Russia
 
Kaliningrad – the opposition unites.
A regional coalition of opposition factions Our Kaliningrad, was created in Kaliningrad on 3 March. The group includes members from nearly all local parties and movements, including: communists (KPFR), liberal democrats (LDPR), ‘Just Russia’, ‘Russia’s Patriots’, and ‘Solidarity and Justice’. The new coalition aims to end the political monopoly of the One Russia party, which it blames for all economic and political problems in the region. Our Kaliningrad opposes tax increases (including the local council tax), lobbies for multi-entry Schengen visas for the local population and the introduction of regional salary increments. It also calls for the ousting of the regional Duma and demands reintroduction of direct elections for the governor’s office. Our Kaliningrad is planning to organize a large-scale demonstration of the opposition forces in Kaliningrad on 20 March. Meanwhile, the central office of the KPFR party officially banned its regional representatives from joining any political protests organized by the radial opposition, in particular, the Solidarity party.
2010.03.04, Interfax, www.rian.ru, www.ng.ru
 
The Kremlin on Yanukovych’s Moscow visit
It has been announced that the visit of Ukraine’s President, Viktor Yanukovych, to Moscow will be assigned the ‘state visit’ status. The announcement made by the Kremlin on Wednesday states that Yanukovych will meet with President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday, 5 March. (Earlier in the week, media quoting well-informed sources, suggested that the Kremlin may downgrade the status of the visit from ‘state’ to ‘working’. This was seen as ‘punishment’ after Yanukovych chose Brussels, rather than Moscow, as the destination for his first official visit).
2010.03.03, www.unian.net, www.kremlin.ru
 
PMs of Russia and Kazakhstan meet in Moscow
The Prime Ministers of Russia and Kazakhstan – Vladimir Putin and Karim Masimov, met in Moscow on 3 March to talk about further development in bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the countries, including the electro and energy branches, as well as in the sphere of nuclear industry. The PMs also discussed the possibility of cooperation within the Customs Union (one of its members being Belarus) as well as in the course of formation of the uniform economic space. Details of the talks have not been released. According to Putin, Kazakhstan is an unconditional leader in the integration processes on the post-Soviet territory.
2010.03.03, www.government.ru, www.ruvr.ru, www.ca-news.org, www.government.kz
 
Rasmussen on the ‘Mistral’ deal
NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed hope that the purchase of four French Mistral-type amphibious assault ships by Russia will be carried out in compliance with all international rules and regulations. Rasmussen said it was clear to him that the ships will not be used by Russia in attacks against its neighbours. He further stressed that the deal is not a NATO issue. (Concerns about the planned purchase have been raised by among others, Georgia and the Baltic states).
2010.03.03, PAP, www.rian.ru
 
Eastern Europe
 
Ukraine: aftermath of the government’s resignation
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has announced that she will join the opposition forces, after her governing coalition was ousted by a vote of no confidence on 3 March. Tymoshenko decided not to stay on as temporary caretaker, and opted to start her holiday instead. It has been reported that first Deputy Prime Minister, Oleksandr Turchynov, will step in. Meanwhile, President Viktor Yanukovych met with the heads of Parliament and leaders of the parliamentary factions to call for urgent formation of a new coalition, and ask them to suggest candidates for a new Prime Minister – otherwise, preterm elections will be necessary (The meeting was not attended by the leader of BJuT).
On 4 March, Ukraine’s Parliament accepted in the first reading, amendments to the parliamentary regulations, which will allow for the formation of a parliamentary coalition by single MPs rather than whole factions. The Parliament also decided to shorten the procedures in the preparation of the new Bill so as to complete it during the second reading. The changes have been opposed by BJuT who deemed them unconstitutional.
2010.03.03-04, Interfax, PAP, www.unian.net
 
Naftohaz boss resigns
Oleh Dubyna stepped down as chairman of the board of the Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftohaz Ukrainy. Dubyna was appointed for the post in December 2007.
2010.03.03, www.pravda.com.ua, www.unian.net, www.vremya.ru
 
Yanukovych suspends his membership of the Party of Regions
President Victor Yanukovych announced on 3 March the suspension of his membership of the Party of Regions. Mykola Azarov will temporarily take over as party chief and head of the parliamentary faction.
2010.03.03, Interfax, www.unian.net
 
Western Ukraine against EP’s resolution on Bandera
Three local councils in Western Ukraine – Lviv, Tarnopol, and Ivano-Frankivsk, passed on Wednesday an appeal calling on the European Parliament to remove from its 25 February resolution the paragraph criticizing the awarding of the Hero of Ukraine title to Stepan Bandera. According to the councilors the accusations of collaboration with Nazi Germany directed at the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists are based on the insinuations of the Moscow communist propaganda. They further added that the resolution of the European Parliament is a manifestation of contempt for the Ukrainian people and interferes in the country’s internal affairs. The Ukrainian World Congress also commented, saying the accusations towards the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and their leader were unfounded, and called on the European Parliament to withdraw the resolution.
2010.03.03, Interfax, PAP, www.unian.net
 
Letter in defence of harassed journalists
The independent Belarusian Association of Journalists has handed in an open letter to the Prosecutor General in Belarus, in which it voiced its protests against unlawful searches carried out by the police in the homes and work places of independent journalists, and the confiscation of the journalists’ equipment. The document points out that such searches took place in February of this year at homes of two journalists at the independent 'Narodnaya volya'.
2010.03.04, www.naviny.by
 
Moldova: accusations about the 2009 riots
The Prosecutor General’s office in Moldova preferred accusations against the former chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Gheorghe Papuc, and Vladimir Botnaru, the former chief of Kishinev Police. The accusations refer to the Kishinev riots which ensued after the April 2009 Parliamentary elections. Botnaru and Papuc are accused of failing in their duties, which led to serious consequences. Both accused have been banned form leaving the country.
2010.03.03, Interfax, www.interlic.md
 

The Caucasus and Central Asia
 
EU delegation in Georgia
The EU delegation led by Spain’s Foreign Minister, Miguel Moratinos, met on Wednesday with the Georgian Foreign Minister, Grigol Vashadze, and the Georgian Parliament Chairman, David Bakradze. The delegation also met with the country’s opposition leaders. Moratinos praised the work of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and announced further negotiations to extend its mandate. He also said that the EU will continue its role in the normalization of the relations between Tbilisi and Moscow. Moratinos declared EU’s full support for Georgia’s territorial integrity.
2010.03.03, www.apsny.ge, www.civil.ge, www.rian.ru
 
Romania’s President visits Kazakhstan
The Romanian President, Traian Basescu, completed on Wednesday a two-day visit to Kazakhstan. The talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev and representatives of the government, focused on the development of bilateral cooperation, including the transport of Kazakh energy resources to Europe. At a joint press conference, Nazarbayev proposed a new route for the transport of Kazakh oil to Europe – from Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea to Baku, through Azerbaijan and Georgia to the Black Sea, and from there by tankers to the Romanian port of Constanca which will be the entry point for the planned pipeline between Constanca and Trieste. The oil for the new pipeline will come from the Kashagan offshore oil field. During the visit the countries also signed bilateral agreements on economic cooperation, and support and protection of investment.
2010.03-04, Interfax, PAP, www.akorda.kz
 
Uzbekistan closes border crossing with Kyrgyzstan
As of 1 March Uzbekistan closed an important checkpoint at Kara-Suu on the border with Kyrgyzstan under the pretext of carrying out renovation work. The closure resulted in denying Uzbeks access to the region’s largest open air market in Kara-Suu. According to Ferghana.ru, the decision was aimed at limiting the flow of Chinese goods to Uzbekistan. Unofficial sources suggest that the Uzbek President’s daughter, Gulnara Karimova, wants to take over the control of the Chinese imports.
2010.03.03, www.ferghana.ru, www.lenta.ru, www.ca-news.org