Inside News on Odessa and Ukraine
Frozen conflicts have traditionally been very difficult to thaw - despite the best efforts of mediators and negotiators. The Transdnestr region of Moldova, a 60 minute drive from where I live, and a place I have traveled through many times, is no exception. After 20 years the conflict with Moldova remains as frozen now as […]
As Ms Tymoshenko’s latest case stalls with her refusal to attend court over tax evasion and various other things related to her time owning and running United Energy Systems Ukraine, the Ukrainian Prosecutors have suggested her having a video link instead of having to attend the courtroom in person (as allowed by the new Criminal Procedures […]
What happened to the clear and clean cut image of human rights I had when I was younger? Although being without the Internet for 2 days was annoying, it certainly provided some time for reading real books, made of paper, that smell like books and feel like books and provided a glorious reminder of why […]
A quick recap of Part 1 - Delegates are the only thing that matters when it comes to electing the Presidential Nominee for the Republican and Democratic Parties in the United States. The rules for delegates, both their election and how they must vote at the national convention, are defined on a state by state […]
You will recall my ruminations of a few days ago relating to the USA putting pressure on Ukraine via the IMF? - Yes you do, I wrote of Ukrainian red lines as far as Tymoshenko is concerned whether you are the EU, USA or IMF. You will remember I informed you of Mrs Rodham Clinton’s chap, […]
It’s been a long time since I mentioned the IMF and Ukraine. Basically because it is has been a long time since the IMF lent any money to Ukraine. More than 12 months in fact. The reason being Ukraine’s reluctance to put up gas prices again for domestic and commercial users. Now, you can understand […]
Well, happy New Year to you all. Welcome to 2012 and I hope it will be a year that brings you all good health and happiness. What has 2012 got install for Ukraine in 2012? Well to quote Donald Rumsfeld, “We know there are known knowns: there are things we know we know. We also […]
On Thursday (US Thanksgiving) I spent more than a few hours in the company of an American friend who lives in Odessa. He is quite definitely the only non-native I spend any time with, and that time consists of a few hours a month on average. Give or take, we have lived here for about […]
In response to an email from a dear reader who has asked why I have not mentioned to current state of affairs of the Tymoshenko trial, I will give a brief update although I am loathed to do so. Why am I loathed to do so? Because it is a single case and getting too […]
Out with the old and in with the new. Well yes and no, depending upon what you read and who you pay attention to. To cut a long story short 16 Ukrainian Visa types are no longer issued with effect from today and are replaced by only 3, Transit, Short Term and Long Term. Not […]