News from Eastern Europe

Croatia

►95 people arrested in bribery scandal
On 19 September, the Croatian police together with the State Attorney’s Office and the government’s Office for the Prevention of Organized Crime, USKOK, carried out a high profile operation in which at least 95 people were arrested under suspicion of corruption and bribery at Zagreb's University. In the operation the police arrested 21 professors, three assistants, four clerks and several students from several faculties. The most prominent person among the arrested is Desa Mlikotin Tomic, the president of the Parliamentary Committee against Conflict of Interest and a law professor at the Faculty of Economy. Professors are accused of taking bribes from students who wanted to pass exams or enrol at a faculty ignoring standard procedure.

► Croatian President Mesic criticize Croatian economic policy
On 16 September, the Croatian President Stjepan Mesic argued that Croatia is spending too much and producing too little, and expected EU membership will not overhaul its economy without serious government efforts. In a strong critique of Croatia's macroeconomic problems - stagnant exports, high foreign debt and public expenditure the president who is nearing the end of his second mandate, said the economy had been going downhill almost since the country became independent in 199. According to Mesic the country has not built a single big industrial production facility in the last 20 years and the politics is to blame for this.

Macedonia

► Matthew Nimetz calls officials to new rounds of talks on name row
On 23 September, Matthew Nimetz, the UN envoy in the Macedonia-Greece “name” row, has called for separate meetings with top officials from Macedonia en Greece. Nimetz is to meet Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and to have a meeting with Macedonia’s President Branko Crvenkovski . It is expected that the heads will inform the mediator about their countries stances on Nimetz’s last package of ideas for solving the dispute that he put forward earlier this month. In the previous weeks the two sides had time to consider Nimetz’s ideas. Both Nimetz and the two governments remained silent about their content. Earlier on 22 September, the Greece's delegation left a UNESCO conference on cultural heritage because Macedonia was introduced at the conference by its constitutional name, the Republic of Macedonia, which Greece does not recognise. Furthermore, the delegation from Skopje distributed a book during the conference referring to the Macedonian language.

►Macedonia opposition elects new leader
On 18 September, Zoran Zaev was unanimously elected as the temporary president of Macedonia’s main opposition party, the Social Democrats. He is expected to hold the position until May 2009 when the long standing former leader and now Macedonian President, Branko Crvenkovski is expected to take over, once his presidential term ends. Zaev, who until now has been the party’s Vice-President and mayor of the south-eastern town of Strumica, is tasked with strengthening the party after the crushing defeat at the June's general elections after which the Social Democrats share of parliamentary seats reached an all time low.

►Gruevski: NATO membership criteria fulfilled
On 15 September, the Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said in an interview that his country has fulfilled all NATO membership criteria and 75% of EU membership criteria. Gruevski was speaking on the second day of a visit to Italy, where he is participating in one of the biggest forums in the European and Mediterranean region, Fiera del Levante, in Bari. Among others, Gruevski met with Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi and discussed bilateral economic co-operation, Macedonia's EU prospects and the name dispute with Greece. In an interview Gruevski said he wonders how long the EU will tolerate Greece blocking Macedonia's integration.

►No preconditions for recognition of Kosovo
On 11 September, Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdulakim Ademi argued that Macedonia will not set any preconditions for recognising Kosovo’s independence. His statement came after Kosovo’s top officials slammed Macedonia’s President Branko Crvenkovski’s suggestion that Pristina should first recognise Skopje’s name ‘Republic of Macedonia’ and complete the demarcation of their mutual border, before Macedonia moves on recognising the independence of Kosovo. Acoording to Ademi the statement of Crvenkosvski was politically motivated and was intended to complicate relations with Kosovo. However, Macedonia’s Prime Minister and ruling centre-right VMRO DPMNE party leader, Nikola Gruevski was not specific regarding this issue. He only noted that at the moment the government had other priorities regarding Kosovo than the recognition of its status. Later on Crvenkovski reiterated his stance: “It is in Macedonia’s interest that the border with Kosovo be marked completely, fairly and on time as well as that Kosovo recognises our constitutional name with no exceptions.” Ademi's party, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) is the main ethnic Albanian partner in Macedonian government.

Turkey

►Campaign launched to ensure gender equality in politics
On 24 September, a Turkish women's group declared that a project has been launched aiming to ensure that an equal number of female and male candidates can engage in all elections. The Turkish Coordination of the European Women's Lobby, or EWL, initiated the campaign within the frame of “50/50 Campaign for Democracy,” launched Sept. 16 by the EWL in order to increase women's presence in politics. The Turkisch women's lobby advocates for a parity law, which would guarantee an equal number of female and male candidates for all elections, to be applied and safeguarded by the Constitution.

►Turkish PM want to boycott Dogan Media Group
On 17 September, the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urged the members of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) to boycott the newspapers owned by Dogan Media Group. Turkish media has lost its reliability and destroyed itself, Erdogan told AKP members in a meeting in Ankara "For this reason, I say you, as the party members, should start your own campaign against the media that published false stories, and not let them enter your homes”. Erdogan has accused Dogan, owner of Turkey's largest media group, of using his print and broadcast empire to defame the government and the ruling AKP with reports of alleged corruption. Tensions have flared over the past week between the government and the country's largest independent media group, Dogan Holding, over its coverage of corruption allegations. Most recently, on 24 September, the Turkish press club stated that the Efforts of the Turkish PM and the ruling AKP to boycott Dogan group , and with that to control all the institutions in the country is a serious threat to democracy.

►Cultural ties between Turkey and Armenia boosted
On 17 September, the Turkish Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay responds warmly to Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik Bogosyan’s call for greater cultural cooperation. Armenia and Turkey are taking strides toward a rapprochement in the cultural realm as diplomatic relations have continued to warm since the football game in Yaravan two weeks ago.

► Turkish PM complains on EU demands
On 16 September, the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan complained of the pace at which negotiations are being opened on the 35 policy areas that candidates must complete, and asked the EU be fair towards Turkey during its accession talks. His remarks followed criticism from the Turkish foreign minister on the pace of the accession process. The process of opening and closing chapters in membership negotiations with the EU was prolonged unnecessarily, Erdogan said during a fast breaking dinner in Ankara in honour of foreign ambassadors and heads of foreign missions in Turkey. "The number of chapter headings were fewer before. Before we even entered this process opening and closing of chapters was not even an issue. Chapters were opened and closed. But now we are struggling for this," he was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying. He said this was not a fair approach, adding Turkey expected the EU to adopt the same approach it did with other candidates.

► Turkey’s Foreign Minister says Turkey would make EU stronger
On 15 September, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey's membership would strengthen the EU's diplomatic and political influence: "With Turkey as a member, the EU would play a leading role in the world," he told a press conference after a Turkey-EU Troika meeting in Brussels. Babacan added that Turkey has fulfilled its promises by passing nearly 30 pro-EU measures and that the country will continue to do so. Also at the press conference was EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who stated that the EU once again acknowledged Turkey's strategic importance during the recent conflict in Georgia.

► Turkish Cypriot leader : time for Cyprus solution
On 15 September, the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that current circumstances in Cyprus are conducive to reuniting the divided island. These good conditions, however, do not guarantee a settlement that can be accepted by both communities. Furthermore, according to Talat any reunification text would face a referendum. The same day the Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said progress depends mainly on Turkeyas it is of major importance whether Turkey will leave the way open for Talat to negotiate keeping in mind Turkish Cypriots' interests rather than Turkey's strategic interests.

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WESTERN BALKANS

Albania

►Ruling coalition party wants to replace Minister of Labour
On 23 September, the Human Rights Union Party (HURP), a ruling coalition ally, has asked the government to replace its current party representative, Minister of Labour, Social Welfare and Equal Rights, Kosta Barka. During a meeting with Prime Minister Sali Berisha on 22 September, the leader of HURP, Vangjel Dule called for Barka, whom the party says no longer serves its interests, to be replaced by Andrea Marto. Barka says he only learned of his proposed replacement from media reports.

► Opposition protest because of death important witness in arms trafficking row
On 16 September, Albanian opposition leaders have announced a major protest in Tirana for Friday, after the mysterious death of an Albanian businessman witness in the arms trafficking row. The leader of the Socialist Party Edi Rama argued that “Sali Berisha and his compromised government should listen to the voice of not only of those that we represent but of all Albanians that seek a country where people who respect the law should feel safe.” Businessman Kosta Trebicka was considered an important witness in a corruption scandal that has reached the doors of the Prime Minister’s office. Trebicka helped the New York Times investigate an article published on March 27, accusing Albanian officials of murky deals with a Miami-based Pentagon contractor, AEY Inc. The firm had its contract with the United States military to supply the Afghan army revoked amid claims by the newspaper that it supplied ammunition that was decades old. It is alleged that the Tirana government and AEY used a third company, Cyprus-based Evdin Ltd, a company subcontracted by Albania’s trading giant, MEICO, to coordinate the deal between the Albanian military and the US company. Though there has not been an official statement on the cause of death of Trebicka from prosecutors, opposition leaders accuse Berisha of pressuring justice teams in order to prevent it from shedding light on his government’s scandals. The trafficking row followed a deadly explosion in the village of Gerdec on March 15, which left 26 people dead, 350 wounded and more than 3,000 displaced. In a testimony last week to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Undersecretary of State, Daniel Fried, said the blast investigation would put the Albanian government in a difficult position. Experts from the US top investigation body, FBI, are set to conduct an independent probe into the mysterious death of an Albanian businessman linked to an arms trafficking row. Prosecutors in the case have told Balkan Insight that the US experts are expected to arrive in Tirana in the coming days. The expertise comes after the request of General Prosecutor Ina Rama to the United States embassy in Tirana.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

► New indictment for Karadzic
On 19 September, a new revised indictment against wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has been confirmed by the Hague Tribunal. The new indiciment contains the same number of charges, eleven, including two of genocide, but narrows the scope of alleged criminal acts during the 1992-95 Bosnian war and reduces the areas where they were committed. Karadzic will be asked to enter a new plea to the new charges, which is expected to delay the start of his trial further. However, prosecutors argued in their motion that "any minor delay will be more than offset by the time savings resulting from a more focused and precise indictment." The former Bosnian Serb leader had made his third appearance before the Tribunal on Wednesday 17 September. As earlier Karadzic stated that he will defend himself and requested the Tribunal to translate all relevant documents into Serbian using Cyrillic letters. The Prosecution responded to his request earlier, claiming that all documents would be submitted to him in official languages of the Tribunal – English, French and Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, BCS. Karadzic again mentioned his agreement with US Special Envoy Richard Holbrook, claiming that this agreement guaranteed him that he would not be arrested and adding that he had opened a personal investigation on this issue. Furthermore, the suspects argued to be in procession of clear-cut evidence which shows that NATO has tried to kill him. Judge Bonomy announced that his next appearance would be scheduled within the next 30 days.

►Bosnian Army general Rasim Delic jailed at the Hague
On 15 September, the former Bosniak general Rasim Delic, accused of commanding a unit of “mujahedeen” who allegedly committed atrocities in the Bosnian war, has been jailed by The Hague for three years. He was found guilty by a first instance verdict for command responsibility. He was sentenced for cruel treatment as a violation of the laws of the customs of war in relation to events in Livade and Kamenica Camp, where Mujahadeen forces held captured Bosnian Serb troops in July and August 1995. Delic was found guilty on one of the four-part indictment. He was indicted for murder, inhuman treatment and rape, by his command responsibility. The Bosnian Croat and Serb politicians have condemned the, according to them, too short three-year jail sentence against a Delic.

►Silajdzic accuses Republika Srpska of trying to secede from BiH
On 15 September, the Presidency Chairman Haris Silajdzic accused leaders of Republika Srpska (RS) of trying to secede from BiH and submitted a claim in the country's Constitutional Court over this "illegal" act. According to Silajdzic these leaders "have been trying to represent themselves as a separate independent entity of international law". He was referring to ‘illegal’ political and lobbying campaigns involving Belgian and US public relations firms. Silajdzic said the Bosnian Serb government uses public funds to finance its contract with the United States-based Quinn Gillespie and Associates, worth $1.5m, for the promotion of its cultural, economic and athletic interests. Silajdzic is asking the Constitutional Court to annul the agreements. RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik reacted by arguing that the contracts are legal and will continue. The member of the Presidancy of BiH, Nebojsa Radmanovic argued that the claim of Silajdic is a political and not constitutional issue.

► ‘Anti-Hague’ lobby in Republika Srpska and Serbia under investigation
On 10 September the Security services in Serbia and the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, have launched a joint investigation into a group known as the ‘anti-Hague’ lobby. Members of the group operating across the border are believed to be planning the assassination of Serbia’s War Crimes Chief Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic, who according to the newspaper Danas, has received some 40 threatening letters that are getting more serious and becoming more personal. According to Danas, the anti-Hague lobby has reportedly existed in Serbia for years as the toughest opposition to country’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). On 9 September, Vukcevic confirmed that one of two remaining fugitives, Karadzic’s military commander Ratko Mladic, also charged with genocide, was hiding in Serbia, adding that up to 10,000 people are mobilised in search for him and the Croatian Serb wartime leader Goran Hadzic.

Kosovo

►Helsinki Committee criticises Serbian and Russian policies towards Kosovo
On 22 September the Helsinki Committee presented a report in Pristina called "Forgotten World of the Serb Enclaves.” The report, which is based on seven months of research conducted in co-operation with the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, criticises Serbian and Russian policies towards Kosovo. Acoording to the report propaganda in support of Kosovo's partitioning explains why Kosovo Serbs look to Belgrade for guidance rather than to Pristina. The document also concludes that freedom of movement is no longer a problem for Kosovo Serbs. Instead, the community faces issues related to unemployment and health concerns, which are shared by Kosovo Albanians.

►Hashim Thaci: Serbia's Court Bid 'Wrong'
On 18 September, the political leaders in Pristina described Serbia’s initiative to contest Kosovo’s independence at the World Court wrong and doubts it will be successful. According to Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci “the initiative is bad and non-visionary. Serbia is showing its non-visionary policy towards peace and stability in the region”. Furthermore Thaci added that such initiatives will not incite confusion and fear in our determination for economic development, democratisation and Euro-Atlantic integration.

►EULEX supports independent judiciary system
On 16 September EULEX officials have announced that EULEX will not establish its own parallel judiciary system but that it will support the establishment of an independent and multi-ethnic judiciary system in Kosovo. It is expected that the 2.000 man strong EULEX mission, which consists of judges, police officers, prosecutors and other state officials will be fully implemented in Kosovo by the end of autumn. However, the distribution and functioning of EULEX in Serbian enclaves will be problematic as Serbian Kosovars only want to cooperate with UNMIK.

► Most Kosovo Serbs want to stay
In a survey which has been conducted by the NGO Straight to Europe and published on 14 September, it has been concluded that most minority Serbs want to continue living in Kosovo. The results suggest that 72% of Serbs living in Kosovo want to stay, while 28% said they would rather leave. Both Albanian and Serb respondants cited unemployment and energy issues as their biggest concerns.

Montenegro

► Montenegrin parliament discusses Kosovo on 3 October
On 17 September, the Council of the Montenegrin parliament for constitutional issues has announced that there are no formal blocks for discussing the independence of Kosovo during the parliamentary discussion on 3 October when Montenegrin EU and NATO access will be discussed. According to the council, in order to speed up Montenegrin EU and NATO membership it is necessary to tackle the question of Kosovo independence. A resolution will be proposed to the parliament in which, among other things, will be argued that the willingness of Montenegro to confirm the political reality which the members of EU and NATO consider as important for regional stability. The leader of the opposition Party for Changes (PzP) Nebojsa Medojevic, who is —successfully to a certain extent —trying to unite the opposition in Montenegro argued that the EU integration process of Montenegro does not depend on the recognition of Kosovo independence as some EU members have note recognized Kosovo. Some western countries are smoothly softly Montenegro to recognize Kosovo. Recently the Montenegrin Premier Milo Djukanovic has announced that Montenegrin President will announce the country’s official stance on recognizing Kosovo at the UN General Assembly. Concerning Serbian demand to get a World Court ruling on the legality of Kosovo’s independence before the UN General Assembly, Montenegrin officials have refused to say whether they will back Serbia.

Serbia

►Kosovo is not a unique case according to Serbian President Tadic
On 24 September the Serbian President Boris Tadic told the UN Genaral Assembly that Kosovo is not a unique case. Tadic asked members to back Belgrade's bid to seek the World Court’s opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence. Addressing the representatives of United Nations member states, Boris Tadic said Serbia was confident that in asking for the International Court of Justice’s opinion on Kosovo, this would avoid setting a dangerous precedent in other parts of the world where groups of people have secessionist ambitions. Furthermore, Tadic added that Serbia would not appreciate at all if its neighbouring countries would recognize Kosovo.

►Tadic prior to UN General Assembly: "We Won't Recognise Kosovo"
On 23 September, Serbia’s President Boris Tadic says he will tell the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that his country “will never recognise Kosovo’s independence". Furthermore Tadic stated that Serbia’s bid to seek the World Court’s opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s independence could be on the agenda early next month, after the General Assembly's September debate ends. Last week a United Nations board backed Serbia’s resolution seeking the International Court of Justice’s opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s February 17 declaration of independence, to be put before the 192 UN member countries. Belgrade media quoted General Assembly Chairman Miguel D’Escoto Brockman as saying after his meeting with Tadic that Belgrade’s initiative brought the issue of international law back into the heart of discussion on the United Nations' future. Belgrade needs a simple majority at the General Assembly to get its resolution passed to the International Court of Justice.

► No EU agreement on trade deal with Serbia
On 16 September, despite the fact that the UN Chief prosecutor at the Hague Tribunal, Serge Brammertz, expressed his optimism about the cooperation of the Serbian government with the Tribunal, the EU was unable to reach an agreement on the implementation of the interim trade deal with Serbia during a meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers. The deal was blocked by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen, who argued that Serbia has clearly improved the cooperation with the Tribunal, but by analyzing what Brammertz has said, it can not be concluded that there is full cooperation with the Tribunal. This statement was supported by Belgium, whilst other EU member states, just like the European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, argued that Serbia should be rewarded for arresting war crime suspect Radovan Karadzic, in July of this year, by starting the implementation of the interim agreement. The Serbian Deputy Prime Minster, Božidar Ðelic, classified the Dutch refusal to unfreeze the agreement as unfair adding that Serbian government intends to stick to its EU accession agenda.

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WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES

Armenia

►Parliament speaker resigns
On 16 September Tigran Torosian, parliamentary speaker from ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) announced his resignation from the post as well as from the party. Mr Torosian had come under pressure from his own party recently to resign as Speaker of the Parliament, and quoted “insurmountable differences with the parliament majority on a number of issues concerning the country’s domestic political life” as reason for his resignation. The HHK board already named another senior party figure, Hovik Abrahamian, as its preferred candidate to succeed Torosian. Abrahamian was elected to parliament on 24 August in a by-election in a single-mandate constituency in southern Armenia that has long been widely regarded as part of the Abrahamian family’s personal fiefdom. Opposition leader Levon Ter Petrosyan referred to the change as ‘internal rumbles’ in the ruling party and the signs of presidential power cracking.

►Heritage Party seeking to restore broadcasting tendors
On 12 September Armenia’s parliament opposition has pledged efforts to try and reverse the recently adopted legal amendments that it believes are aimed at prolonging the de-facto ban on the country’s main independent TV station controversially pulled off the air in 2002. On 10 September Armenian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to adopt government-drafted legal amendments according to which the National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR) will be unable to hold tenders for broadcasting licenses until July 2010. The government claimed that the proposed measure was necessary for expediting Armenia’s planned transition to mandatory digital broadcasting by 2012. However, critics believe its real purpose is to fend off renewed Western pressure for the reopening of A1+, the only national TV channel that had regularly aired criticism of the government. Zaruhi Postanjian from the oppositional Heritage party stated that discussions over the matter are currently in progress with several nongovernmental organizations.

►Fact-finding group for investigation into the March events to be established
On 11 September a pro-government lawmaker, Artashes Shahbazian from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, serving on the parliament’s ad hoc commission on the March 1-2 events confirmed plans to set up a separate group of experts tasked with a simultaneous inquiry into Armenia’s deadly post-election violence. According to him a draft resolution on a fact-finding group has already been put into circulation and sent to the Council of Europe for an opinion. Levon Zurabian, a top representative of the oppositional Armenian National Congress stated that no draft on the establishment of the fact-finding group had been presented to them yet and no official proposal in that regard had been made.

►Opposition protests
On 9 September the Armenian opposition used strong terms to denounce the force that police used the previous night to disperse a group of opposition protesters in central Yerevan. There, a group of women had launched an open-ended hunger strike – having perviously informed the authorities, the office of the Ombudsman and the Red Cross – to release detainees that, they claim, are in custody on political grounds in the aftermath of the March protests. The police denied that they stretched their authority or used any excessive force to disperse the protest. In related news, opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian rallied approximately 6000-7000 of his supporters again in Yerevan on 15 September in what was the first opposition rally to have been authorized by the city’s authorities in months. No violence occured although the presence of police and law-enforcers was noticeable in the city center.

Azerbaijan

►Opposition leaders demand air time
On 19 September parties, not participating in the presidential elections and represented in the Center of Cooperation of Opposition, announced their intention to send a letter to the administration of a public TV channel with a request to allocate them air time, said head of the central office of the opposition Musavat party Arif Hajili. He noted that the center ratified a program, envisioning conduction of forums, "round tables", mass actions, as well as protests. "The parties, represented in the center, also want air time on the public television channel. We are planning to appeal to the representatives of the related bodies next week, for, in line with the Electoral Code, the society should be informed not only about the process of agitation campaign but also of the opinion of the opposite side.

►Opposition National Independence Party not to support any presidential candidate
On 18 September press secretary of the party for press and agitation issues Ali Orujev stated that the Azerbaijan National Independence Party will only observe the presidential elections. He said they do not see any candidate among the people who nominated their candidacies for presidential elections, that has outlooks similar to the program of the National Independence Party. "At the same time, we can not isolate ourselves from this process. The party does not participate in the elections not because it is boycotting them, but because it has no candidate. In this connection it would be more correct to take part in the elections as observers", he noted. It should be noted that earlier party leader Etibar Mamedov rejected participation in the presidential elections.

► Agitation campaign in the presidential elections starts
On 17 September the agitation campaigning period in the presidential elections began. It will last a total of 28 days, during which “each candidate will be allocated 6 hours of air time on public television a week” according to chairman of the Central Election Commission of the country Mazahir Panakhov. He stated that a specially created commission from among members of the Central Election Commission will hold a draw among presidential candidates to distribute the airtime among them.

►Fuad Aliyev claims not to hold a campaign against the other opposition candidates
On 17 September Fuad Aliyev, presidential candidate and chairman of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, announced that "the main rival for [him] in these presidential elections is the working president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev". He said he will not hold a campaign against opposition candidates. In an answer to the question which position he reckons on during the presidential elections, Aliyev said: "We will take a position depending on people's voting. The most important for us is to strengthen relations with voters and gain their trust. We are planning to hold meetings in all the regions of the country", resumed he.

►Election platforms
On 17 September presidential candidate Iqbal Aghazade from the opposition Umid party said the party will use three slogans during the elections, including "Change life with hope", "There is another hope". "Do not hope for powers, live with hope". In the night of 18 September all Iqbal Aghazade’s agitation material was torn off in the Khatai district of Baku. On 18 September Azerbaijani presidential candidate Qudrat Hasanquliyev made his election platform public as well, including the issue of state construction, resolution of the Karabakh problem, army strengthening, construction of a civil society, development of science, education, culture, strengthening of international relations and others. Chairman of the Popular Front Party Qudrat Hasanquliyv will use two major slogans during the elections - "We will do it", "Believe in yourself and in us". Qulamhuseyn Alibeyli, former chairman of the Supreme Medjlis of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan and presidential candidate stated that “Azerbaijani parliament should expand its powers, as such form of governance would be more correct”. Presidential candidate and chairman of the Great Creation Party Fazil Qazanfaroghlu started the agitation campaign on 18 September. Mr Qazanfaroghlu intends to use "From door to door" tactics, which proved successful during the period of parliamentary elections. He will use the slogans "Belief in truth, belief in people", "Worthy society, immunity of property, fair state". In the mean, deputy chairman of the Popular Front Party stated that “the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan does not participate in the presidential elections. For this reason, if we learn that someone has joined the election campaign or takes part in the elections in any form, this person will be expelled from the party".

►Supporting Ilham Aliyev
On 17 September the Communist Party press centre announced that members of the Communist Party will vote for incumbent president Aliyev. It stressed the president's actions, aimed at improving the living conditions and welfare of the people, building strategically important objects, roads and so on. "But much is left to be done - inefficient work of some ministers, corruption and inflation are still waiting for their settlement. However, President's mood gives hope that these issue will also be settled soon", says the statement. The session participants also stressed definite ways of improving work of the Nizami and Khatai district committees of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. This issue will be finally discussed at the plenum of the party to be held on 28 September. On 22 September the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine also decided to support Ilhan Aliyev’s candidacy. The session participants include representatives of organizations of 26 regions.

►Chairman of the Green Party files claim against the Central Election Commission
On 16 September the Green Party of Azerbaijan appealed to the Appellate Court against the Central Election Commission. The party is discontented with the fact that the Central Election Commission declared about 10,000 signatures for its presidential candidate Mais Guliyev as invalid. The party also does not agree with accusations of the Central Election Commission of the failure to present information about the property of the candidate. On 18 September the claim was not granted and the party announced its intention to continue on to Supreme court.

Belarus

►Stanislau Sudnik (Belarusian Popular Front, BPF) withdraws candidacy
On 16 September deputy head of Hrodna region organisation of the Belarusian Popular Front Stanislau Sudnik withdrew his candidature from the parliamentary election. As the politician thinks, this election will not be free and fair. Stanislau Sudnik was a candidate in the city of Lida. On 19 September the session of the Minsk organisation of BPF party decided party members must withdraw from the “election” before the beginning of voting – 28 September.

►Commemoration disbanded
On 16 September, the Day of Solidarity, a rally dedicated to the anniversary of the abduction of opposition leaders Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski was disbanded. Riot policemen have brutally beaten up the parliamentary candidates, including the leader of the United Democratic Party Anatol Lyabedzka, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Vintsuk Vyachorka and his son, youth leader Franak Vyachorka and others. Riot policemen tore European and national flags. Activists of the “European Belarus” civil campaign held an action of solidarity with families of the missing vice speaker of the Supreme Council Viktar Hanchar and businessman and public figure Anatol Krasouski. “European Belarus” activists stood along Independence Avenue carrying portraits of the missing politicians in hands. Participants of the action unfurled a banner with a figure 16 and inscription “Day of Solidarity”. The activists also spread portraits of the missing people near the Academy of Arts on Independence Avenue.

►Prosecutions
On 15 September the Maskouski district court of Brest sentenced Young Front activists Yauhen Skrabets and Mikhail Illin to 5 days of arrest. The young people were detained on September 15 at 4 am on Republic Avenue, when they were drawing “BOYCOTT!” on a fence, but reports against then were drawn up only at 9 am. A reports for allegedly “hooliganism” was drawn up against the activists. On 18 September, the Kastrychnitski district court of Hrodna began hearing of the case of recognition printed materials, seized by Hrodna border guards for some years, extremist. The trial was postponed and will take place in October after the “parliamentary election”. On September 18, the Kastrychnitski district court of Hrodna began hearing of the case of recognition of printed materials, seized by Hrodna border guards for some years, as extremist. The trial was postponed and will take place in October after the “parliamentary election”.

►Alyaksandr Kazulin visits Brussels
On 15 September, Belarusian dissident and former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin visited Brussels following an invitation for a meeting with the European structures representatives.The invitation was linked to a meeting of EU foreign ministers where, among others, a possible relaxation of sanctions against Belarus was discussed. The ministers decided against inviting their Belarusian colleague Syarhei Martynau, and invited Mr Kazulin instead, who was, however, not allowed to attend a session of the Council of the European Union. The ministers’ draft conclusion states that The EU "will re-evaluate the situation in Belarus in the light of the legislative elections" and is "ready to re-examine the restrictive measures in place against Belarus officials" if OSCE monitors give a positive verdict on the 28 September parliamentary election vote. This thaw in EUs attitude towards Belarus was caused by the recent release of three political prisoners, including Alyaksandr Kazulin. However, Mr Kazulin urged the EU to be more cautious. He called the political reforms in Belarus ‘cosmetic’, and warned that the EU should not be fooled. "Today we have every proof that there have been no important changes concerning the democratisation of Belarus. They are only facade changes, not fundamental ones" he stated.

►Opposition politician speaks on liberalised political climate
On 12 September Ales Mikhalevich, former vice-chair of the Belarussian Popular Front Party and candidate for the parliamentary elections, stated that the atmosphere of the elections to the Chamber of Representatives” has changed if compared to the previous election campaign. The politician believes that during the present election campaign a rather liberal approach to all contenders for seats have been demonstrated, irrespective of their political views. He underlined that “quite a lot of opponents of the current regime can become members on the new “parliament”. The common theme which concerns both the authorities and opposition is effectiveness of the Belarusian economy, Ales Mikhalevich believes. “It should be noted that recently the government has made quite a number of successful steps,” such as the liberalization of economic legislation, creation of a system of private entrepreneurship support, especially in the regions.

► To boycott or not to boycott?
On 11 September after visiting the General Prosecutor’s office about 40 citizens from different districts of the country declared boycott to parliamentary election and called on everyone who has suffered from arbitrary behaviour of officials to join this action. On 12 September leaders of a number of oppositional parties and Alyaksandr Milinkevich’s movement have stated that the upcoming election won’t be free and democratic, and called upon the international community not to recognize its results. One of the leaders of Alyaksandr Milinkevich’s movement, Viktar Karneenka, has stated that the United Democratic Forces won’t boycott the “parliamentary elections”. On the other hand, other opposition forces are still divided on the issue. On 15 September the leader of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Zyanon Paznyak made a statement urging to boycott the “parliamentary elections”. On 19 September five MP candidates representing the United Civil Party stopped running in the election campaign. Among them are Stanislau Bahdankevich, Valyantina Palyavikova, Hanna Yahorava, Katsyaryna Malasaeva, and Alyaksandr Dabravolski. Head of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka decided to run in the election to the end. Member of the organising committee on forming the Belarusian Christian Democracy party Tatsyana Sevyarynets came to a decision on refusal to run in the election campaign.

►Minister of Foreign Affairs not allowed into Shengen
On 11 September Maxime Verhagen, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, demanded to deprive the head of Belarusian Foreign Ministry Syarhei Martynau a Schengen visa, and France states that the official hadn’t been invited to Brussels. As said by Mr. Verhagen, to lift all international sanctions against Belarus is too early, as this country “does not respect human rights still”. However, Mr. Verhagen has underlined that recognition of the recent positive changes in Belarus, for instance, release of political prisoners, is an important and necessary measure. Instead of Martynau, recently released political dissident Alyaksandr Kazulin will visit Brussels to meet with representatives of EU structures.

Georgia

►Opposition formulates demands
On 17 September the Conservative Party, the Party of People and former presidential candidate Levan Gachechiladze, (main rival of Mikhail Saakashvili in the January 5 presidential polls), signed a joint declaration laying out four demands: “lifting restrictions from private TV stations and changing the public TV’s leadership in order to ensure editorial independence"; “an independent investigation” into the events that led to the war; a demand for the dismissal of the heads of “power-wielding structures,” (namely the Interior Ministry and its subordinate structures as well as the Ministry of Defense) and the “adoption of a new election code, which will secure free and fair elections.” Zviad Dzidziguri, co-leader of the Conservative Party, said that dialogue should be mediated by “international organizations”. The Movement for United Georgia shares the demands laid out in the document, but President Saakashvili’s immediate resignation remains a bone of contention. The New Rights Party called for the president’s resignation. The Republican Party is in favor of gradual changes, involving comprehensive reform of the election system and constitutional amendments that would eventually lead to internationally-administered parliamentary elections, in spring 2009. All above-mentioned parties are part of the opposition coalition that ran on a joint ticket in the 21 May parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, the parliamentary minority – in which the Christian-Democratic Party is the leading force – has remained aloof from the calls for early elections.

►President Saakashvili speaks of new democratic wave
On 16 September in his annual state of the nation address, President Saakashvili announced, what he called, “the launch of a new wave of democratic reforms.” Proposals will involve constitutional amendments according to which any newly elected parliament would have the right to pass a confidence vote in the government. Among others, the President also announced his plans to launch a new wave of judicial reform including life-time appointment of judges and the appointment of opposition figures to the Supreme Council of Justice - the body overseeing the judicial system. The proposal has already been endorsed by the Parliament last June. He said that the introduction of a jury system was also being looked into. Finally, he reiterated earlier statement about an official readiness to answer all questions about what had led to the war. On 17 September President Saakashvili reiterated an earlier government commitment to allow an opposition figure take a seat in the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC).

►Opposition meets with NATO
On 16 September a large group of opposition politicians met with NATO special representative to the South Caucasus Robert Simmons and other officials from the alliance in the context of the NATO delegation’s visit to Georgia headed by Jaap de Hoop-Scheffer. Shalva Natelashvili, leader of the Labor Party, told journalists after the meeting that he emphasized during the talks what he called “political repression” in Georgia. He also said that he had called on western nations to revise their decision on Kosovo recognition. Giorgi Targamadze, the leader of parliamentary minority and chairman of the Christian-Democratic Party, said the lack of democracy in the country should not serve as a deterrent to Georgia’s NATO integration in the face of existing external threats. Kakha Kukava of the Conservative Party said that he had raised four issues: an independent inquiry into the August events; lifting of restrictions on public and private broadcast media; reorganization of the Interior Ministry and security structures, and adoption of a new election code. Davit Usupashvili, leader of the Republican Party, said that he spoke at the meeting mainly about his party’s vision on how to hold early parliamentary elections.

►Burjanadze meets with opposition leaders
On 15 September Nino Burjanadze, former speaker of parliament and key figure in the "Rose Revolution", invited several opposition politicians, including one who demanded her resignation six months ago, to her office to share ideas on how to overcome the crisis following the August war. Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of the New Rights Party; Levan Gachechiladze, a former presidential candidate running on the opposition coalition’s ticket and Davit Usupashvili, the leader of the Republican Party, attended a roundtable discussion on the current situation in the offices of the Foundation for Democracy and Development (FDD) – an NGO founded and headed by Burjanadze. Also in attendance were some media commentators, analysts and experts, including members of the FDD's board of advisors. The urgent need for free broadcast media was one of the key issues discussed at the three-hour long meeting. Burjanadze said afterwards that it had been agreed to establish “a working group” to tackle the problem. Burjanadze has already confirmed her intention to set up a political party. Her foundation, which was established in July, was believed to be a grassroots organization that would serve as a platform for her political comeback.

►OSCE releases its findings concerning the parliamentary elections
On 11 September the OSCE released its report concerning the May 21 parliamentary elections. According to the report, while the election code is “generally conducive to conducting democratic elections, it contains new provisions which created an unequal playing field in favour of the ruling party.”Although election day was “generally calm,” the vote count and the tabulation of results “were assessed more negatively by the International Election Observation Mission IEOM observers.” The report states that OSCE/ODIHR EOM observers could substantiate some cases of fake IDs, multiple voting and over-registration per apartment in Tbilisi and Batumi. Concerning complaints and appeals, although the procedures were recently “simplified and clarified to some extent they remain unnecessarily complex, contradictory and ambiguous.” Concerning intimidation “among candidates, party activists and state employees, […] several of these allegations were found to be credible”. As to media coverage, the report notes that in general, "the media provided voters with a diverse range of political views” but that “all five main TV channels were under some influence from candidates and political parties, which was an obstacle to nondiscriminatory coverage of all election subjects, as provided by law.”

Moldova

►Centrist Union leader willing to yield position to ex-Premier Vasile Tarlev
On 18 September the president of the Centrist Union from Moldova (UCM), Mihai Petrache, announced that he is ready to cede his position to the former prime-minister Vasile Tarlev, who is now the chairman of the Producers Association. Petrache says this makes up part of the agreement on inviting Tarlev to join the party. The former premier has not confirmed the information yet. Petrache does not rule out talks before or after the elections with all the opposition parties. The UCM president is confident his party will get past those 6% of votes, which is the electoral threshold.

►Political party accuses ruling party of drafting the National Security Strategy in secret
On 17 September the Republican People's Party (PPR) accuses the Communists Party of “continuing the same vicious practice, constantly applied for the last 8 years, of making the process of drafting the documents of maximum importance for the country a secret”. It is expected that the National Security Strategy and the Action Plan of implementing it – two documents of maximum importance – will reach the Parliament, while the public opinion is not aware of the discussions on the subject. PPR considers that this type of documents must be drafted together with the society and, especially, involving the opposition parties. The party calls on premier Zinaida Greceanai, who conducts the team drafting the Strategy and the Action Plan, to make them public before they reach the Parliament, to allow the opposition parties and the civil society to voice their attitude toward them and put up suggestions.

►Reporters pressured after article on Security Service
On 11 September the editorial team of Ziarul de Garda claimed that after publishing an article entitled “Hot Summer at SIS” (Information and Security Service), they were subjected to a chain of pressures and attacks by phone and e-mail. They issued a statement stating that unidentified people called the reporters from hidden numbers, asking for inadequate information, making threats and pressuring them. The anonymous actions have repeated daily, as unidentified people told the journalists they know their identity, family members, home addresses, intercept their phone talks and read their e-mails. The article in question is about a SIS employee, about whom several young people said he attained their phone numbers and tried to recruit them for a mission they could not accept. Mass media nongovernmental organizations express their concern in a public statement signed by seven NGOs on 15 September about the harassment and intimidation of the journalists and demanded that the authorities should insure the protection of the Ziarul de Garda staff.

Russia

►Just Russia clarifies its oppositional stance
On 24 September members of the Just Russia fraction met with Prime Minister Putin and expressed their oppositional sentiment in criticising Putin’s 2009 budget. They stated that the main shortcoming of the budget is that it does not correspond with the demand of innovational development. One of the proposals by Just Russia included paying for the internet connections of teachers in the context of the development of social policies. They also prepared a law proposal on humanisation of the justice system. According to the proposal, certain types of crimes would pass from the criminal into administrative sections in order to work against the criminalisation of society.

►Zhirinovsky: Russia should defend its citizens in Ukraine if they are attacked or pressured
On 23 September leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) Vladimir Zhirinovsky stated on Ukrainian national TV that if Russian citizens are killed or pressured in Ukraine Russia has the right to invade the country. “It all depends on the inhabitants of Crimea and other western and southers regions of Ukraine. There are many people there that are either Russian or are in favour of close relations with Russia. It should all be decided with a referendum” he stated.

►SPS rumoured to split
On 19 September a number of St Petersburg members of the Union of Rightist Forces (SPS) have published a statement in which they announce the creation of a ‘Consultational Council of SPS members in St Petersburg’. The statement reads: ‘lately, the party has parctically been idle, which is why we decided to become more active and do something for our city, that has always been democratic". Head of the St Petersburg branch of SPS Leonid Gozman stated that he finds the current situation unacceptable, as it is impossible to have a leader of the St Petersburg party structure that does not live in that city. A local leader is planned to be elected at a party conference in the near future.

►Nemtsov talks of ‘black September’
On 17 September Boris Nemtsov, a co-founder of the Union of Rightist Forces, talked of the financial crisis that has hit Russia in September, predicting a 30% price increase on consumer goods and bankrupcy of small banks. He believes that this year’s crisis will mainly concern the corporate sector: banks, state companies, corporations such as Gazprom, Rosneft etc.

►Agrarian Party of Russia to unite with United Russia
On 11 September the secretary of the General Council of the ruling United Russia Vyacheslav Volodin and the leader of the Agrarian Party Vladimir Plotnikov announced their plans of unification. The act has been referred to as ‘the unification of equals’ by United Russia, who are believed to gain votes in the process. The Agrarians, on the other hand, believe to thus ensure a stronger agrarian policy in the country.

►Duma discussing military budget increase
On 10 September the Russian Duma discussed a military budget increase with up to 1.5 billion Roubles, to 3% of the state budget. According to Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov the military budget had been decreased lately from 2.8% to 2.41% of the state budget.The explanation for the increase has been the need for modernisation and to switch to contract military.

Ukraine

►Our Ukraine calling for unification against Tymoshenko
On 22 September People’s Union Our Ukraine (PUOU) political party announced its plans to initiate an all-Ukrainian unifying convention of national-democratic forces. The statement reads that “having destroyed the Democratic Coalition and joined in a conspiracy the Party of Regions, the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) created a pro-Kremlin majority together with them. […] BYuT, the Party of Regions, and Communists, are striving, contrary to the people’s will, to revise the Ukrainian Constitution and give all power to the hands of the pro-Kremlin parliamentary oligarchs”. The People’s Union Our Ukraine thus “call on all for whom the values of independence and freedom are more important than personal or group interests, to unite around President Viktor Yushchenko, as a guarantor of the national state, and around Our Ukraine, as the only real force defending Ukrainian interests in the current Verkhovna Rada.”

►Official dissolution of the Orange Coalition
On 16 September Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk has officially announced the dissolution of the democratic coalition of BYuT and Our Ukraine – People’s Self Defense (OU-PSD). He pointed out that, in line with the Constitution and the Ukrainian legislation, only the Verkhovna Rada Speaker has a right to sign laws adopted by parliament. On 17 September, a day after the collapse of the orange coalition Yatseniuk handed in his resignation saying: “I came solely under democratic values and under democratic ideals. It is necessary to come to the power with dignity and to go out of it also with dignity”. The parties will now have 30 days to establish a new coalition, or face early elections. The faction of BYuT began consultations with all political forces on forming a new coalition. The factions of Our Ukraine - People’s Self-Defense and the Communist Party have refused to take part in the consultations. BYuT faction member Andriy Shkil claimed “We will hold talks with all political forces that are ready to such talks. We will not hold talks with OU-PSD and Communists because they refused”, he stressed. At the same time, he pointed out that Our Ukraine itself refuses such talks. As to the position of Parliamentary Speaker, as of 23 September the Party of Regions is holding talks with other factions to elect Oleksander Lavrynovych. “We are talking over, in particular, this candidacy, and the possible support to Lavrynovych from other factions”, Party of Regions MP Hanna German said.

►Interior Minister to take part in presidential elections
On 11 September Interior Minister of Ukraine Yuri Lutsenko surmised he will have to run for the post of President at the forthcoming election. “The staff in Bankova [the Presidential Secretariat] do not want any talks,” Yuri Lutsenko said, adding he does not see any real ways out of the crisis so far. Asked whether he will take part in the presidential election, Yuri Lutsenko avoided giving any direct answer, but said that “probably, I will have to take part”.

►Parliament speaker may create his own political project
On 10 September speaker of the Verknovna Rada of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated he does not rule out that he will create his personal political project. According to his words, today Ukraine does not have parties but “political clubs with charismatic leaders”. Yatsenyuk only disclosed that a new political project should comply with international and European standards.

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CENTRAL ASIA

Kazakhstan

►Kazakhstan Holds Military Trainings with NATO Ahead of Russian President Visit
On 24 September it was announced that Kazakhstan has held joint military exercises with NATO, which might complicate talks with Russian President later that week. Kazakh Defence Minister Daniyal Akhmetov stated that the country wants to bring cooperation with NATO to a new level. The military happening, though planned in advance, coincided with the Russian President’s visit to Kazakhstan the same week. Moscow, already irritated by NATO's support for Georgia, has accused the transatlantic alliance of trying to poach its traditional allies. Observers say, Kazakhstan, although being a close partner of Russia and supporter of its policies regarding the Caucasus, has to pursue increasingly independent policies due to commitment to diverse foreign cooperation.

►OSCE promotes implementation of OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security in Central Asia
On 22 September a three-day OSCE seminar, organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre and the OSCE Centre in Astana, and hosted by the Government of Kazakhstan was started in Almaty. Purpose is to foster cooperation among government ministries, parliamentarians and senior military personnel involved in the oversight of the armed forces in Central Asia. Aim of the seminar is to help the five Central Asian countries fully implement their commitments on the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, a key document under which OSCE member States commit to exercise democratic parliamentary oversight of armed, internal and security forces.

►50 candidates to deputies of parliament senate are registered in Kazakhstan
On 16 September the chairman of Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan (CEC), Kuandyk Turgunkulov, announced that 50 candidates are registered in Kazakhstan to deputies of senate of the Parliament. Turgunkulov said that "the most number of candidates (5) are registered in Astana, while the rest is registered per oblast.” Three women were registered among the candidates.

►EU, Kazakhstan discuss relations
On 15 September EU and Kazakh officials met in Brussels during the annual EU-Kazakh meeting to discuss the Russian-Georgian conflict, energy cooperation, and other issues of mutual interest. No real breakthroughs were achieved, although EU’s interest in the Central Asian country's oil and gas reserves was obvious. After the meeting, France's Secretary of State for European Affairs, Jean Pierre Jouyet, highlighted the importance the EU places on the relationship by saying that “diversification of supplies, the EU-Kazakhstan energy partnership, Kazakhstan's efforts regarding new infrastructure, issues concerning the Caspian and European [transit] routes, are all important elements for the EU.” Moreover, Jouyet said improvements in the field of human rights and democratic reforms are crucial for Kazakh preparations to become the first Central Asian country for OSCE-chairmanship in 2010. Kazakh officials expressed general interest in energy cooperation with the EU, but made clear that projects for new gas-transit routes are still in the planning phase. Kazakhstan is trying to strike a subtle balance between Russia and the EU. Moscow has offered to buy up all of its gas, while the EU is interested in direct access to Kazakhstan's hydrocarbons bypassing Russian mediation. Kazakh officials renounced any direct support for EU's “Nabucco” project - a planned gas pipeline from Turkey to Austria that would serve as a direct link to Caspian energy reserves.

Kyrgyzstan

►Kyrgyzstan: New Minister of Justice Appointed
On 24 September it was announced that former deputy of the General Prosecutor, Nurlan Tursunkulov, has been appointed as Minister of Justice. Former Minister Marat Kaiypov left the office voluntarily. He decided to resign after the incident in prison “number 16” in northern Kyrgyzstan, where two prison staff and two inmates were killed in a riot.

►Kyrgyz opposition leaders to attend annual UK Labor Party conference
On 16 September it was announced that delegates from the Kyrgyz Socialist Party Ata Meken Omurbek Tekebaev and Tashbolot Baltabaev were to attend the annual conference of the British Labour Party in Manchester, on September 20. The happening is to be attended by over 600 international guests from sister parties and international organizations world wide.

►Editor of Oppositional Newspaper Released
On 11 September it was announced that Babyrbek Djeenbekov, chief editor of the Alibi oppositional newspaper was released. Djeenbekov is a member of the Ata-Meken oppositional party and was candidate to a Bishkek city council to represent his party. He was arrested on 9 September for the failure to pay compensation to President’s nephew Asylbek Salieyev, who had won a defamation case against the oppositional newspaper. The editor was detained despite of the fact that he had closed the newspaper. Kyrgyz media watchdogs and opposition condemned the arrest as an “act of despotism and oppression of freedom of speech.” Fifty representatives of the oppositional and civil organisations have protested in front of the Sverdlov court in order to pressure the authorities to release Djeenbekov.

Tajikistan

►Tajik Oppositionist Faces Criminal Charges in Absentia
On 23 September it was announced that Tajik General Prosecutor’s office has filed a criminal case against the leader of Vatandor oppositional movement, Dodojon Atovulloyev. Atovulloyev is accused of calling for vigorous change of the regime and for publicly insulting the Tajik President. Atovulloyev resides in Germany and publishes there the oppositional newspaper, “Chargi Ruz”. Ministry of Interior announced that measures had been taken to arrest the oppositionist abroad. In July General Prosecutor Bobodjon Bobokhonov said Atovulloyev undermines the image of Tajikistan from abroad and could be called an “information terrorist.” This reaction came after Atovulloyev held a press conference in Moscow drawing attention of the international community to corruption, poverty and injustices in Tajikistan. He says he is a dissident in exile and cannot visit Tajikistan since 2004.

► Tajik FM to attend 1st EU-Central Asia Forum in Paris
On 18 September Tajik Foreign Minister, Hamrokhon Zarifi, attended in Paris the first EU-Central Asia Forum. The aim of the Paris Forum is to reaffirm this commitment and establish lasting cooperation between the two regions on security issues. The Forum focused on three main issues: terrorist threat and non-proliferation related-aspects, the fight against human and drug trafficking, and energy and environmental security. Concerning energy, plans to build a major gas pipeline - Nabucco - linking Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan to Europe via Turkey, were still fragile. EU states such as Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece have backed a competing Russian pipeline. The Georgia conflict has made the Nabucco transit route more risky, and the European Commission is sending mixed messages on whether it backs the Nabucco pipe or small-scale, compressed gas alternatives instead. Ferrero-Waldner said that the EU intends to redouble its efforts to develop energy links between the EU and Central Asia through diversified energy transportation routes and new energy infrastructure, including the Nabucco pipeline.

►Human rights challenges in Tajikistan focus of meeting organized by OSCE Office
On 12 September a two-day meeting organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan was concluded. Free and fair elections, violence against women, prevention of torture, access to prisons and forced labour were the discussed issues. Aim of the meeting was to prepare participants for the upcoming OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM), on 29 September to 10 October in Warsaw. According to Deputy Head of the OSCE office, Klaus Rasmussen, the most effective way to address Tajikstan’s human rights issues is to talk about them and exchange information, in cooperation with the civil society as well as government and non-government representatives, of whom approximately 50 participated during the meeting all engaged in activities concerning human rights, democratization and the rule of law.

Turkmenistan

►Gunfight In Turkmen Capital Remains Shrouded In Secrecy
On 16 September it was announced that Turkmen authorities have spoken little about the all-night gun battle in Ashgabat on 12 September that left many dead and caused part of the city to be closed off. While state media reported that police neutralized a drug mafia in Ashgabat, others described the gun battle as infighting between different clans within the security services, while others connected it to Islamic radicals. Many people, including regional experts, exiled journalists and politicians and rights groups are questioning Ashgabat’s version of the incident, stating the incident was in fact an attempt to overthrow the Turkmen government. Turkmen opposition and rights activists say that in any case it was a demonstration by ordinary people who were fed up with poverty, widespread unemployment, and the lack of alternative means to voice their discontent. Turkmenistan has been one of the most stable countries in Central Asia due to the firm leadership of its current and former rulers. Berdymukhammedov has introduced some reforms and has, to some extent, opened up the energy-rich country to foreign investors since he came to power in 2007. Yet there are still no opposition parties and despite the country's energy resources, poverty rates are high. According to Michael Laubsch, the head of the Berlin-based Eurasian Transition Group, latest incident in Ashgabat increases doubts on the stability of the government.

►Turkmenistan to invite foreign election observers
On 13 September Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow announced on state television that international election observers will be invited to monitor the parliamentary vote in Turkmenistan, scheduled on 14 December. If they accept this, it will be the first time international monitors have overseen a parliamentary election in the isolated country since its independence in 1991. President Berdymukhamedov said at a government meeting on 12 September that "the parliamentary election should be democratically organized and several candidates should stand for each seat." He said campaigning will begin in mid-October, but did not say he plans to change the country's one-party system. The legislature is dominated by the pro-presidential Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, which was modelled on its communist predecessor. OSCE said already in June that it might be permitted to monitor the elections.

Uzbekistan

►Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan ratifies Protocol to Agreement about the cooperation with EU
On 23 September the regular session of Uzbek Olii Majilis Legislative Chamber was held. A member of the Committee on International Issues and inter-Parliaments relations, U.Jalmenov, reported about a law project for "ratification of a Protocol to Agreement about partnership and cooperation that establishes a partnership between Uzbekistan and EU member states". The legislative chamber adopted this law, taking into consideration opinions of deputies.

►Uzbekistan Scores Poorly in the US International Religious Freedom Report
On 22 September it was announced that according to US State Department’s 2008 Annual International Religious Report released one week before, Uzbekistan was mentioned as a country “of particular concern”. The country scored poorly for its restrictive 2006 law on religion, which makes it hard or practically impossible for many religious groups to legally register in the country. The law also results in increased prosecution and arrests of people for their religious beliefs. Once a nation is stated as “of particular concern”, US government tries to negotiate with that country to improve the situation of religious rights. U.S. can also impose sanctions against nations unwilling to broaden religious freedoms for its population.

►EU, Uzbekistan Hold Talks Ahead of Key Meeting on Sanctions
On 16 September Uzbek delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Norov, participated in the EU-Uzbekistan 8th Cooperation Council in Brussels, where Uzbek government pressed the EU to lift sanctions imposed on the country after 2005 Andijan turmoil. EU imposed an arms embargo on the country and a visa ban for officials who are allegedly responsible for operating the troops who shoot at peaceful demonstrators in the southern city of Andijan in 2005. The visa ban has been partially lifted, and probably to be dropped in October when EU will pronounce the final decision on sanctions. French Secretary of state for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet stated that progress has been made by Uzbekistan in abolishing capital punishment, but noted that “there is still room for progress”. In order to extend sanctions all EU members have to vote for it. According to Alain Deletroz, Vice President of the International Crisis Group, this is unlikely as there is no accord between EU states over the issue. Germany, for instance, insists on dropping sanctions in attempt to boost its influence in Central Asia, and particularly in Uzbekistan. One vote out of 26 countries is enough to end the visa ban and arms embargo. International human rights community has been condemning the easing of sanctions by the EU, claiming Tashkent has not changed its totalitarian way of governance and thus should stay on EU’s blacklist. According to Andrey Grozin, chairman on Middle Asia and Kazakhstan at the CIS Institute, the EU will be heavily criticized by rights activists if it cancels sanctions, but given the current geopolitical struggle over energy resources the humanitarian aspect becomes a secondary issue.

►HRW Calls for Release of Independent Journalist
On 12 September International Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement calling on the Uzbek government to drop charges against independent journalist Solijon Abdurakhmanov who according to HRW is facing politically motivated prosecution. His trial was planned on 12 September and the journalist faces up to 20 years of imprisonment for supposed illegal narcotics trade. Initially he was charged with possession of drugs. But when investigation proved that the journalist does not take drugs, he faced a more serious charge of drug selling. Abdurakhmanov, who is known for critical reporting of corruption, law enforcement bodies, economic and social justice and human rights, claims someone set him up in the case. HRW has called on the US and the EU to closely monitor the trial and demand the Uzbek government to free the independent journalist. HRW also noted the trial has started one month prior to EU meeting over sanctions imposed on Uzbekistan. HRW has not yet received official recognition in Uzbekistan.