Today news:

* Albanianews (Albania, Italy and Kosovo)

 Alluvione, dalla Puglia il ponte umanitario per l’Albania

Posted: 15 Jan 2010 01:09 AM PST

Coperte, generatori elettrici, tende, pompe idrovore, sei gommoni e 40 tonnellate di beni di prima necessità permetteranno di fornire soccorso alle zone colpite nei giorni scorsi dall’alluvione. Dalla Puglia è partito il ponte umanitario per portare aiuti nel nord dell’Albania. I beni, del valore complessivo di oltre 250mila euro, sono stati caricati su tre tir nel deposito della base delle Nazioni Unite di Brindisi e imbarcati al porto di Bari.

 Gli ebrei in Albania sotto il fascismo.Una storia da ricostruire

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 12:55 AM PST

Un seminario su " Gli ebrei in Albania sotto il fascismo.Una storia da ricostruire" apre il programma delle attività promosse dall’Assessorato al mediterraneo della Regione Puglia per la "Giornata delle memoria 2010". L’iniziativa si svolgerà Martedì 26 Gennaio a partire dalle ore 9,30 presso la Facoltà di Giurisprudenza, l’Aula dei seminari del Dipartimento per lo studio delle scoietà mediterranee ed è promossa insieme al Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea di Milano, l’Università di Bari, l’Istituto pugliese per la storia dell’antifascismo e dell’Italia contemporanea, i Presìdi del libro.

> For further information: www.albanianews.it

* Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Bosnia and Balkans)

 Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Balkan Insight Daily No. 444, January 18, 2010

 Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Balkan Insight Daily No. 445, January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.birn.eu.com

* Belarus News and Analysis (Belarus and Cis)

 Update of January 16, 2010

 Update of January 18, 2010

 Update of January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.data.minsk.by/belarusnews/index.html

* Camera di Commercio Italo-Serba (Serbia and Italy)

E’ stata pubblicata la prima newsletter del 2010:

per consultarla

> For further information: www.camera-italo-serba.rs

* Central Asian News Service (Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia)

 Daily news report of January 18, 2010

 Daily news report of January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.ca-news.org

* Civil Georgia (Georgia)

 Daily news online of January 15, 2010

 Daily news online of January 18, 2010

> For further information: www.civil.ge

* Le Courrier des Balkans (France and Balkans)

 Le Bulletin du Courrier des Balkans N°686

 Balkanofonik 2010 : la fête du Courrier des Balkans !

> For further information : http://balkans.courriers.info

* demosEuropa (Poland)

 "Challenges facing the European Union" - the speech by Urmas Paer takes place this Wednesday!

20 January 2010 Sala Malinowa, Bristol Le Meridien Hotel Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, Warsaw

demosEUROPA - Centre for European Strategy and the Embassy of Estonia in Poland cordially invite you to a speech by Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

In the midst of the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression, the EU is facing more than just economic problems. Post-Lisbon Strategy, low carbon economy, and the emerging of a new international order - all of these will have to be confronted in the years to come. Estonia, renowned for its innovativeness, can put forward several solutions for these burning issues.

Urmas Paet was born in 1974, making him the youngest foreign minister in Europe. He was also Minister of Culture from 2003 to 2005, and is a member of Estonian Reform Party - the liberals.

Minister Paet will take questions from the audience after his speech, which will be delivered in English.

REGISTRATION

Programme

15.30 - 16.00 Registration

16.00 Welcome and introduction

HE Taavi Toom, Ambassador of Estonia

Adam Jasser, Director of Programmes, demosEUROPA - Centre for European Strategy

16.10 "Challenges facing the European Union" –

speech by Urmas Paet, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia

16.40 Discussion with the audience

17.10 Concluding remarks

Adam Jasser, Director of Programmes, demosEUROPA - Centre for European Strategy

The event will be held in English only.

Participation in the event is free of charge.

> For further information: www.demoseuropa.eu

* Ebrd (England, Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia)

 Project summary documents - New PSD/s available on ebrd.com:

Monolit, Russia

Gas Rimini, Bulgaria

Sofia District Heating Rehabilitation, Bulgaria

 Environmental impact assessments - New EIA available on ebrd.com:

Margonin Wind Farm, Poland

> For further information: www.ebrd.com

* Ec Delegation of Kosovo (Kosovo and Belgium)

January 2010 – EC Liaison Office Newsletter

> For further information: www.delprn.ec.europa.eu

* Go Group Media (Georgia)

Weekly update of January 19, 2010

 House of the Future Gigi Mchedlishvili

Unexpected meeting changed Vakhtang’s life but the House of the Future is still his home

მომავლის სახლი: მოულოდნელმა შეხვედრამ სრულიად შეცვალა ვახოს ცხოვრება, მაგრამ "მომავლის სახლი" კვლავ მის სახლად რჩება. გიგი მჭედლიშვილის ფილმი, თბილისი, საქართველო, იანვარი 2010

Дом будущего: Случайная встреча изменила жизнь Вахо Лежава, но "дом будущего" по-прежнему остаётся его домом. Фильм Гиги Мчедлишвили, Тбилиси, Грузия, январь 2010

 Passion? Hobby? Art? Anano Bukia

What began as an amusement, grew into the full-scale business...and it produces real pieces of art

გატაცება? ჰობი? ხელოვნება? ის, რაც თავდაპირველად მხოლოდ გართობა იყო, მოგვიანებით ნამდვილ ბიზნესად იქცა. ანანო ბუკიას ფილმი, თბილისი, საქართველო, იანვარი 2010

Страсть? Хобби? Искусство? То, что поначалу казалось увлечением, превратилось в серьёзный бизнес, но не перестало быть искусством... Фильм Анано Букиа, Тбилиси, Грузия, январь 2010

> For further information: www.gogroupmedia.net

* The Greens/EFA Group (European Parliament)

 Démission de Mme Jeleva - Verts/ALE: le retrait de Mme Jeleva est une bonne décision

Suite de la décision de Mme Jeleva de retirer sa candidature à la Commission européenne, les coprésidents du Groupe des Verts/ALE ont estimé que:

"Le Président de la Commission européenne, M. Barroso, aurait dû voir ce que j’ai pu voir comme simple député européen au moment où j’ai exprimé mes premières inquiétudes au sujet de la candidature de Mme Jeleva en décembre dernier. Cette débâcle montre que Barroso n’a pas le contrôle de la situation. Le Groupe PPE (droite européenne) se ridiculise dans sa tentative d’affirmer la morale irréprochable de la candidate bulgare. Le retrait de Mme Jeleva est une bonne décision et offre une sortie de l’impasse actuelle." souligne Daniel Cohn-Bendit.

Quant à Rebecca Harms, elle considère que :

"M.Barroso et le gouvernement bulgare doivent accepter leur part de responsabilité dans la faiblesse de la candidature de Mme Jeleva. Indépendamment du manque de clarté concernant ses intérêts commerciaux et financiers, Mme Jeleva n’était clairement pas adaptée pour un travail aussi délicat que la gestion de l’aide et des crises humanitaires. M. Barroso doit agir dès à présent afin d’éviter une crise. Le retrait de Mme Jeleva est l’occasion pour le président de la Commission de réfléchir à d’autres erreurs commisses, y compris la division des dossiers confiés à ses collègues Commissaires."

Enfin, Mme Catherine Grèze, coordinatrice du Groupe des Verts/ALE à la commission du développement du PE est de l’avis que:

"La décision de Madame Jeleva de retirer sa candidature va dans le bon sens. A l’évidence, bien qu’elle ait été par deux fois députée européenne, elle ne maîtrisait absolument pas son portefeuille. Face aux crises environnementales qui se multiplient et appellent une mobilisation européenne sans faille, elle n’a offert aucune proposition concrète. C’est bien la compétence qui doit être privilégiée lors de la nomination des nouveaux commissaires. La vigilance dont ont fait preuve les parlementaires montre l’étendue de leurs ambitions pour l’Union européenne."

> For further information: www.greens-efa.org

* Interfax (Russia and Cis)

 Interfax Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama January 18, 2010

 Interfax Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.interfax.com

* Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Budapest (Hungary and Italy)

A Budapest si ricorda la mistica e filosofa francese Simone Weil

> For further information: iicbudapest@esteri.it

* Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mosca (Russia and Italy)

Si pubblica in allegato l’invito alla proiezione del film “La Tregua”.

> For further information: biblioteca.iicmosca@esteri.it

* Istituto Polacco di Roma (Italy and Poland)

 GIORNATE DEL DIALOGO E DELLA MEMORIA

28 GENNAIO E 4 FEBBRAIO 2010

L’Istituto Polacco di Roma insieme alla Biblioteca Europea ricorderà il Giorno della Memoria con due importati iniziative patrocinate dalla Fondazione Museo della Shoah. Interverranno: Rudi Assuntino, Francesco M. Cataluccio, Wlodek Goldkorn, Julia Hartwig, Gad Lerner, Adam Michnik, Ludmila Ryba, Paula Sawicka, Adelia Battista, Piotr Matywiecki, Laura Mincer, Olek Mincer, Moni Ovadia, Giovanna Tomassucci.

> For further information: www.istitutopolacco.it

* Istitutul Cultural Roman (Romania)

 ARTE MARŢIALE. Arta în faţa legii

Seria de întâlniri Arte Marţiale se deschide în 2010 cu dezbaterea Arta în faţa legii. Marţi, 19 ianuarie, de la ora 18.00, la Institutul Cultural Român (Aleea Alexandru nr. 38), invitaţii Raluca Turcan (deputat, preşedintele Comisiei de Cultură), Dumitru Şerban (preşedintele Uniunii Artiştilor Plastici), Călin Stegerean (directorul Muzeului de Artă din Cluj-Napoca) şi Vlad Nancă (artist), împreună cu criticul de artă Erwin Kessler, moderator, vor analiza proiectul Legii privind organizarea şi exercitarea profesiei de artist vizual, depus la Comisia de cultură a Parlamentului României.

 SEARA DE FILM / DEZBATERE "Videogramele unei revoluţii" de Harun Farocki şi Andrei Ujică

Filmul documentar "Videogramele unei revoluţii / Videogramme einer Revolution", regia Harun Farocki şi Andrei Ujică, deschide marţi, 25 ianuarie 2010, la ora 18.00, Seara de film de la Institutul Cultural Român. Proiecţia va fi urmată de o dezbatere la care vor participa Andrei Ujică, Emil Hurezeanu şi Horia-Roman Patapievici.

 "Semn şi formă" - expoziţie de sculptură Aurel Contraş

Miercuri, 20 ianuarie, la ora 18.00, la Institutul Cultural Român (Aleea Alexandru 38, Bucureşti) va avea loc vernisajul expoziţiei de sculptură „Semn şi formă“ a artistului Aurel Contraş. Expoziţia va fi prezentată de criticul de artă Aurelia Mocanu şi de autor. „Sculptura de astăzi a lui Aurel Contraş este impregnată de sentimentul sacrului, afirmat cu discreţie, neostentativ, interiorizat. Este semnul maturizării depline a artistului apt de a se afirma mult şi profund prin gesturi puţine, esenţiale.” - Marin Gherasim

> For further information : www.icr.ro

* Latvian Centre for Human Rights (Latvia)

 Newsletter of January 18, 2010

 Newsletter of January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.humanrights.org.lv

* Memorial (Russia and Cis)

 Russia Ratifies Protocol 14 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Statement

Human Rights Center Memorial salutes Russia’s ratification of Protocol 14 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This is an important and may it be called overdue decision. The reform of the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) aims at optimizing the process of evaluating complaints and which in the course of a few years the Russian Federation State Duma has persistently been reluctant to ratify hindering ECHR reform. This reluctance has had a negative impact on the redress of violations of rights and freedoms of Russian citizens as well as those of other European countries while damaging the reputation of our country.

The entry into force of Protocol 14 allows for the time periods for a substantial portion of complaints to the ECHR to be trimmed which is exceedingly important as up till now many applicants have been expecting evaluations of their complaints for many years. This wait has in effect substantially reduced the effectiveness of the ECHR as a mechanism for the defense of human rights.

Currently around 90% of the complaints given to the ECHR do not comply with the Court’s criteria for acceptance and work conducted on such complaints impedes its work. In compliance with Protocol 14, a single judge instead of three will be able to make a decision on obviously rejectable complaints, and for those clearly founded—there will be a collection of three judges ruling rather than seven as was the case before. This innovation makes it possible to hope that the ECHR will be freed from looking into insignificant and baseless appeals in order to concentrate on cases involving serious human rights violations and fundamental freedoms. This move should also expedite a settlement on the criteria for acceptance: currently appeals can be declared as inadmissible if “the applicant has not experienced a significant disadvantage.” Although it remains unclear how exactly this criteria will be applied.

There is a question related to the execution of the ECHR’s judgements that is very heated, particularly in the incidences when these judgements touch upon systemic non-fulfillment by the Government. These judgements then place upon the government the duty to maintain and adhere to human rights. Russia, according to our assessments, has only on rare occasions carried out rulings by the ECHR in regards to the implementation of systemic changes to the norms in law-enforcement practices, those cases being limited to just payment of monetary compensation. Therefore the provision for additional powers to oversee the fulfillment of decisions by the European Court to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will, undoubtedly, assist in resolving this problem.

Along with that, the Mass-media in reference to top officials of the Russian Federation are reporting that it is understood that Protocol 14 was ratified with a few restricting provisions in relation to Russia. If this information proves to be true, we are appealing to the Russian authorities to publicly clarify what exactly these provisions consist of, particularly, how this concerns paragraphs 4 and 5 of article 46 of the convention and permitting the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to turn to the ECHR for establishing the fact of systemic non-enforcement of the Court’s decisions.

January, 19: Аuthorities finally authorize memorial and protest actions

 After long negotations Moscow authorities have finally authorized actions against nazism, timed concide with the anniversary of the murders of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova on January 19, 2010.

Prefecture workers did not admit that the refusal to permit the first appeal regarding the demonstration and the meeting was illegal. At the same time, they decided to use a compromise, technical settlement, that had been offered by human rights defenders. In the evening of January 15, the organizers received two responses, which said that both pickets – in Petrovsky bulvar and in Chistoprudny bulvar,­ had been permitted. The walking demonstration from one picket to another had been also permitted.

Human Rights Center Memorial is happy that common sense prevailed. We call upon everyone interested to join the memorial and protest actions.

On January 19, 2010, at 5:50 p.m. near Prechistenka, 1, where a year ago Stas Markelov was killed and Nastya Baburova mortally wounded, everyone will be able to lay flowers and to light candles.

At 7:01 p.m. the first picket, in Petrovsky bulvar, begins.

At 8:00 p.m. the second picket, in Chistoprudny bulvar, near the Griboedov monument, takes place.

For more information (in Russian) about how human rights activists tried to agree the actions visit Memorial’s web-site:

http://www.memo.ru/2010/01/11/1101103.htm;

http://www.memo.ru/2010/01/18/1801101.htm.

> For further information: www.memo.ru

* Ministero degli Esteri (Italy)

Sono stati pubblicati i seguenti bandi:

 Gemellaggi: 2 nuovi bandi con la Croazia nella sezione IPA/PHARE

 Gemellaggi: 3 nuovi bandi con l’Algeria nella sezione ENPI/MEDA

> For further information: www.esteri.it

* Moscow Museum of Modern Art (Russia)

 LEONID TISHKOV IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS

Selected works, 1980-2010: installations, paintings, objects, graphic works, photographs, video

Dates: January 28, 2010 – February 21, 2010

Venue: Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Ermolaevsky, 17

Opening: January 27, 2010, at 7 pm

Moscow Museum of Modern Art presents a retrospective show of the Moscow well-known artist Leonid Tishkov an artist, a narrator and a visionary, at once ironic and poetic. A total installation, presenting the imaginary worlds of Dabloids, Divers, Stomakis, and other creatures, created by the artist within 30 years of his creative work, will take up several floors of the museum. Combining folklore and surrealism, addressing the theme of memory, and using banal subjects, Leonid Tishkov is always true to himself, turning art into a visual theatre. It is essential for the artist to see the world through he eyes of a child, to notice its miraculous manifestations, and, eventually, to turn into a fantasy creature himself.

Attached you will find the press release and images.

Captions:

Снежный ангел2_Гималаи_1999 - Leonid Tishkov. Snow Angel, video, 1999.

Копия painting taynie znaki - Leonid Tishkov. Secret Signs, oil on canvas, 1986

leonid_Tishkov_cloth_objects_2003 - Leonid Tishkov, Cloth Objects. 2003

banner0 - Leonid Tishkov. Don’t Leave Me, My Heart. Oil on canvas. 2008

> For further information: www.mmoma.ru

* Osservatorio sui Balcani e Caucaso (Italy, Balkans and Caucasus)

 Il Montenegro sott’acqua

Il maltempo si è abbattuto nei giorni scorsi sul Montenegro, causando danni per milioni di euro. Intere zone del paese sono finite sott’acqua. Ma non tutte le colpe vanno alle condizioni atmosferiche. Come spesso accade, la natura cede il passo all’edilizia

Read

 Un uomo solo al comando

Decisionismo, carisma, capacità di attirare l’attenzione dei media. Il nuovo premier bulgaro Boyko Borisov ha incentrato la sua azione politica sulla sua figura personale: una strategia che, secondo i sondaggi, sembra pagare, ma che nasconde numerosi punti d’ombra

Read

 Sead e il documentario

La produzione documentaristica in Bosnia Erzegovina. Gli autori, i produttori e il mercato. Dalla centralità dei temi di memoria e identità ai tabù nazionali. Intervista a Sead Kreševljaković, autore di "Ti ricordi Sarajevo?"

Read

> For further information: www.osservatoriobalcani.org

* The Presidency of Russian Federation (Russia and Cis)

 Weekly news report of January 18, 2010

 Daily news report of January 18, 2010

 Daily news report of January 19, 2010

> For further information: http://president.kremlin.ru/eng

* The Government of Russian Federation (Russia and Cis)

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits Voronezh Aircraft Joint Stock Company, inspects company’s products, including the new Russian plane Antonov An-148

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs meeting in Voronezh to discuss re-equipping the Russian Armed Forces

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits the Sozvezdiye Group

 Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister – Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with Viktor Ivanov, Head of the Federal Drug Control Service

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has a meeting with Education and Science Minister Andrei Fursenko

 Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Government Executive Office Sergei Sobyanin confers government awards on representatives of the print media for 2009

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulates the Kamaz Master team with the victory in the Dakar Rally Raid 2010

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulates actor Boris Nevzorov on his birthday

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Chairman of the Pension Fund Anton Drozdov

 Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sends message wishing a happy 65th birthday to composer Maxim Dunayevsky

> For further information: www.government.ru/eng

* Sarke (Georgia)

 News in brief of January 15, 2010

 News in brief of January 18, 2010

> For further information: www.sarke.com

* Seenews (Bulgaria and Balkans)

 Daily news report of Albania (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click ALBANIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Bosnia-Herzegovina (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Bulgaria (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click BULGARIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Croatia (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click CROATIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Macedonia (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click MACEDONIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Moldova (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click MOLDOVA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Montenegro (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click MONTENEGRO on menu bar

 Daily news report of Romania (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click ROMANIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Serbia (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click SERBIA on menu bar

 Daily news report of Slovenia (January 16, 17 & 18, 2010)

Read and click SLOVENIA on menu bar

> For further information: www.seenews.com

* Transitions Online (Czech Republic, Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia)

New at Transitions Online - January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.tol.cz

* Uzreport (Uzbekistan and Central Asia)

 Daily report of January 18, 2010

 Daily report of January 19, 2010

> For further information: www.uzreport.com