European Forum

Newsflash #8

NEWSFLASH #8

Covering the period: 22 April 2010 – 10 May 2010

In this issue:
►Slovenia sets date for referendum of border agreement with Croatia
►Croatia likely to miss 2010 target
►Appetite fading for pro-EU reforms in Macedonia
►Turkish parliament approves constitutional reform package
►Albanian Socialists continue hunger strike; government tries to solve political stalemate
►Bosnia to hold general elections on 3 October, failure to change Constitution
►Armenian labour law reforms raise concerns
►Dozens of activists arrested in Azerbaijan's capital ahead of mass rally
►Belarusian opposition leader Milinkevich announces presidential candidacy
►Police clash with protesters at Tbilisi parade
►NATO troops parade on Moscow’s Red Square
►Ukrainian journalists condemn new 'censorship'
►President Nazarbayev to become ‘Leader of the Nation’
►Extradition of Bakiyev requested by interim government of Kyrgyzstan


And much more news from:

ACCESSION / CANDIDATE COUNTRIES: Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey

WESTERN BALKANS: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro 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

 Croatia

►Croatia’s Justice Minister appointed to top UN Post
On 4 May it was announced that the Croatian Justice Minister, Ivan Simonovic, was appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to head the New York Office of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He is the first person to hold the new post of Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights. Simonovic was one of the negotiators during the Dayton Peace Accord that ended the war in Bosnia in 1995. As the ambassador to the UN he successfully brought Croatia into the membership of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1999. In 2008 he became the Croatian Minister of Justice. Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said that Simonovic's appointment was a tribute both to the Minister and to the standard of human rights in Croatia. She announced that Simonovic should be replaced by State Secretary Drazen Bosnjakovic, but noted that the decision on the new nominee was not final.

►Slovenia sets date for referendum of border agreement with Croatia
On 3 May lawmakers in Slovenia voted unanimously to hold a referendum on the arbitration border agreement with Croatia on 6 June. Slovenians will be asked whether they back the law on ratification of the arbitration agreement between the two neighbours. Parliament members ratified the document in April, months after Croatian lawmakers. Meanwhile, on 7 May, Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor called on Slovenians to support their country's arbitration border agreement and vote ‘yes’ at the referendum. Speaking on the first day of a campaign ahead of the vote, Pahor said the deal would improve relations with Zagreb, guarantee Slovenian national interests and contribute to the region's stabilisation. He rejected opposition allegations that the deal was struck under international pressure. The Slovenian government is obligated to comply with the results of the referendum. Under the agreement, the maritime border dispute will be subject to international arbitration.

►Croatia likely to miss 2010 target
On 2 May it was announced that Croatia is struggling to conclude membership negotiations with the EU, a process that began almost five years ago. In a conference in Zagreb on 29-30 April, labelled "Croatia on the eve of EU Membership", participants from Croatia and diplomats from the EU agreed Croatia will become the EU's 28th member. But in the discussions it was clear that serious challenges still have to be overcome. Among the negotiations that still have to be concluded, those on judiciary and fundamental rights are particularly tricky, making it difficult to predict when the negotiations can be concluded. Croatia is likely to miss yet another target for winding up the talks. Last year, the European Commission (EC) stated Zagreb could be finished in the course of 2010, provided that reforms to the judiciary and public administrations and the fight against corruption and organised crime were sped up. Zagreb hoped to have all remaining negotiating chapters opened, and most of them closed, by the end of April. The country came close to achieving the goal. It fulfilled all benchmarks for the opening of the remaining three chapters, a fact confirmed by the EC. But the EU did not complete its own process, meaning the three chapters will most probably be opened only in June. The delay of two months could be enough to make accessions talks stretch into 2011, missing the 2010 target, EU diplomats said on the fringes of the Zagreb meeting. Some diplomats warn matters could be further complicated if Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor for the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague, should report any problems in Croatia's cooperation with the tribunal. This might prompt the Netherlands or other EU member states to have second thoughts about opening the key judiciary chapter, which includes reform of the judiciary and tackling corruption.

►Croatia, Serbia resume border talks
On 30 April it was announced that after a seven-year break, an interstate diplomatic committee for the identification and demarcation of the border between Serbia and Croatia, has resumed negotiations in Zagreb. The body is set to prepare an agreement on the state border between the two countries. According to the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the State Secretary at the Croatian Foreign Ministry Davor Bozinovic and Assistant of the Serbian Foreign Minister Zdravko Ponos have expressed their satisfaction that the committee has resumed its work. Representatives of the two countries discussed the current situation and also emphasized their willingness to continue to work to resolve border issues. Means for further cooperation regarding cross-border traffic and border crossings were also discussed at the meeting, according to the Ministry's statement.

►Croatian cabinet submits constitutional amendments to parliament
On 27 April the government approved amendments to the constitution and forwarded them to parliament for passage. Debate on the amendments began on 28 April. The amendments, approved by the parliamentary constitutional committee a week earlier, involve issues related to minorities, fighting crime and completing Croatia's EU accession negotiations. Changes related to the expatriate vote, something the ruling coalition and the opposition could not agree on during their negotiations, were left out. Passage of any amendment requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority.


Macedonia

►NATO: “Weapons supply in Macedonia "worrying"”
On 6 May NATO expressed its concern following the recent discovery of a large cache of weapons in Macedonia. “[…] Such actions could destabilise a country like Macedonia, so we have to be concerned,” Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander of NATO's Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, said during his visit to Kosovo. Macedonian police on 29 April seized a weapons stash – among which explosives and mines – hidden near the border with Kosovo. Emblems of the now disbanded National Liberation Army, the ethnic Albanian insurgency group that fought against Macedonian state security forces in the 2001 Macedonia armed conflict, were found at the site and later local media received an alleged NLA communiqué saying the group would continue operations in Macedonia. The NLA disbanded shortly after the 2001 conflict and its leaders formed the now junior ruling Democratic Union for Integration (DUI). They disarmed following the signing of the Ohrid Agreement, which promised greater rights to Macedonia’s ethnic Albanians. Following the discovery of the weapons, DUI condemned the use of violence and said it has nothing to do neither with the ammunitions stash nor with the alleged NLA press release. Meanwhile, Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska insisted that police control the security situation and there is no reason for concern after a statement by the NLA. In the weekend of 1 May, the group claimed responsibility for a shootout near the border with Kosovo. Ali Ahmeti, DUI leader, urged Albanians in Macedonia to ignore provocations, referring to the shooting.

►Appetite fading for pro-EU reforms in Macedonia
On 5 May it was announced that Macedonia is looking increasingly unlikely to obtain a date this summer for the start of its EU accession negotiations. The question is being raised whether the Macedonian government is determined to pursuing accession at all. The slow-down of reforms may result in a negative assessment by the European Commission (EC), which is to pass comment on Macedonia’s EU eligibility in the autumn. Some argue that a negative assessment could jeopardise last year EC’s recommendation to start accession talks with Macedonia. Internal political clashes have become detrimental to Macedonia’s EU prospects. The EU and NATO have voiced "concern about recent statements by political leaders indicating divisions and conflict." Particularly worrying are the radical remarks of the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), which has suggested to abandon the Ohrid Agreement that ended the 2001 conflict between Macedonia's military and Albanian rebels. The document, co-signed by the international community, guarantees the rights of the 25% strong Albanian minority in the country. DPA said the accord is dead due to its misuse by the Macedonian majority at the expense of the Albanian minority. Meanwhile, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said the Accord is crucial for Albanians in Macedonia. “Ohrid Framework Agreement is the only alternative for maintaining the inter-ethnic character in Macedonia,” the EU ambassador to Macedonia, Erwan Fouere, said. Macedonia's accession talks were blocked in December by Greece, which objects to Macedonia’s official name. Athens says the name implies territorial claims to a northern Greek province, called also Macedonia. 


 Turkey

►Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s party leader Baykal resigns
On 10 May Deniz Baykal leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), resigned. Baykal stepped aside after a secret sex tape distributed via the Internet allegedly showed him naked with his former private secretary and the current Parliamentarian, Nesrin Baytok. Baykal declared his resignation in a press conference. In his speech it was observed that Baykal was quite sad and angry. In a dramatic tone, Baykal said that: “This violates human rights that are respected by all political regimes and all religions. The plot targets not an individual, but the CHP's struggle for democracy.” He also added: "If necessary, I am ready to bear responsibility." Baykal challenged the claims and regarded them as part of a “conspiracy,” implying the ruling Justice and Development Part (AKP). He said: “It is not a coincidence that the tape was released amid constitutional reform. It is impossible to organise such a plot within such a short period of time without the knowledge of the ruling party”.

►Turkish parliament approves constitutional reform package
On 7 May the Turkish parliament approved the constitutional reform package proposed by the government. In the final vote, the amendments were backed by 336 out of 550 lawmakers, surpassing the necessary 330 votes to put the bill to a public referendum. That will occur after President Abdullah Gul signs the measure. While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) plans to hold the referendum in July, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has vowed to ask the Constitutional Court to block it. Opposition parties like CHP, recognise the necessity of reforms but do not support the reforms as proposed by the AK party. The constitutional changes were proposed by the ruling AK party as part of the reform package to democratise Turkish politics. According to the AK party these reforms are necessary for Turkey to get closer to EU democratic norms. Earlier, on 3 May, the parliament voted against an amendment that would make it harder to ban political parties. The Turkish law on political parties was constituted in 1982 under a military regime and was used to forbid almost 20 parties in the past. The opposition stated that abolishment of the political parties law would boost an authoritarian government style in which the judiciary can no longer intervene. This could, for example, lead to the creation of paramilitary groups. One of the most crucial amendments – the amendment to overhaul the body that appoints judges – was passed by the parliament on 6 May. The proposal changes the composition of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, which appoints judges and prosecutors, and also deals with disciplinary measures. According to the opposition the AKP tries to put the judiciary under their total control.

►UN says Cyprus talks to resume in late May
On 4 May UN envoy Alexander Downer said that talks to reunify the divided island will resume in the last week of May. Downer made the announcement after a meeting with Cypriot President Demetris Christofias. That followed a meeting on 3 May between Downer and newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu. According to Downer, Eroglu, who won the April elections in the north, promised to continue what predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat had started. Greek Cypriots had feared hardliner Eroglu's election could put up serious roadblocks in the effort. At his meeting with Downer, however, Eroglu said he would be happy to proceed based on what has been already agreed.

►May Day marked in Istanbul
On 1 May thousands gathered at Istanbul's Taksim Square to mark International Labour Day, for the first time in 33 years. Celebrations had been banned since 1977, when gunmen opened fire on a crowd gathered there, killing dozens of people. More than 22,000 police officers were mobilised to prevent trouble this time. Organisers – including trade unions, political parties and NGOs – estimated nearly 300,000 turned out, demanding jobs, better working conditions and higher salaries.

►EU urges Turkey, Armenia to continue normalisation process
On 26 April the EU urged Armenia and Turkey to continue the process of normalising their ties. EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, expressed her concern about the pace of the process and reiterated calls to continue dialogue without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe. "The full normalisation of bilateral relations ... will contribute to security, stability and co-operation in the Southern Caucasus," Ashton said, promising any help and political support that may be necessary. Earlier in April, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree freezing ratification of the bilateral protocols aimed at normalising ties between Armenia and Turkey, but at the same time said that his country is not giving up the process.

WESTERN BALKANS

Albania

►Albanian Socialists continue hunger strike; government tries to solve political stalemate
On 6 May Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta asked members of the opposition Socialist Party (SP) to end their hunger strike and start a fresh dialogue. "All possibilities are there to find a solution out of this situation […],” Meta said. A dozen SP lawmakers and more than 150 party supporters launched their hunger strike in early May, demanding transparency and an investigation into the June 2009 general elections, which they claim were marred by fraud. Edi Rama, leader of the SP stated that "this battle is not an attempt by a political party to get to power, but represents the people who seek democracy." The ongoing protests started on 30 April with a mass opposition rally in Tirana. The Socialists have informed the police they intend to protest for an entire month. Ever since the June poll, the ruling Democratic Party and the SP have kept accusing each other of fraud. The Socialists, which control nearly half the seats in parliament, boycotted the assembly for months, holding up the passage of laws. They returned to the legislature in February, but refuse to take part in parliamentary activities as their demand for a vote recount has been rejected by the assembly. The government says there should be a strong legal case for a recount, not just accusations. President Bamir Topi held a series of political consultations on 7 May with EU and US ambassadors to Tirana to discuss the political crisis.

►Survey indicates growing corruption in Albania
On 5 May the Institute for Research and Development Alternatives concluded that corruption is widespread in Albania's public institutions. According to the report, 91% of citizens believe that corruption is rampant in the public sector, with the health sector viewed as most corrupt. Of all 1,200 citizens polled, about 80% say it is very hard to get information from the courts, while 60% think that the media fights corruption the most.

►Albania’s president sets criteria for nomination high judges
On 3 May Albanian President Bamir Topi declared he will avoid nominating judges with a political affiliation to the country’s highest courts. “In this process I will be careful not to select judges with a political profile in order to achieve the separation of judicial and political power,” Topi said. “This selection will be based on two main pillars, professional and moral integrity,” he added. The nominations to the Constitutional Court are particularly politically sensitive, as the current judges have continuously shown independence from the current ruling majority of PM Sali Berisha. The Constitutional Court has overturned two dozen legal initiatives passed by the parliament in the last five years, despite the fact that, some observers say, the judiciary has constantly been under pressure by the current majority. The current selection process is also particularly significant due to the high number of appointments coming at the same time and the vicious political spat between the opposition and the majority over the results of the June parliamentary elections. In Albania judges for the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are nominated by the president and ratified by the parliament. While the ratification process does not envisage consultations with the ruling majority or the opposition, the president has been under pressure in the past to hold such talks.


Bosnia-Herzegovina 

►European Commission to propose scrapping visas for BiH in May
On 6 May the Bosnian Ministry of Security reported that the European Commission (EC) is expected to offer a positive assessment of the progress Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has made in meeting the criteria in its EU visa liberalisation road map. By the end of May, the EC will submit a proposal for visa liberalisation, the Ministry announced after Security Minister Sadik Ahmetovic met with representatives of the EC Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security in Brussels. The proposal must be approved by both the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Ahmetovic voiced hope that BiH citizens will be able to travel without visas within the EU in October.

►Bosnia to hold general elections on 3 October, failure to change Constitution
On 5 May the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced that parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on 3 October. Bosnians will vote for members of the Bosnian (BiH) presidency, central and entities' parliaments, president and vice-president of Republika Srspska, and new members of the assemblies of the Federation of BiH's ten cantons. The ruling ethnic leaders, meanwhile, began intensifying their rhetoric months ago, with Serbs threatening Bosnia’s disintegration, Croats calling for the country to be divided further along ethnic lines and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) insisting on greater centralisation. The long-standing dispute about BiH’s future has already prevented implementation of the reforms crucial for BiH’s progress on its path towards EU membership. Recently, BiH failed to change its Constitution to end discrimination against minorities before calling the polls, as was required by the European Court of Human Rights in December 2009. The Constitution, part of the Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the country’s 1992-95 war, allows only Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs to run for the parliament and the presidency. Bosnia’s failure to honour the court’s ruling prompted the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) to warn BiH that the legitimacy of the members of the presidency and deputies in the central parliament who will be elected in October might be questioned.

►NATO grants MAP to Bosnia
On 22 April at a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, the Alliance agreed to grant the so-called Membership Action Plan, or MAP, to Bosnia. Bosnia's bid for MAP was turned down by NATO last December over its failure to carry out needed reforms. But since then, a NATO spokesman said, Bosnia has made "significant" progress, including its decision to destroy surplus ammunition and arms and to contribute troops to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. However, officials expressed concerns with the still unresolved issue of the country’s defense property. Therefore, NATO spokesman, James Appathurai, said the Alliance would accept Bosnia's first annual reform plan under the program, only after the Balkan country registers its defense property, such as bases, as belonging to the central state and for use of the Defense Ministry. Bosnia’s top officials welcomed the decision, expressing hope that it would help stabilise the country and contribute to the security of the region in general. “MAP will bring stability to Bosnia as it is a guarantee of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It will also contribute to the stability of the entire Western Balkans,” Bosnian Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj said. Membership action plans are intended to expedite candidate countries' progress toward joining the 28-member military alliance and are seen as a key stepping stone on the way towards full membership.

Kosovo

►EULEX says to have evidence of misused funds in Kosovo
On 6 May acting EULEX Chief Prosecutor, Johannes van Vreeswijk, said the mission has evidence of misuse of funds by the Kosovo government. Vreeswijk said he is not happy with the government's comments, accusing EULEX of staging a "spectacle" during their search of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications a week earlier. According to van Vreeswijk, Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and every other Minister should rest assured that EULEX will not interfere in their work if there is nothing unlawful going on. He added the mission is investigating six more cases of corruption and organised crime, and said corrupt officials should "start sweating". PM Thaci said earlier that EULEX’s raids at the Transport and Telecommunication Ministry were conducted without warning, and said the government has not been informed whether anything illegal turned up. Thaci said he would not allow members of his cabinet to be discredited, adding that "no one should prejudge justice and exaggerate because of personal or political motives." EULEX said the searches stemmed from "several tenders" for road construction between 2007 and 2009. The suspects in the case at the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications, Minister Fatmir Limaj and Head of Procurement Nexhat Krasniqi, are suspected of money laundering, organised crime, abuse of office and soliciting bribes, van Vreeswijk stated. Meanwhile, NATO Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, praised EULEX's efforts to fight corruption and is offering help when needed in the future. "We support the rule of law and we are here to help […]," Fitzgerald said.

►EC will help to conduct census in Kosovo
On 5 May Renzo Daviddi, head of mission at the European Commission (EC) Liaison Office in Pristina, said the EC will support the government in conducting a national census. He said this after a meeting with Minister of Public Administration Edita Tahiri. The two discussed the technicalities of the census, which is planned for spring 2011. "We will be committed to reaching results which will also be internationally recognised," Tahiri said. In 2000, the Statistical Office of Kosovo conducted a census that Serbia refused to recognise. The last census recognised by both Albanians and Serbs was held during the 1980s.

►Kosovar FM: “Kosovo to participate in summit only as equal”
On 4 May Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni told EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele, that Kosovo will participate in the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sarajevo scheduled for 2 June, only as an equal partner with other participants. Hyseni delivered the same message to French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Paris. The subject is delicate, because Serbia refused to attend a regional summit in March that Kosovo representatives attended, saying participation implied recognition of Kosovo's independence.


Montenegro

►Montenegrin opposition coalition launches election campaign
On 3 May leaders of the opposition coalition "A Better Montenegro" kicked off their campaign for the upcoming local elections. Srdjan Milic of the Socialist People's Party, Andrija Mandic of the New Serbian Democracy and Nebojsa Medojevic of the Movement for Changes addressed supporters at a square in Podgorica. They promised to work for reconciliation and against organised crime. The elections are on 23 May.

►Montenegro becomes associate EU member
On 1 May Montenegro officially became an associate member of the EU, when the country's Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the bloc took effect. Podgorica submitted its EU membership application in December 2009 and hopes for candidate status in the beginning of 2011, which would enable it to begin talks on full-fledged membership. Enforcing the SAA allows Montenegro to participate in the work of the Council for Stabilisation and Association and attend its next meeting in June.

Serbia

►Serbia, Russia want security cooperation
On 9 May Serbian President Boris Tadic was in Moscow for Victory Day celebrations, where he met with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev and PM Vladimir Putin. Tadić said after the meetings that there was a “mutual desire to continue cooperation between the countries, not only in the political and economic, but also the security sector”. Speaking about the talk with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Tadić said that he relayed his stand that it would be a disastrous mistake to stop the EU integrations process due to interior problems in the Eurozone. He specified that he and his European partners had also discussed military cooperation - the possibility of buying products from the military industry. Leaders from 21 countries attended Victory Day on Moscow’s Red Square, which marks 65 years since the victory over fascism and the end of World War II.

►EU Delegation: “European Commission ready to discuss Serbia’s candidate application”
On 6 May the head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Vincent Degert, said that the time has come for the European Commission (EC) to get the green light from EU member states to discuss Serbia’s EU candidacy application. In an interview Degert said that if it is given the green light the EC could prepare its opinion on whether to give Belgrade a positive response by 2011. “The EC is ready to start the process of discussing Serbia’s request for the candidate status,” the media source quoted him as saying. Serbian President Boris Tadic officially submitted Serbia's application to join the EU on 22 December, 2009. Once it is approved by the EU Council of Ministers, it will be forwarded to the EC, which will then send Serbia a pre-accession questionnaire. Pierre Mirel, the Director for Western Balkans in the EC's DG Enlargement, recently said that if the Council of Ministers gives the green light for Serbia's EU candidacy application, the EC may send the pre-accession questionnaire to the Serbian government in September. EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele also recently expressed his hope that during the Spanish EU presidency the green light will be given to the EC to send Serbia the EU pre-accession questionnaire. According to Degert, the EU strongly supports Serbia's fight against organised crime and is also concerned over threats to the country's leaders. The most recent threats include messages on ‘Facebook’ that were addressed to president Tadic. Degert also said that judicial reform in the country, in which the EU has invested more than €15 million, is being monitored.

►Serbia denies reports of negotiations on Kosovo's partition
On 6 May Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremic, dismissed media reports in Pristina about secret negotiations on the partition of Kosovo. He said that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remains the only framework within which Kosovo's status could be discussed. He also said he expects speculation and disinformation to grow, pending the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of Kosovo's independence. Jeremic added that Serbia will continue to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty using diplomatic, legal and political means. In related news, Kosovo’s Minister for Integration, Besim Beqaj, said that despite its efforts, Serbia will not hinder Kosovo's EU integration. "Belgrade wants to show that Kosovo is a non-functional and illegitimate state [despite being] recognised by 65 states, including 22 EU member states," Beqaj said. "I call on Belgrade authorities to behave in a European way in order to accelerate the EU integration process," he added.

►Serbian parliament to discuss war crimes against Serbs in June
On 5 May Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic announced that lawmakers will likely pass a declaration condemning war crimes committed against Serbs, by the end of June. She said the document will urge parliaments of other former Yugoslav republics to condemn crimes against Serbs as well. At the end of March, Serbian lawmakers adopted a landmark declaration condemning crimes committed against Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995. Backing by the Socialist Party of Serbia reportedly hinged on a reciprocal declaration regarding Serbs

►Opposition SNS wins local election in Serbian municipality Arandjelovac
On 2 May official results showed that the opposition Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won 12 seats in early local elections in Arandjelovac municipality. The ruling Democratic Party was second with ten seats, followed by the coalition led by the Serbian Socialist Party with six. G17 plus, the Democratic Party of Serbia and New Serbia won three seats each, and the Liberal Democratic Party won two. The final results of the vote held on 25 April were delayed pending a revote at one polling station. The early elections were called because the city council failed to function for more than three months due to a political deadlock.

►Two Serbian parties discuss long term co-operation
On 28 April the leader of the opposition Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), Tomislav Nikolic, said his party and the New Serbia Party have started talks on strategic long-term co-operation. He said the parties are considering whether to form a joint opposition bloc to run in the next elections, similar to the Democratic Party and its For European Serbia coalition. Nikolic said the Democratic Party of Serbia, led by Vojislav Kostunica, will be invited to the talks.

WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES

Armenia

►Probe of Armenian police custody death ‘widened’
On 6 May a law enforcement body investigating the latest suspicious death of a criminal suspect in custody said that it is trying to contact and question two key witnesses who left Armenia just days after the incident. The Special Investigative Service (SIS) at the same time implicitly denied allegations that the two were ill-treated at a police station in the village of Charentsavan and then forced to flee the country. Norayr Chilian and Arayik Arakelian were among several residents who were detained on 13 April on suspicion of involvement in the reported theft of 1.5 million drams (,900) worth of goods from a local entrepreneur. One of them, Vahan Khalafian, died in still unclear circumstances several hours later. The Armenian police acknowledged on 30 April that he was beaten before allegedly committing suicide. Unlike three other suspects, Chilian and Arakelian were set free later on 13 April. According to the families, they left the country several days later. Artur Sakunts, an Armenian human rights campaigner who met both men before their departure, claimed that the police forced them to go abroad to avoid their embarrassing witness accounts of torture. “Usually, those fleeing [the country] are important witnesses who are too dangerous to give testimony,” Sakunts said.

►Armenian labour law reforms raise concerns
On 5 May opposition politicians and civil rights activists expressed serious concern about government plans to significantly liberalise Armenia’s labour legislation that has already been approved by parliament. The National Assembly passed a package of corresponding government-drafted amendments to the Labour Code in the first reading in the beginning of May. In particular, they allow for verbal employment contracts and the formation of employee associations that could presumably overturn decisions made by labour unions. The government has admitted the changes reflect, in large measure, the opinion and wishes of entrepreneurs. The latter have for years been accused of routinely flouting provisions of the code that ban arbitrary dismissal of workers and guarantee other worker rights. “It is evident that the changes are aimed at facilitating business activity,” Artsvik Minasian, an MP from the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), said. Minasian specifically objected to the amendment allowing the existence of alternative labour groups. “This provision can be used by employers for neutralising labour unions with puppet structures” he said. Stepan Hayrapetian, a government expert disagreed. He argued that the few labour unions operating in Armenia already rarely challenge business owners and managers over worker rights.

►Armenian move on Turkey 'way to go' for U.S.
On 4 May U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Marie Yovanovitch, repeated Washington's positive reaction to President Serzh Sarkisian's decision not to formally annul the Turkish-Armenian normalisation agreements despite Ankara's refusal to implement them unconditionally. "President Sarkisian's statement makes clear that Armenia has not ended the process, that there is a suspension of the discussion of these protocols in the parliament...and that Armenia is waiting for a time when Turkey is more ready," she said in an interview. In April Armenia suspended parliamentary ratification of historic accords aimed at normalising relations with Turkey. In an April 22 televised address to the nation, Sarkisian said suspension was in the "best interests" of Armenia, but that out of respect for international efforts to support reconciliation, his country would not fully exit the process for the time being. Sarkisian had earlier threatened to walk away from the protocols if Turkey's parliament failed to ratify them within a "reasonable timeframe." The U.S. State Department, which had been closely involved in the signing of the protocols last October, swiftly welcomed Sarkisian's move.


Azerbaijan

►Party chairmen to determine Azerbaijani opposition bloc candidates
On 4 May Citizens and Development Party Chairman in the Azadliq Bloc Ali Aliyev announced that  "a single list of candidates from the Azadlig Bloc will be defined after a joint discussion by party leaders. Parliamentary elections will be held in Azerbaijan in autumn this year. The last elections were held in November 2005. Aliyev said determining the list of candidates has been delayed, as opposition parties are more concerned with protesting at the moment. "Each party is preparing a separate list. Then the lists will be submitted for discussion to the party chairmen," he added. The Azadliq Bloc was established on the eve of the parliamentary elections in 2005 by the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party, Liberal, Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, and Musavat. 

►Dozens of activists arrested in Azerbaijan's capital ahead of mass rally
On 26 April police in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku detained dozens of opposition activists on their way to a rally outside the mayor's office. The rally was organised by the opposition Azadliq (Liberty) political grouping, which includes the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, the Liberal Party, and the Citizens and Development Party. Citizens and Development Party chairman Ali Aliyev said the rally was aimed to protest problems in the sphere of freedom of assembly and nomination of requirements associated with additions and changes to the Electoral Code. Security forces stated that the demonstrators were arrested because the gathering was not sanctioned by city authorities. Azadliq representatives said about 80 party members were detained. Reportedly, about 33 of them were taken to the police department. 10 were brought to Court. Razi Nurullayev, Deputy Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijn, was among them. The Azadliq bloc had asked authorities to sanction a protest on 25 April in front of the City Hall, but it did not receive an answer. The bloc, however, decided to hold an unsanctioned picket on 26 April. The Azerbaijani Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, but the capital’s authorities have refused to allow public protests in the city center for three years, only permitting demonstrations on the outskirts. Meanwhile, the Civil Development Party said to hold a mass rally on 15 May.


Belarus

►Two Belarusian rights activists arrested
On 7 May two human rights activists were detained by police in a western Belarusian town. Police arrested Roman Kislyak and Andrey Sharenda as they distributed texts of the "International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance". The action by the rights defenders was to mark the 11th anniversary of the disappearance of former Belarusian Interior Minister Yury Zaharanka. Several prominent individuals disappeared in Belarus in 1999 and 2000, including former Deputy Parliament Speaker Viktar Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasousky, journalist Dzmitry Zavadzsky, and Zaharanka. All of them are presumed dead. Their relatives believe the Belarusian secret services are behind the abductions and possible killings. Sharenda has been arrested and jailed in recent years for such things as taking part in unsanctioned gatherings and putting the opposition's national flag on a university building.

►Belarusian opposition leader Milinkevich announces presidential candidacy
On 3 May the leader of Belarus's main opposition For Freedom movement, Alyaksandr Milinkevich, said after announcing his candidacy for president that he sees Belarus's future in the EU. He said that Belarus should also build mutually beneficial and strong neighbourly relations with Russia. "I am against barking at Russia from behind a corner in Minsk," he said. Earlier, at a press conference in Minsk, Milinkevich announced he would challenge incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka in the next presidential election. The exact date of the election is currently unknown. According to the constitution, the election should be held no later than February 2011. “I want to tell you frankly that I feel strong enough, know a lot…and the most important, there are many people who support me […]," Milinkevich stressed. His movement is legally registered in Belarus but says it is regularly harassed by police and security officers. Milinkevich won 6 percent in the 2006 presidential poll won by Lukashenka in an election that Western organisations said was neither free nor fair. Milinkevich said the opposition will be on watch for any signs of voting irregularities. "The authorities must count votes jointly with us. [...] You don't count them – we take people to the streets for a peaceful protest […]," Milinkevich said. 

►PACE freezes contacts with Belarusian regime
On 29 April the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe froze high-level contacts with Belarus due to violation of democratic standards. The resolution was adopted by a majority of votes at a PACE session in Strassbourg. The resolution notes a “lack of progress” towards Council of Europe. In particular, the document says that two executions were carried out in Belarus “in conditions of total secrecy” at a time when the UN Human Rights Committee had requested a stay in the executions pending its examination of their cases. The resolution also mentions the facts of violations of the rights of the Polish minority in Belarus and absence of international observers at the local council elections. The resolution regrets “lack of political will on the part of the Belarusian authorities to embrace Council of Europe values” and calls to continue the dialogue with Belarus. In view of the recent executions, the Assembly has adopted a decision to “put on hold its activities involving high-level contacts between the Assembly and the Belarusian parliament and/or governmental authorities”, the PACE resolution says. Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty was not abolished. In June 2009, PACE adopted a resolution on restoring special guest status in PACE for Belarus on a condition of imposing moratorium on death penalty. The EU also calls on imposing moratorium. This is one of the conditions for lifting visa sanctions on Belarusian officials extended by the EU until October 2010.

►Belarus votes in local elections
On 25 April Belarusian voters went to the polls to elect members of local councils. Although more than 21,000 seats on local councils were contested, there were only an estimated 360 opposition candidates competing against the pro-government candidates. Dozens of opposition candidates withdrew from the elections after claiming that the authorities were obstructing their campaigns. International media reported that turnout on the first voting day was low, with only 3.6 percent of the electorate casting ballots. The Belarusian Central Election Commision, however, reported that the turnout on the second voting day exceeded 79 percent. The lowest turnout was in Minsk, with 58.7 percent. Alyaksandr Milinkevich, leader of the Movement for Freedom, said neither the Belarusian public nor the international community should recognise the local elections. None of the candidates representing the Movement for Freedom have been elected to local soviets. "The elections were rigged, there were no elections. And we won't recognise any future elections unless at least one independent candidate or observer is able to count ballots together with every [precinct election] commission," Milinkevich said. “The local elections were a rehearsal of the forthcoming presidential election, and one can say with confidence even now that it will not be recognised unless the opposition is properly represented on precinct commissions,” he added.

Georgia

►Putin: “Ready for talks with constructive political forces in Georgia”
On 8 May Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, said that Moscow was ready for dialogue with "constructive political forces" in Georgia. He was speaking at a ceremony of laying the stone for World War II memorial in Moscow, designed to replicate the one that was blown up by the Georgian authorities in Georgia’s second largest city of Kutaisi in December. Nino Burjanadze, ex-parliamentary speaker and leader of Democratic Movement-United Georgia party and Zurab Nogaideli, former PM and now leader of Movement for Fair Georgia party, were standing beside him at the ceremony along with speaker of Russian State Duma, Boris Gryzlov and Moscow Mayor, Yuri Luzhkov. "Representatives of the Georgian society are here at this ceremony. This is very important for us," Putin said. “We are ready to have a dialogue with all the constructive political forces in Georgia, who aspire genuine partnership with Russia. We will definitely restore this partnership," he emphasized.

►Two Georgian opposition parties withdraw from elections
On 7 May two Georgian opposition parties have withdrawn their candidates from the nationwide local elections scheduled for 30 May. Julie Giorgadze, the chairwoman of the Central Election Commission, said the Georgian Group and Democratic Movement-United Georgia parties gave "no reasons for their decision." She said parties are free to withdraw from the elections until 28 May. A Georgian Group spokesman said the party had decided not to participate in the elections in order to reduce competition among the opposition parties. But the Democratic Movement-United Georgia said officials would fabricate the results regardless. "Our goal for taking part in the elections was to get rid of President Mikheil Saakashvili and his antipatriotic, antidemocratic regime," the party said in a statement. "Unfortunately, despite numerous attempts, we could not come to a consensus regarding a correct, united plan for this battle." Now there are 14 political parties and three political blocs due to participate in the local vote. Nine of them have submitted candidates to take part in Tbilisi's mayoral race. Among them are current mayor of the ruling party, Georgi Ugulava, and Our Georgia-Free Democrats leader, Irakli Alasania. It is the first time the capital city's mayor will be directly elected by voters. Meanwhile, on 8 May the five main mayoral candidates discussed issues as employment, during the first live TV debate.

►Police clash with protesters at Tbilisi parade
On 6 May riot police clashed briefly with stone-throwing protesters in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, as tensions rise in Georgia ahead of local elections. Police with truncheons pushed back a crowd of several hundred anti-government protesters during a police parade addressed by President Mikheil Saakashvili on the outskirts of Tbilisi. As a result of clashes between opposition members and special forces, reportedly 10 people were injured. Protesters and the police were also injured. Saakashvili addressed the ceremony outside the Interior Ministry's headquarters, where some 4,000 police marched and armoured vehicles drove in formation. "I'd like to let those itching to restore the Soviet empire know that the Soviet Union era is over in Georgia," Saakashvili said. "But the Soviet empire is of course attacking us,” he stressed. The May 30 local elections are the first poll since Georgia's brief war with Russia in 2008. Saakashvili's popularity has been dwindling since the war, in which Georgia suffered a defeat from Russia for which the opposition blamed Saakashvili. 

►Georgian opposition holds protest to demand release political prisoners
On 30 April Georgian human rights activists and opposition members blocked a major street in central Tbilisi to demand the immediate release of political prisoners. The demonstrators first gathered in front of the parliament building before blocking Rustaveli Avenue. The action was initiated by the NGO Solidarity with Illegal Inmates. Leading political opposition leaders attended the protest, as did Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia, the widow of late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia. She considers her son, Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, to be a political prisoner. He was recently sentenced to prison for attempted murder. Opposition leader Levan Gachechiladze said there were at least 50 people in prison that the opposition considers to be political prisoners. 


Moldova

►Former Moldovan president accused of power abuse
On 7 May a special committee set up by the Moldovan parliament accused former president and current Communist leader, Vladimir Voronin, of exceeding his constitutional powers by giving police direct orders. The committee was set up to investigate the violent post-election protests last spring that left at least one person dead, dozens injured, and hundreds protesters arrested. Communist leaders reject the findings of the report, which also accuses special forces of failing to prevent the destruction by protesters of the parliament building and the president's office. They insist that the violent protests on 7 April, 2009, were a coup attempt organised by the liberal-democrat opposition with help from abroad. Tens of thousands of young people rallied in Chisinau during protests to demonstrate against the overwhelming victory of the Communist party in elections, which they allege were rigged. The Communists lost early elections, held after the parliament failed to elect a new president. Committee head Vitalie Nagacevschi said the General-Prosecutor's Office should quickly finish the criminal probe and send to trial policemen accused of torturing arrested protesters. Currently, the former head of the Interior Ministry and other former officials are being investigated for abuse of power.

►Constitutional Court approves constitutional amendment proposal from ruling coalition
On 4 May the proposal of the ruling Alliance for European Integration (AEI) to amend Art.78 of the Constitution was approved by the Constitutional Court. Under the proposal, the head of state would be elected by direct popular vote and could be dismissed with a two-thirds vote of parliament. Like in the case of the project submitted by the opposition Communist Party (PCRM), the approval of the Constitutional Court came with a few reservations. Court Chair, Dumitru Pulbere, warned that the Alliance should pay attention to Art.80, which determines the duration of presidency, and Art.85, which in the current version says that the acting president shall dissolve parliament should it fail to elect the president. If neither proposal gets parliamentary endorsement, an alternative would be a referendum called by either the government or a group of 200,000 citizens. On 29 April the Court approved a constitutional amendment proposal by the PCRM, which proposed gradually reducing the number of MP votes required to elect the president, from 61 to 57 to 52. Either proposal requires 67 out of 101 MP votes to pass.

►DPM leader Lupu says dissensions inside ruling coalition go beyond limits
On 29 April Democratic Party leader (DPM), Marian Lupu, said that "The language and method of promoting the opinions, with mutual accusations, shows that the Alliance for European Integration (AEI) entered a serious phase and only urgent measures can help bring things to normality inside the coalition." According to Lupu, the sensitive subjects that cause controversy inside the AEI must be removed from the agenda. The ruling coalition should concentrate all its efforts on solving the problems faced by the society. "Regretfully, the efforts made by the DPM to deal with really important issues are not always fully supported," Lupu said. According to him, the situation has worsened because the Alliance did not manage to create an efficient mechanism for coordinating the actions of its members. " […] The Alliance entered a dramatic, critical stage. There are two things we can do now: concentrate on the real development priorities of Moldova, or admit that the election campaign started and work separately on segments of electoral interest. But this is not in accordance with the government program."


Russia

►NATO troops parade on Moscow’s Red Square
On 9 May troops from four NATO countries for the first time joined Russia's military parade in Moscow's Red Square to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Soldiers from the U.S., Britain, France, and Poland marched along with Russian troops as some two dozen world leaders looked on. With 10,000 Russian troops, hundreds of pieces of military hardware, as well as a total of 127 military aircraft flying past, the 70-minute parade was the largest event of its kind since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In a speech to the parade, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said with the defeat of Nazism 65 years ago a "machine that was exterminating whole peoples was halted." Medvedev said the lessons of World War II "urge us to show solidarity" as "peace is still fragile." World War II is known in Russia and many former Soviet republics as the Great Patriotic War, which began with the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.

►Putin: “Russia seeks ties with Georgian politicians”
On 8 May Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia seeks constructive ties with all sober-minded politicians in Georgia. It also believes renewed friendship with that country is a close possibility. Putin told this to media as the Georgian opposition leaders Nino Burdzhanadze and Nodar Nogaideli joined him for a Moscow ceremony to lay the foundation stone of a planned replica of the war memorial that was dynamited in Kutaisi by the Saakashvili regime. The relations with Georgia went downhill after August 2008 when Georgian forces launched an assault on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinval, which left dozens of casualties. In the aftermath, Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Georgia responded to this by severing diplomatic ties with Russia. 

►Russian court bans neo-Nazi party
On 28 April the Moscow City Court banned one of Russia's largest ultra-nationalist groups for the promotion of neo-Nazi ideology. The Slavic Union, whose Russian acronym SS intentionally mimicked that used by the Nazis' infamous paramilitary, was declared "extremist," the court said in a statement. For the ban of the group, the court made use of a law introduced under former president Vladimir Putin, against extremism. According to activists, the law enables Kremlin to silence opponents of the regime. The leader of the banned group, Dmitry Demushkin, warned that the ban will enrage and embolden Russia's most radical ultranationalists. Recently, four former Slavic Union activists were sentenced to life in prison for a 2006 explosion targeting non-Slavic traders in Moscow that killed 14 people. The ban is part of a Kremlin crackdown on far-right groups that intensified after the January 2009 murder of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasiya Baburova. Two activists of another ultra-nationalist organisation, Russian Image, were charged with the murder. Earlier this year, judge Eduard Tsuvasyov was killed several months after handing down prison sentences to members of another white supremacy group. Russia's ultranationalist movement is so deeply embedded in the country's culture that militant groups have sprouted up around Russia to fight against it.

►New Russian legislation would increase FSB's authority
On 24 April the Russian government submitted a bill to the State Duma that would allow the Federal Security Service (FSB) to take "preventive measures" against individuals suspected of engaging in "extremist" activity. The bill also allows the FSB to punish citizens who do not comply with what it describes as the service's "legitimate demands." Current legislation allows the FSB to impose official warnings and fines on organisations whose activities it deems extremist. Until now, however, the FSB has not been allowed to target individual citizens. The FSB says the bill – which comes in the aftermath of the March subway bombings in Moscow that killed dozens of people – is necessary due to what it describes as a sharp rise in extremist activity in recent years. But rights activists and government opponents say it will give the security services a free hand to intimidate citizens and harass political rivals. Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the opposition Yabloko party, said the bill is a reaction to the wave of anti-government protests that have swept Russia in recent months. "This unties the FSB's hands and allows them to psychologically pressure a large circle of people," Mitrokhin says. Rights activists fear that the bill, if it becomes law, would revive the Soviet-era practice in which the KGB would "invite" citizens for "informal" talks about their activities and those of their associates – a tactic used to harass dissidents.


Ukraine 

►Former PM Tymoshenko: “Yanukovych's Kuchma-style privatisation of state property”
On 8 May opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, criticised president Viktor Yanukovych’s style of privatisation. Several privatisation agreements are set to be signed on 17 May between Ukraine and Russia, and they indicate the beginning of “major shadow privatisation of strategic state property for free”, claimed Tymoshenko. "We all remember how privatisation took place during the times of Kuchma: a new private enterprise created a joint enterprise with the state, then the state’s shares were minimised and the facility was considered privatised without a kopeck being paid,” explained the opposition leader. According to Tymoshenko this is also what happens right now. Tymoshenko noted that such actions by President Yanukovych will result in Ukraine’s absorption into Russia. "This strategy, if it can even be called that, of Ukraine’s takeover calls for the creation of joint enterprises on all fronts: Russia's state nuclear power corporation Rosatom and Ukraine’s Enerhoatom, Russia’s railroad – Ukraine’s railroad, Ukrhydroenerho and Russia’s hydropower. And so on, in all areas, including a strategic sector of development for us – aircraft. In every project Ukraine has a minority presence," she underscored.

►Tymoshenko starts collecting signatures to organise Yanukovych's impeachment
On 8 May opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko put forward an initiative to collect signatures of lawmakers of all levels for joint fight against actions of "anti-Ukrainian power of Viktor Yanukovych". "I set a clear task: to start collection of signatures of each lawmaker in the council of each level, for a declaration against the prolongation of the [Russian] Black Sea Naval base, for the start of Yanukovych's impeachment procedure and for dissolution of the parliament as soon as possible. I want to see signatures of people," she said at a press conference.

►Ukrainian journalists condemn new 'censorship'
On 7 May journalists at two Ukrainian television stations said censorship is occurring again at the country's commercial TV stations. Journalists at a TV station claimed in a letter that "systemic censorship" is taking place. Their open letter came one day after their colleagues from the TSN news service of Channel 1+1 -- one of the most-viewed programs in Ukraine -- claimed the same in a similar statement. Both groups of journalists allege some topics are "closed" or banned since the election of Viktor Yanukovych as president in February. The journalists said prohibited topics include criticism of the authorities and investigations about politicians' personal finances. Channel 1+1 managers have denied they censor the work of their journalists. Earlier, six journalists from the "Ekspress" newspaper participated in an action in Lviv to protest restrictions on the independent media. Many Ukrainian observers have said the situation in the media has significantly changed since Yanukovych won the presidential election. The Mass Information Institute in Kyiv reported that owners of private commercial TV stations might be introducing new editorial policies to protect their valuable businesses from being harassed by authorities. Censorship was widespread in the Ukrainian media before the Orange Revolution brought pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko to power.

►Justice Ministry registers ‘Your Ukraine’ Party
On 5 May the Ukrainian Justice Ministry registered a new political party named ‘Your Ukraine’. The decision to create the organisation was taken at a meeting on 5 December, 2009. An entrepreneur from Donetsk, Dmytro Myronov, was elected the party's leader. The Your Ukraine Party is the 177th political party registered in Ukraine.

►Egg fight in Ukrainian parliament over Russian Black Sea deal
On 27 April Ukraine's parliament erupted in chaos as lawmakers approved a bitterly controversial deal allowing the Russian Navy to extend its stay in Ukraine until 2042. In the parliament scuffles broke out and opposition deputies hurled eggs at parliament speaker Volodymr Lytvyn, who took shelter under umbrellas. On the strength of votes from President Viktor Yanukovych's coalition, 236 Ukrainian lawmakers voted to ratify the agreement – 10 more than the required minimum of 226 votes for the deal to pass. Critics, led by Yanukovych's Western-leaning predecessor, Viktor Yushchenko, and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, regard the Russian base as a hostile presence on Ukrainian soil and had pushed for its removal when the existing lease runs out in 2017. They also argued that the extension goes against Ukraine’s Constitution. Thousands of opposition protesters also rallied outside the parliament to denounce the deal, signed by Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on 21 April. In return for the extension, Moscow pledged to cut by 30 percent the price cash-strapped Ukraine pays for Russian natural gas. Yanukovych said the reduction in gas prices would bolster Ukraine’s sagging economy and help it meet its obligations to the IMF. Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been based in Crimea since the reign of Catherine the Great in the 18th century. But when Ukraine gained independence following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Moscow agreed to withdraw the fleet in 2017.

CENTRAL ASIA

Kazakhstan

►President Nazarbayev to become ‘Leader of the Nation’
On 5 May three deputies of the Kazakh parliament proposed granting President Nursultan Nazarbayev the title of 'Leader of the Nation' in order to make him a lifetime leader of Kazakhstan. The occasion is the absence of a successor to the 69 year old president. According to some analysts the absence of a suitable replacement is a worry for investors. The granting of this new title to Nazarbayev will give him the power to appoint his successor. It would also offer him the possibility to interfere with national policy after leaving the presidential office.

►“The Kyrgyz Revolution, an act of banditry”
On 27 April Kazakh president Nazarbaev stated that the Kyrgyz events of April 7 were "not a revolution, but an act of banditry” at the Eurasian Media Forum in Almaty. His remarks have led to protests in Kyrgyzstan where demonstrators have picketed the Kazakh Embassy in Bishkek. The protesters delivered a petition to a Kazakh official in which they ask for an apology of Nazarbaev and the handing over of some former officials who fled the country after the political upheavals in April. Furthermore, they ask for the opening of the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border, which is closed since the outbreak of unrest in Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh ambassador accepted the petition.


Kyrgyzstan

►Extradition of Bakiyev requested by interim government of Kyrgyzstan
On 7 May the Kyrgyz' authorities requested the extradition of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev from the Belarusian government. Bakiyev fled the country after the violent upheavals last April that led to his deposition. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka accepted Bakiyev's stay in Minsk, but now the interim government of Kyrgyzstan demands that Bakiyev is being transferred back to the country for he stands accused of criminal activities. Kyrgyzstan appeals to CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) cooperation and international law. Bakiyev claims he did not officially resign as President and says he is still the official leader of Kyrgyzstan.

►Draft constitution for democratic reforms
On 26 April Kyrgyzstan's interim government proposed a draft constitution that alters the country's political system by transferring power to the parliament at the cost of the president's power. One of the new features of the Kyrgyz' parliament will be the introduction of a multiparty system. This will help to counterbalance the authority of the president. Other adjustments are the introduction of a limited five-year presidential term and the introduction of a powerful Prime Minister. In a national referendum, set for 27 June, the country will vote for the renewed constitution.


Tajikistan

►Tajikistan asks for detainment of Islamic fundamentalists
On 29 April Tajik officials asked the Russian government to detain and deport 41 people suspected of belonging to the banned Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). They are suspected of raising funds to support the IMU in northern Tajikistan and recruiting new members for IMU within the Tajik labour force in Russia. The IMU is a banned militant Islamist group that wants to overthrow the government of Uzbekistan. Tajikistan is considered to be one of their regrouping bases.


Turkmenistan

►Operation Opium 2010
On 27 April the Turkmen law enforcement agencies announced a large-scale antidrug campaign upon the finding of large poppy fields. These fields were discovered during a presidential trip in the Karakum desert. President Berdymukhammedov ordered for a renewed battle against the production of opium under the project name “Opium 2010”.


Uzbekistan

►ADB annual meeting held in Tashkent
On 1 May the 43rd annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank opened in Tashkent. This was the first time the meeting is held in a Central Asian country. The ADB discussed the Asian reaction and solutions to the economic crisis. The meeting also provided a platform for the Uzbek government to present the economic opportunities Uzbekistan has to offer.


►Uzbek activists stand in court
On 30 April Uzbek repatriate Dilorom Abduqodirova was sentenced to 10 years and two months in jail for the alleged role she played in the Andijon protests five years ago. She was charged with illegally exiting and entering the country, infringing on the constitution, and taking part in a mass uprising. A day earlier, on 29 April the trial of Uzbek sports journalist Khairulla Khamidov and 14 others began. They are charged for participation in a banned Islamic group. Khamidov’s arrest in January led to a wave of protest in Uzbekistan.

Edited by: Marianna Tsirelson and Ingeborg Visscher
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