Cvetkovic said.

WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES


Armenia

►OSCE watchdog criticizes Armenian opposition trials
On 8 March the OSCE criticized trials of Armenian opposition members arrested following the 2008 Presidential election, saying that at least some of them were not fair and exposed “shortcomings” in Armenia’s judicial system. In a long-anticipated report, the OSCE’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) questioned the impartiality of judges that ruled on the highly controversial cases. It said they routinely sanctioned pre-trial detentions and ignored torture claims made by defendants. OSCE was at the same time careful not to hold the Armenian government directly responsible for that. “[..] The Armenian authorities could have invested more efforts to ensure the fair and impartial adjudication [of the trials],” it concluded cautiously. “[..] Challenging circumstances made the work of courts extraordinarily difficult and at the same time raised the bar for their professional performance to the highest levels,” reads the ODIHR report. The report is based on the monitoring of 93 criminal cases that was conducted by ODIHR representatives from April 2008 through July 2009.

►Dashnaks blame Turkey accords for tight U.S. House Vote
On 5 March the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) blamed Armenia’s controversial agreements with Turkey for the difficulty with which pro-Armenian lawmakers pushed their latest genocide resolution through a U.S. congressional committee. The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the non-binding resolution by 23 votes to 22. Committee members opposed to the resolution argued that it could endanger the normalisation of the Turkey-Armenia relations. “I think all those who followed the committee debate understood just how these [normalisation] protocols can put the brakes on the process of international recognition of the Armenian genocide,” said Armen Rustamian, the de facto head of Dashnaktsutyun. The Dashnaktsutyun in Armenia and its Diaspora have been highly critical of President Serzh Sarkisian’s policy of rapprochement with Turkey that culminated in the signing of the protocols last October. Their leaders have repeatedly said that Ankara will exploit the would-be historical “sub-commission” to deter the U.S. and other nations from recognizing the genocide. Sarkisian, however, insist that the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement will not slow down the recognition process. Both the Assembly and the Dashnaktsutyun-controlled Armenia National Committee of America have lobbied hard for the passage of the resolution. Earlier, on 24 February Armenia's National Assembly passed a bill that will make it easier for Yerevan to abandon the two protocols with Turkey. The Dashnaktsutyun party, however, boycotted the vote. The amendments now await President Serzh Sarkisian's signature to become law.

►Armenia responds to ‘updated’ Karabakh peace plan
On 4 March Armenia officially responded to international mediators’ recently modified plan to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, an aide to President Serzh Sarkisian said. The American, French and Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group announced in January that they have developed an “updated version” of the basic principles of a Karabakh settlement. They have still not disclosed changes made in a document that was formally submitted the conflicting parties in Madrid late 2007. The Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents have discussed the updated Madrid document at their 25 January talks in Russia hosted by President Dmitry Medvedev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Serzh Sarkisian and Ilham Aliyev agreed to “prepare their own concrete ideas and formulations” on their remaining disagreements. “Armenia has submitted its concrete proposals, whereas the president of Azerbaijan, according to our information, has still not made any proposals,” said Garnik Isagulian, Sarkisian’s representative to the Armenian Parliament. On 5 March Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with OSCE Co-Chairs and reiterated that Baku has already accepted the Minsk Group’s modified peace proposals.

►Ruling party laughs off fresh election talks
On 2 March the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) laughed off opposition claims about the impending downfall of President Serzh Sarkisian and holding of fresh Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the country. Opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian predicted such a scenario during a rally held by his Armenian National Congress (HAK) in Yerevan the previous evening. He said popular anger and external challenges facing Armenia will soon force Sarkisian to step down. “These were the latest fairy tales from the first President,” Razmik Zohrabian, a deputy chairman of the HHK, told reporters, reacting to Ter-Petrosian’s speech. “In reality, there are no grounds in the country for pre-term elections”, he said. He added that the HAK is in fact preparing for the next, regular Presidential and Parliamentary elections due in 2013 and 2012 respectively. Zohrabian also claimed that only up to 4,000 people attended the rally on 1 March that marked the second anniversary of the bloody suppression of anti-government protests staged by Ter-Petrosian following a disputed Presidential election.

►EU to speed up ‘association’ talks with Armenia
On 2 March Spanish Foreign Minister and current holder of EU’s rotating Presidency, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said during a visit to Yerevan, that the EU is stepping up its efforts to negotiate an association agreement with Armenia that will bring the latter “much closer” to the EU. Moratinos said he “hopes that the [EU] Council will announce this good news already in March”. Armenia has been entitled to such an agreement since its inclusion in the EU’s Eastern Partnership program. The scheme offers six former Soviet republics deeper integration with the EU in return for political and economic reforms. Senior officials from the EU’s executive European Commission said last September that the Armenian authorities will have to commit themselves to specific “institutional reforms” before the formal start of association and free trade talks with the bloc. They said the Brussels-based commission will provide Yerevan with 33 million euros (.6 million) in technical assistance for that purpose in 2011-2013. Moratinos did not specify when the negotiations with Armenia will get underway and how long they should last.

►Sarkisian and Saakashvili call for Georgian-Armenian ‘integration’
On 1 March the Presidents of Armenia and Georgia pledged to promote economic “integration” between their nations and reviewed broader bilateral ties during talks. Sarkisian travelled to Georgia for a “private visit” ahead of the reopening on 8 March of Georgia’s main border crossing with Russia that had served as one of Armenia’s few commercial conduits to the outside world. The Upper Lars crossing running through a narrow pass in the Caucasus Mountains was controversially closed by Moscow in June 2006, hitting hard Armenian exporters of agricultural produce and other goods. Yerevan has since repeatedly urged the Russians to reopen it. The Georgian and Russian governments announced in late December that they will allow renewed commercial and passenger traffic through the mountain pass from 1 March. According to the Armenian Presidential press office, Sarkisian and Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili discussed “efforts to open the Upper Lars checkpoint” along with other economic issues of mutual interest. Saakashvili described the Georgian-Armenian relationship as “cloudless”. “We agreed that the integration of our countries' economies should further intensify,” Saakashvili said. Neither leader announced any concrete agreements reached during their talks.


Azerbaijan

►Rights envoy concerned by Azerbaijan's jailed journalists
On 5 March Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, has expressed concern that some journalists in Azerbaijan have been imprisoned on fabricated charges of hooliganism. Hammarberg was speaking at a press conference at the end of a five-day visit to Azerbaijan during which he met with government officials and opposition politicians. He also visited the Naxcivan Autonomous Republic, where human rights violations have been reported. Hammarberg told journalists he will monitor the cases of journalists and bloggers jailed for criticizing the country's leadership, including Eynulla Fatullayev, editor of the independent newspaper "Realny Azerbaijan." Additionally, bloggers Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli have been jailed since July on hooliganism charges. Human rights organizations and many western governments have called the charges against the bloggers politically motivated because of their opposition activities.

►Azerbaijan in new war threat
On 25 February Azerbaijan stepped up its threats to win back Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian-controlled territories surrounding it by force, with Defense Minister Safar Abiyev speaking of a growing likelihood of “a great war” with Armenia. “For 15 years diplomacy has not achieved any concrete results and Azerbaijan cannot wait another 15 years,” Abiyev said. “Now it's the military's turn and the threat is growing every day," Abiyev was quoted as telling the French ambassador to Baku, Gabriel Keller. “If Armenia does not end its occupation of Azerbaijan's territory, the beginning of a great war in the South Caucasus is inevitable.” Azerbaijani leaders and President Ilham Aliyev in particular have for years been threatening to resolve the Karabakh conflict by military means if the long-running Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations fail to yield a settlement acceptable to Baku. Abiyev’s comments seemed to take this aggressive rhetoric, criticized by international mediators, up a notch. Meanwhile, on 5 March, Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov met with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov said Mammadyarov once again brought to the co-chairs' attention that Baku recognizes the document on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which the co-chairs submitted, based on the updated Madrid principles with certain exceptions and intends to identify the main ways of resolving the conflict. The Co-Chairs, in their turn, said that they will continue to work on questions of the Armenian side.

►Azerbaijan bans Islamic symbols in government offices
On 25 February it was announced that the government has ordered all state employees to remove Islamic symbols from their offices. Religious items such as the Koran increasingly have shared space in government offices with the Azerbaijani flag and portraits of President Ilham Aliyev and his father, the late president Heydar Aliyev. An unknown source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that officials have been ordered to remove such religious items from government offices, explaining that "Azerbaijan is a secular state and religion [ought to be kept] separate from the state." The government has not yet commented officially on the issue. The reported decision follows unexpected clashes on 13 February between about 100 Islamic activists and police in Baku that resulted in several injuries. Four activists who were detained have been charged with hooliganism and resisting police. Rally organizers, members of the banned Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, a group widely perceived as pro-Iranian, claimed that the demonstration was staged to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Mohammad. Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Religious Affairs called the incident "a planned action aimed to raise confrontation in society and to undermine tolerance."


Belarus

►Delegation of European Parliament supports economic sanctions against Lukashenka
On 5 March it was announced that MEPs demand the authorities to release political prisoners, recognize the Union of Poles, respect human rights and hold free election. Sanctions against Belarus are a final decision, but they are to be considered in a situation when Belarusian authorities are to continue violating democratic standards, reads the report which sums up the recent visit of the European Parliament’s delegation to Minsk. The members of the European parliament demand authorities in Minsk to recognize the Union of Poles headed by Andzelika Borys, to agree to activities of organisations which defend human rights, and to release political prisoners. Besides, they demand official authorities to guarantee legal procedure of elections to local councils. The head of the EP delegation for relations with Belarus Jacek Protasiewicz believes that any assistance, economic and financial, should depend on fulfilment of the abovementioned conditions by Minsk. “If the Belarusian authorities cannot be persuaded by arguments, a final argument in the form of sanctions should be used possibly”, he said. Up till now the European community withheld from a decision on sanctions, explaining that they would primarily affect the society, and not the Belarusian authorities. So formerly the possible imposing of diplomatic sanctions was considered, in particular, a ban on entering the EU countries for representatives of Lukashenka’s regime. The draft report which was read out on 4 March is to be passed by leaders of the largest political factions of the European parliament in March, and later is to become a foundation for the preparation of the resolution.

►Belarus not to get aid in European Neighbourhood Policy
On 3 March it was announced that all participants of the Eastern Partnership initiative expect for Belarus will get aid from Europe. The EU took a decision to increase financing the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). It will allocate more than 5.7 billion Euros to its neighbours within three years (2011–2013). The aid is provided for strengthening political cooperation and developing economic integration between the EU and the neighbouring countries. The aid will not be granted to Belarus due to human rights violations in the country.

►Nearly 17,000 nomination groups for local elections apply for registration
On 20 February Mikalay Lazavik, secretary of the Central Election Commission (CEC) said that as many as 16,873 applications for the registration of nomination groups have been filed with election commissions for the forthcoming local elections to be held on 25 April. Nomination groups, needed to collect ballot-access signatures, were able to apply for registration between February 14 and 18. According to Mr. Lazavik, 1,495 soviets with a total membership of 21,300 are to be formed as a result of the upcoming poll. A total of 334 nomination groups would gather signatures for representatives of political parties, Mr. Lazavik said. Among them would be 111 representatives of the Communist Party of Belarus, 71 representatives of the Belarusian Popular Front, 60 representatives of the United Civic Party, 30 representatives of the Hramada Belarusian Social Democratic Party, 25 representatives of the Belarusian Agrarian Party, 25 representatives of the “Spravedlivy Mir” (Just World) Belarusian Party of the Left, three representatives of the Belarusian Party of Greens, three representatives of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, two representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, one representative of the Belarusian Patriotic Party and one representative of the Party of Labor and Justice. "As we can see, the number of applications in large cities exceeds that of districts, which means that there will be competition there," Mr. Lazavik commented.


Georgia

►EU delegation meets opposition
On 3 March it was announced that opposition politicians, who met with visiting EU delegation, led by Spanish Foreign Minister and current EU Presidency holder, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said that they discussed issues related to the upcoming local elections and the country's security. Irakli Alasania, leader of Alliance for Georgia; MP Giorgi Targamadze, leader of Christian-Democratic Movement and of parliamentary minority; Salome Zourabichvili, the leader of Georgia's Way and Zurab Nogaideli, ex-PM and leader of Movement for Fair Georgia participated in the meeting. After the meeting, Targamadze said that he openly expressed protest over "the decisions recently taken by one of the EU-member state" - referring to possible French-Russian deal on Mistral warships. Before the meeting Targamadze said: "De-occupation of Georgia and the creation of more security guarantees is not only Georgia’s vital interest, but also a prerequisite of stability in Eastern Europe." Ex-FM Zourabichvili said: "We need EU not just for making statements and telling privately to Saakashvili that elections should be democratic; we need EU's support to secure fair elections." Alasania said upcoming local elections would be Georgia's test in democracy. After meeting with Moratinos, Georgia’s Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said that visa facilitation and a readmission agreement between Georgia and EU was ready and it would probably be signed by the end of spring.

►Plans for primaries dropped
On 1 March the Conservative Party; Party of People and ex-PM Zurab Nogaideli’s Movement for Fair Georgia announced that they would no longer push for holding preliminary elections (primaries) to select a single opposition candidate in the upcoming local elections in May. In a joint statement the parties said as “a compromise” they would agree on commissioning public opinion survey. The announcement came after Irakli Alasania, leader of Our Georgia-Free Democrats and the Alliance for Georgia said earlier that he would not take part in any primaries, as there was no time for “endless talks” on single opposition candidate. Meanwhile, on 4 March, Alasania said he was launching his electoral campaign for the Tbilisi mayoral office. With number of key opposition parties intending to boycott the May local elections, Alasania has so far been publicly endorsed by ex-foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili, leader of Georgia’s Way Party. Levan Gachechiladze, a former presidential candidate of large group of opposition parties in 2008 elections, has yet to announce about his plans over upcoming elections. Alasania said that Gachechiladze’s support would be “decisive” for his success in the mayoral race. The ruling party is likely to benefit from presence of many candidates in the mayoral race as it would split the overall opposition votes. A candidate, who receives most of the votes, but not less than 30%, will be declared an outright winner. Incumbent Tbilisi mayor, Giorgi Ugulava, is expected to be the ruling party’s candidate.

►Saakashvili says to have no intention to remain in power after 2013
On 1 March President Saakashvili ruled out any scenario that would enable him to stay in power after his second and final Presidential term expires in 2013. In an interview Saakashvili, responding to a question what may change in Russia-Georgia relations till 2013 taking into view the Russian leadership’s stance that it will not have ties with Saakashvili, the Georgian President said: “Who told them [the Russian leadership] that the present Georgian leadership will exist only before 2013?” “Yes, I won’t be running for presidency, but it does not mean that the ideology, which I represent, will not remain a priority for the Georgian population [..],” he said. Asked what would be his plans after 2013 and if he would try to introduce the parliamentary system, Saakashvili responded: “The last thing what I will do is to tailor the constitution myself.” “I think that there should be a strong presidential system in Georgia [..],” he said.


Moldova

►Eight seats of MP declared vacant
On 5 March the Moldovan Parliament announced eight legislative seats vacant after accepting the resignations tendered by eight members of the Alliance for European Integration, who hold simultaneously posts in the Government. Three of the eight MPs represented the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM), three the Democratic Party (PDM), one the Nostra Moldova Alliance (AMN) and one the Liberal Party (PL). Some of the mentioned MPs are PLDM leader and Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, PDM Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar, PDM Minister of Labor Valentina Buliga and PDM Minister of Construction Marcel Raducan. They will not attend the Parliament's sittings anymore, except the Government's Hour. Filat decided to vacate the post of MP to “dedicate more time to the premiership and administer the Government more efficiently”. The vacancies will be filled by the substitute candidates written in the parties' electoral lists. The PDM MPs could be replaced by analyst Oazu Nantoi, the head of the Union of Oenologists of Moldova Gheorghe Arpentin, and former MP, doctor Valentin Stratan.

►Social-Democratic faction in Chisinau Council disbanded
On 26 February Social-Democrat councilors Emil Gutu, Vasile Parasca and Adela Boicu announced they decided to join the faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) in the Chisinau Municipal Council. Therefore, the Social-Democratic faction was disbanded, while the PLDM's faction enlarged and contains now six members. Gutu said they made such a decision in order to fulfill the promises they made during the election campaign. He called on other councilors to join the Liberal-Democrats and work to have a prosperous Chisinau. The Chisinau Council now includes four factions, of the PLDM, the Liberal Party (PL), the Communists, the Moldova Nostra Alliance (AMN), and a number of unaffiliated councilors.

►Parliamentary groups have not examined Turcan's proposal yet
On 19 February it was announced that the leaders of the Parliamentary groups do not yet have an opinion about the bill to modify the procedure for electing the Head of State proposed by the leader of the United Moldova Party, Vladimir Turcan. While some of the leaders of the factions say the Constitution will be modified either by referendum or in the Parliament, the leader of the Democratic parliamentary group Marian Lupu considers the politicians should meet people's demands and allow them to choose the Head of State by direct vote. "In the long and medium term it would be better if the people elect the President of Moldova themselves," Lupu aid. "As we want to become part of the EU and implement the European values, we should comply with the recommendations of the Venice Commission", he added. As to Turcan's initiative, Lupu said it has not yet reached the PDM, but they will analyze it thoroughly when it comes. The other member of the Alliance for European Integration as well as the Communists have not received the proposal. Turcan proposes holding three rounds of Presidential elections. During the first two attempts, the head of state must be elected by the vote of 61 MPs, while during the third - by a simple majority, by the vote of 52 MPs. Turcan said this is a constitutional bill that needs to be approved by the Constitutional Court during six months.

►EU Parliament says Moldova moves toward Brussels agreement
On 18 February a European Parliament official supervising ties with Moldova said the former Soviet republic could conclude EU association talks by the end of 2010 and sign an association agreement with Brussels early next year. But European Parliament Deputy, Monica Macovei, a Romanian who chairs a joint EU-Moldova parliamentary committee, did not say when the EU would drop visa requirements for Moldovans. She told international reporters that some "old" EU members are wary of bringing new countries closer to membership, particularly after the bloc "had problems" absorbing poorer members like Romania and Bulgaria. Macovei said upgrading Moldova's legal system is key to its European integration. Moldova is one of the former Soviet republics included in the EU's Eastern Partnership program, which promises better ties and more freedom to travel in exchange for democratic reforms. It does not, however, guarantee the prospect of EU membership. Moldova has said it wants full membership, but has hailed the partnership program as a step in the right direction. Moldova will receive 262.3 million Euros within the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), whose aggregate budget is € 4.2 billion. Only Morocco, Ukraine and Egypt will receive sums from the ENPI that are bigger than that of Moldova.


Russia

►Kaliningrad rally organisers form new coalition
On 4 March it was announced that organizers of a massive anti-government protest in Kaliningrad have come together in a political coalition that they hope will provide a viable alternative to the ruling United Russia party. Rally organizer and coalition co-founder Konstantin Doroshok said that a founding assembly was held on 3 March, but leaders have yet to settle on a name for the new union. The January protest in Kaliningrad for the resignation of PM Vladimir Putin and Kaliningrad Governor Georgy Boos, was notable both for its massive size and for the diversity of political forces represented. The new coalition features similar diversity, including the Kaliningrad branches of the parties Solidarity, Justice, A Just Russia, Patriots of Russia, Yabloko, and the Communist Party. Doroshok said that the union’s main goal is “to break the political monopoly of United Russia,” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s ruling party, which has dominated the country’s elections at every level since its inception in 2001. Local media reported that Kaliningrad residents have been threatened with losing their jobs if they take part in the coalition’s upcoming rally on 20 March.

►Pensioners’ Party joins Yabloko, other coalitions on the horizon
On 20 February the All-Russia congress of the Elder Generation public association formed on the basis of the former Pensioners’ Party took place in Yabloko’s office in Moscow. The congress adopted a decision of a merger with Yabloko via creation of the Russia’s Pensioners faction in Yabloko. Delegates from 24 Russia’s regions participated in the congress: 22 delegates voted for the merger and 2 abstained. The Elder Generation has branches in 32 Russia’s regions. The leader of the Elder Generation Alexei Borschenko called Yabloko “the only party which can at present protect the interests of Russia’s pensioners”. Meanwhile, on 18 February former Russian PM Mikhail Kasyanov announced that his opposition party, the People’s Democratic Union (RNDS), would be entering into a coalition with the Yabloko party. Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin stressed, however, that negotiations were still ongoing. Kasyanov said earlier that the goal of such a coalition would be to present a unified list of candidates from the democratic opposition to run in the 2011 Parliamentary elections. “The RNDS and Yabloko are now working on coordinating a joint political statement,” said RNDS representative Yelena Dikun, without commenting further on details of the negotiations.

►Russians sceptical of Medvedev’s new police reforms
On 18 February Medvedev ordered the discharge of 17 top police generals as part of ongoing efforts to reform the police force. Medvedev has also moved to introduce tougher punishment for police found guilty of crimes, submitting a bill to the parliament imposing harsher sentences than for civilians convicted of similar offences, and urged new anti-corruption measures. The Levada Center survey said 11% viewed the reforms as "echoes of the struggle for power," while 28% said they were an "imitation." However, 27% saw some "signs of recovery" and 26% said they believe the president has begun a radical makeover of the current system. The poll found a similar lack of enthusiasm for Medvedev's modernization policies 16% of respondents see the plans as another way to steal state funds and 17% say they are just talk. Experts say that the reason for such results is that most Russians do not see Medvedev as an independent politician, saying that the power is in Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's hands. Also, because people in the country have become tired of numerous reforms. Nevertheless, sociologists said that the 10-15% of respondents who are positive about Medvedev's reforms could be enough to "transmit" the ideas further as they are active enough to do that.


Ukraine

►Ukrainian Parliament ousts Timoshenko’s government
On 3 March Ukraine's Parliament voted out the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in a no-confidence vote. Party of Regions (PoR) MPs said former Finance Minister and close ally of Yanukovych, Mykola Azarov, is the most likely candidate for the post of PM. The vote followed weeks of shifting alliances in the Parliament after the pro-Western Tymoshenko lost her bid for the Presidency in a run-off on 7 February to the pro-Russian PoR leader, Victor Yanukovych. The Parliament's five main factions have 30 days to form a majority coalition, which is expected to form around Yanukovych's PoR. On 4 March, Yanukovych pushed for a change in the law to ease the creation of a new ruling coalition. The initiative was condemned as a "constitutional coup d'etat" by Tymoshenko. It appeared aimed at poaching the support of part of the loose Our Ukraine alliance formerly grouped around ex-President Viktor Yushchenko. The proposed amendment would give deputies the right to join a ruling coalition on an individual basis, rather than necessarily as part of a faction as under the current law. Yanukovych's PoR is the largest bloc in Parliament with 171 seats, and can count on the support of the Communist faction and the Lytvyn bloc. But such a coalition would still fall short of a 226-seat majority in the 450-seat parliament and needs the support of at least part of the Our Ukraine bloc, which is divided on the issue. Yanukovych said on 8 March he hopes a fresh Cabinet of Ministers will be formed before April.

►New President Yanukovych visits EU and Russia
On 1 March Viktor Yanukovych travelled to the EU in his new position as Ukraine’s President. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said after talks with Yanukovych that it was important for Kyiv to get talks with the IMF back on track. "We need urgent progress on modernization and restructuring of the gas sector in Ukraine," he added, reiterating a long-running demand of the EU, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas supplies that flow through Ukraine. "I believe it is the fundamental interest of the EU and Ukraine to have stronger and closer ties," Barroso said. But he added: "Reforms are necessary." He said successful talks with the IMF, which suspended a loan program to Ukraine last year, would be a first step to an improved investment climate and called for a free-trade agreement with Ukraine in the coming year. Yanukovych was in Moscow on 5 March and pledged to improve ties with Russia. Speaking at a joint news conference after meeting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Yanukovych said he wants to make a "sharp turnaround" in relations. "The new authorities in Ukraine will change relations with Russia so they'll never again be what they have been for the past five years," Yanukovych said. The Russian leader said Yanukovych's election was an "indisputably positive signal" for relations, which he said would be "reborn on all levels". He singled out energy as a key sphere for cooperation, but did not indicate whether Moscow was open to reducing its high prices for natural gas, an important issue for crisis-stricken Ukraine.

CENTRAL ASIA

►U.S. special envoy ends Central Asia tour
On 21 February U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. has ended a tour of Central Asian countries aimed at strengthening regional assistance in stabilizing Afghanistan.Speaking in Kazakhstan's capital Astana at the close of his trip on 21February, Holbrooke met the Kazakh prime minister and foreign minister, and praised Kazakhstan as “a solid strategic partner."“ Kazakhstan is the largest, wealthiest, and most successful country in the region, it has conducted a multi-directional foreign policy with great skill under the leadership of President Nazarbaev," Holbrooke said. "Secondly the resources available to Kazakhstan which are only beginning to be tapped, are going to be of immense importance to the world.” Kazakh Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev, for his part, said "Kazakhstan has always been there for the United States as a solid strategic partner since September 11, 2001." During in Dushanbe earlier, Holbrooke said that Tajikistan was "a country of immense importance if one wants to have a peaceful outcome in Afghanistan.” On February 19, Holbrooke visited Uzbekistan where he met with President Islam Karimov. Asked by reporters whether the United States is planning to open a military base in Uzbekistan, Holbrooke said, “Uzbekistan does provide us valuable opportunities to transit material to Afghanistan and that’s important but a military base, no.“


Kazakhstan

► OSCE official: “ Kazakhs must loosen media grip”
On 4 March an OSCE official has said that Kazakhstan must further loosen its grip on the media, even though the former Soviet state has relaxed some controls since taking over as Europe's main rights and security watchdog chief. Rights groups criticize Kazakhstan's assumption in January rotating OSCE chairmanship since it has never held a vote judged free and fair and quashes criticism of its president. Kazakhstan, which has made tackling terrorism and development issues the focus of its OSCE leadership, must still scrap laws that restrict media freedom and unfairly punish journalists, OSCE media freedom head Miklos Haraszti said. "Nevertheless it's good for the [Kazakh] establishment to see in a global light what is expected from them," Haraszti stated. Haraszti gave the example of a Kazakh district court overturning last month a ban on media outlets carrying reports critical of businessman Timur Kulibayev, the president's son-in-law. However, Haraszti's last report on the 56-nation OSCE region, released on 4 March, criticized Kazakhstan's recent passage of a broader law threatening a five-year prison term for publishing information about private lives which the state deems damaging.


Kyrgyzstan

►Kyrgyz human rights activist reported missing
On 1 March it was reported that Kyrgyz human rights activist Nematillo Botakoziev has been missing in Dushanbe. Botakoziev, has not been seen since 26 February when he was at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Dushanbe applying for refugee status. Botakoziev had applied for UNHCR protection after reportedly being harassed by police since 2004. He said he was being persecuted by the police because of issues related to his Uzbek wife, Mavlyuda Abdulazizova, who had been sentenced more than a decade ago in Uzbekistan on charges of attempting to overthrow the government. She was pardoned in July 1999 and fled to Kyrgyzstan, where she met and married Botakoziev. In September 2008, Nookat residents attacked the local administration building to protest an official refusal to allow a public celebration of the Muslim holiday of Eid. Botakoziev was accused of organizing the protest and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He fled to Tajikistan and denies any involvement in the protest. Botakoziev was also an associate of Kyrgyz journalist Alisher Saipov, who was shot dead in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh in 2007.

►Kyrgyz women politicians and rights activist protested in Bishkek
On 8 March it was reported that some 30 female politicians and rights activists marched in Bishkek to raise the issue of women's rights on International Women's Day. The demonstrators gathered near a monument to Soviet-era female activist Urkiya Salieva and marched to the monument of Kurmanzhan Datka, the 19th-century female ruler of Kyrgyzstan's southern regions. Former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbaeva, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic party faction in parliament, said during the march that although the government put up monuments to prominent female historical figures, there are currently thousands of women facing domestic violence and other problems in the country who do not receive any attention or government support. Aziza Abdyrasulova, chairwoman of the human rights organization Kylym Shamy (Torch of the Century), told reporters that the goal of the march was to focus the government's attention on these problems. In 2009, the number of women seeking shelter because of domestic violence against them increased by 40 percent over the previous year.


Tajikistan

►Parliamentary elections Tajikistan criticized by the OSCE and opposition
On 1 March a preliminary report was issued by OSCE observers that contained a dose of disapproval about the parliamentary elections held on 28 February. "Despite certain positive steps, Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections failed to meet many key OSCE commitments," the statement said. The governing People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan had won the election with almost 72 percent of the vote, according to a preliminary tally. Western election monitors, however, expressed disappointment with the conduct of the polling, saying that fraud boosted the governing party’s winning margin. The PDPT did not face a strong test from opposition parties in the election, in which all 63 seats in the lower house of parliament were up for grabs. Even so, the election was marred by irregularities, prompting opposition parties to call for an investigation. Authorities claimed 85 percent of the country’s 3.5 million registered voters turned out to cast ballots. Several man opposition party leaders complained about the elections. Representatives of the opposition Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), which holds two seats in the outgoing parliament, and which had hoped to form a larger block in the next legislature, said they will protest the results of the voting. "Even in conditions of tough competition with the ruling party, our party hopes to get seven or eight seats in the new parliament," party Chairman Muhiddin Kabiri told local media on March 1. " Rakhmatillo Zoirov, chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDPT), which currently does not hold any seats in parliament, echoed Kabiri’s criticism. There "are violations involving ballot papers which were marked in advance of vote counting he told reporters.


Turkmenistan

►Turkmenistan: report on prisons sheds light on Ashgabat’s police state
On 2 March it was reported that rights activists have documented a wide variety of abuses in Turkmenistan’s prison system. The report portrayed Turkmen prisons as spawning grounds for serious diseases.Watchdog groups rank Turkmenistan as one of the world’s foremost human rights abusers.But the closed nature of the Turkmen political system hampers outsiders from getting a full picture of the country’s authoritarian system. The Turkmenistan Prison Report, prepared by Turkmenistan’s Independent Lawyers Association and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights, outlines systematic rights abuses in 22 institutions. It also shines a light on one of the key aspects of Turkmenistan’s state security apparatus. The font of many problems connected with the penal system is overcrowding, the report found. "Turkmenistan’s prisons and colonies house over three times the number of inmates they are designed to accommodate," according to the report, which was released earlier in February. Penitentiary facilities have been turned into places where people are not able to preserve their human dignity." The authors of the report conclude by urging the Turkmen government to adopt international standards for prisons. To start, authorities should "provide funding to the penitentiary facilities based on the actual number of inmates rather than the estimated capacity," the report said.


Uzbekistan

► Activist serving 7-Year sentence in Uzbekistan for anti-AIDS campaign
On 24 February it was reported that evidence has emerged that an anti-AIDS campaigner in Uzbekistan was sentenced to seven years in prison after authorities deemed his brochure incompatible with local traditions. Twenty-eight-year-old Maksim Popov, who heads the anti-AIDS NGO Izis, was arrested in January 2009 and sentenced in September. But details of the sentencing, have come to light only recently. Izis is funded by a number of foreign donors, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Britain's Department for International Development. The language booklet at issue, "HIV and AIDS Today," gives detailed information about preventive measures to avoid the deadly disease. In a society where discussing sex is taboo, the court found the brochure amounted to a how-to guide for young people to have intercourse and use drugs. The court declared the booklet's contents "illegal" and ordered all copies seized by police and immediately destroyed.

►Uzbekistan's top education officials fired by President Islam Karimov
On 26 February it was reported that Uzbek President Islam Karimov sacked the country's top education officials, following a presidential decree. Tashkent-based independent journalist Sharof Ubaydullaev reported that the presidential order is timely since Uzbekistan's education system is extremely corrupt. He said the sacking of the country's top education officials is a sign of possible improvement in the situation. But Uzbek scholar Faizulla Ishokov told reporters that firing the two ministers will not bring any noticeable improvements to the country's education system. "The system has to be completely taken out of its roots as the real situation with bribes in the educational system has such a solid base," she said. Uzbek students have been known to pay bribes to be accepted into certain faculties or universities.