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| Europe |
| The New European Divide |
| 2004-05-26 |
| Not the Rumsfeldian ’Old’ vs ’New’, but rather the much more accurate ’EU vs the new Soviet block’. Detailed info about democracy, rights, governance in the countries that espoused freedom after the Cold War, the ones that still oppose it, and the ones teetering on the brink. |
| Posted by:Aris Katsaris |
| #5 Nations in Transit 2004 suggests some cause for concern regarding Armenia’s democratic trajectory, particularly in the areas of free and fair elections, independent media, and human rights. (-) Six countries experienced declines in electoral process: Armenia ... (-) Seven countries showed declines in independent media: Armenia ... ----------------------------- 8.1.2002 00:00 MSK Armenian president's bodyguard accused of murder ARMENIA, Yerevan. On January 7, the court in Yerevan began hearings of a case related to the killing of Pogos Pogosyan, a Georgian citizen of Armenian descent, on September 25, 2000. Pogosyan died at a Yerevan nightspot after having been beaten by bodyguards of Armenia's president Robert Kocharian who came there with his guest, the French singer Charles Aznavour. One of the presidential bodyguards, Agamalu Arutyunyan, is being accused of "unpremeditated murder" (article 103 of the Criminal Code of Armenia). 50 witnesses altogether had been interrogated in connection with this case, with ten of them summoned to the court. The hearings began with interrogation of witnesses who claimed that Pogosyan had been beaten to death for saying to the passing-by president "Hi, there Robbie!". The defendant Arutyunyan told the court that he does not consider himself guilty. ----------------------------- While I was in Yerevan at the end of 2001, I tried to bring up the Pogos Pogosyan case with my hosts as an example of whether or not Armenia's judicial system could successfully emerge from under the thumb of authoritarian subservience. At first, they pretended to not know who I was talking about. I detailed my knowledge of the case and only then did they remotely register any knowledge of this brutal murder. Pressed for their own opinions regarding the incident they clammed up and steadfastly refused to be drawn into any further discussion. This was odd as we were driving in a car at the time with only the family's trusted retainer at the wheel. At one dinner, before I left, I attempted to bring up a more general discussion of politics and was rather firmly told that "no one talked about politics." I was forced to restrain myself from asking how any political progress could be expected in a nation where all discussion of government is avoided. The Soviet regime may as well still have been in full force for the reception such overtures received. Armenia is a tragic example of post-Soviet collapse into authoritarian gangsterism. Recent beatings of journalists covering an opposition demonstration only serve to highlight the huge distance Armenia has yet to cover before any semblance of democracy takes root there. All of this is the more ironic in that Armenia has been a bastion of knowledge and education throughout its lengthy history. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-05-26 2:18:43 PM |
| #4 It's a testament to what a complete economic and social failure communism is. Yet about a third of the people in these states long for communism to return, and about half claim that life was better under communism than under capitalism. All of them forget that it will take 50 years at least to undo what communism had done. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-05-26 1:59:40 PM |
| #3 Russia has either been under the rule of priests, monarchy or commies for 1000 years. That they're not in chaos is a statement. It's only been about 10 years. They're going to need at least another 50. We've been at it for 200. |
| Posted by: Anonymous2U 2004-05-26 12:40:25 PM |
| #2 Europe should dangle the promise of allowing Russia and company to join if they meet the criteria. The merger would be good for both. Russia has resources and guts, two things Europe is lacking. Russia needs a bit of civilization, something Russia is lacking. |
| Posted by: ruprecht 2004-05-26 11:21:18 AM |
| #1 Almost without exception, the backsliders are former parts of the Soviet Union (most of which were also historically part of the pre-Soviet Russian empire). This merely confirms the divide between "Russia" and the rest of Europe. |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-05-26 9:30:14 AM |