Girodivite - Segnali dalle citta' invisibili

Report on Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia - issue # 8/2010

Giovanni Cadioli — 2010-03-22T10:45:19Z

Clinton 'optimistic' about U.S.-Russian nuclear arms cuts treaty

13:31 15/03/2010

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said ahead of her upcoming visit to Moscow she expected the replacement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1) to be signed soon. Clinton will travel to Moscow on March 18-19 for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and to attend the meeting of the Quartet of international mediators in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "I'm optimistic that we'll be able to complete this agreement soon. It's a technically very complex treaty to accomplish. We share an interest in making real reductions in our strategic arsenals, and that is the most important point," Clinton said in an interview with The New Times published on Monday. "To do that in a way that is verifiable, but which is less costly and less operationally complex than the previous START agreement is the key challenge, and we are working through it together," she told the Moscow-based paper. Russia and the United States have been negotiating issues of the arms reduction pact since the two countries' presidents met in April last year, but signing a document has dragged on, with U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe a particular sticking point. Moscow wants to include a link between missile defenses and cuts in offensive weapons, but the U.S. Senate is unlikely to ratify any document formally linking the two issues. START 1, the cornerstone of post-Cold War arms control, expired on December 5.

MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20100315/158200753.html

Russia to float out new nuclear sub on May 7

14:26 15/03/2010

A new Russian nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine will be floated out on May 7, a shipyard spokesman said on Monday. Construction of the Severodvinsk, a Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class submarine, began in 1993 at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk but has since been dogged by financial setbacks. "A floating out ceremony for Russia's new Severodvinsk nuclear submarine at the Sevmash shipyard has been scheduled for May 7," the official said. Graney-class nuclear submarines combine the ability to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles or 5,000 km) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets. The submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles, including the 3M51 Alfa SLCM, the SS-NX-26 Oniks SLCM or the SS-N-21 Granat/Sampson SLCM. It will also have eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-16 Stallion. Severodvisk is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy by late 2010. Last year, work started on the second sub in the series, the Kazan, which will feature more advanced equipment and weaponry. Russia's Navy commander, Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky, has said that the construction of new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines was a top priority for the Russian Navy.

MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100315/158201700.html

Russia floats out second Gepard class frigate for Vietnam

16:41 16/03/2010

Shipbuilders in Russia's republic of Tatarstan floated out a second frigate for the Vietnamese Navy on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Zelenodolsk shipyard said. Russia and Vietnam signed a contract on the construction of two Gepard 3.9 class frigates for the Vietnamese Navy in 2006. The first frigate was floated out in December 2009. "A second Gepard 3.9 class frigate for the Vietnamese Navy was floated out on Tuesday. The first frigate will be delivered to Vietnam in October and the second by the end of this year," the spokesman said. Both ships will undergo sea trials in the Baltic Sea. Project 1166.1 Gepard 3.9 class frigate is designed to engage surface ships, submarines and air targets, both independently and as part of a task force, as well as to perform escort and patrol tasks. The ship has a displacement of 2,000 tons, a length of 102 meters, a maximum speed of 23 knots, a crew of 103 personnel and a cruising range of 5,000 miles. The frigate is armed with an Uran-E anti-ship missile system, a 76.2-mm gun mount AK-176M, a Palma air defense artillery system, two 30-mm gun mounts AK-630M and 533-mm torpedo tubes. It can carry a Ka-28 or a Ka-31 Helix naval helicopter. Together with the country's recently ordered six Kilo class submarines and Su-30MK2 naval fighter-bombers, the Gepard deal is seen as part of Vietnam's current navy modernization drive.

KAZAN, March 16 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100316/158215375.html

Russian strategic bombers complete 3-day efficiency drills

15:23 19/03/2010

Russian Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers have completed a series of efficiency drills, an Air Force spokesman said on Friday. "During three-day exercises, Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers and Il-78 aerial tankers practiced various types of flight drills, including in-flight refueling," Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik said. The flights were conducted in poor weather conditions over the Arctic from air bases in Engels in the Volga region and Ryazan located in central Russia. Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans in August 2007, following an order from then-President Vladimir Putin.

MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100319/158251793.html

Russia needs minimum 50 nuclear subs for fleet - Navy Vice Admiral

13:58 20/03/2010

The Russian Navy ideally needs to have at least 50 nuclear-powered submarines, a high-ranking Navy officer said during a live interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday. The Russian Navy has some 60 strategic, multi-functional and diesel-powered submarines in its fleet that are combat ready. "The number of nuclear submarines in Russia's Navy should be no less than 40-50," First Deputy of the Naval General Staff Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev said. He said that France, Britain and the United States have at least nine combat ready nuclear subs at sea at all times. "In order to counterbalance them, we need to have two or three nuclear-powered submarines. They need to know that we are prepared to respond to any strike," Burtsev said. In answering a call-in question of whether Russia is behind in developing its fleet in comparison with China, which builds two or three submarines a year, Burtsev said that Russia was not behind in development. "Trial runs are taking place with the Yasen class subs, and this year the final trial stages of the Lada class submarine will be held."

MOSCOW, March 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100320/158260734.html

Black Sea Fleet future in Ukraine may become clear in few years

00:40 21/03/2010

Russia and Ukraine could agree on the extension of the Black Sea Fleet's presence in the Crimea while Viktor Yanukovich serves his first term as Ukrainian president, a Russian lawmaker said. Russia's lease on the Black Sea Fleet's base of Sevastopol is due to expire in 2017, but the new president may look to step back from his predecessor Viktor Yushchenko's strict insistence that the foreign forces leave. "I do not see why we would not be able to agree and sign documents during Viktor Yanukovich's first term [as president] on the extension of the Black Sea Fleet's presence in Ukraine, in the Crimea and Sevastopol after 2017," Ukraine's UNIAN news agency quoted Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin as saying on Saturday. "As far as I know, over 70% of Ukrainians believe that the Russian fleet will not leave Sevastopol in 2017," Zatulin told a news conference in Sevastopol. He also said the issue could be linked with a new natural gas price agreement between Russia and Ukraine. During his meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on March 5, Viktor Yanukovych, who was sworn in on February 25, pledged to steer a more balanced policy towards Russia and to continue discussions on the future of the Black Sea Fleet bases in Crimea. Russia's Black Sea Fleet uses a range of naval facilities in the Crimea, including the Sevastopol base, as part of a 10-year lease agreement signed in 1997. A Russian-Ukrainian subcommittee on the Black Sea Fleet at the level of deputy foreign ministers holds regular meetings to discuss the implementation of 1997 agreement.

KIEV, March 21 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100321/158263547.html

Fate of Russia's Bulava missile must be decided this summer — Navy

03:33 21/03/2010

The upcoming tests of Russia's troubled Bulava ballistic missile will determine whether it will be put in service with the Russian Navy or scrapped, a senior Navy commander said. The Russian Navy is planning to conduct at least four test launches of the Bulava ballistic missile at the end of June. "I believe that this summer will be decisive in terms of adopting Bulava for the service with the Navy," First Deputy of the Naval General Staff Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday. "We will continue Bulava tests launches from Dmitry Donskoy submarine and ultimately from Borey class Yury Dolgoruky sub, which is scheduled to carry out several test launches during sea trials," Burtsev said. The Yury Dolgoruky is the first of Russia's Borey class strategic nuclear submarines, which have been exclusively designed for the Bulava, and is currently undergoing sea trials. The admiral confirmed that if the tests are successful, both the submarine and the missile could be put into service with the Russian Navy by the end of 2010. The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is a three-stage liquid and solid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The future development of Bulava has been questioned by some lawmakers and defense industry officials following a series of test failures. Only five of 12 Bulava test launches from the Dmitry Donskoy sub have been officially reported as being successful. Some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures was considerably larger, with Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer contending that of the Bulava's 12 test launches, only one was entirely successful. But the military has insisted there is no alternative to the Bulava and said the tests of the missile would continue until it is ready to enter service with the Russian Navy.

MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100321/158264791.html

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov to visit Turkmenistan

04:53 15/03/2010

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is arriving in Turkmen capital Ashgabat on a two-day working visit on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation issues, the Russian ministry said. Lavrov is expected to meet with Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov to speak of expanding mutually beneficial economic ties, raising trade and making cooperation between Russian and Turkmen regions more active. "Russia highly values relations with Turkmenistan, attaches significance to further strengthening and developing mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation and interaction in the political, trade and economic, cultural and educational and other spheres," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Turkmenistan in December 2009. On the sidelines of his visit, the countries' gas monopolies Gazprom and Turkmengaz signed a deal, ending a months-long gas dispute between the two ex-Soviet states. Medvedev also said then that Russia and Turkmenistan will jointly build new gas pipelines "across Turkmenistan further on to Europe."

MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100315/158195632.html

Turkmenistan views Russia as strategic partner - president

09:49 16/03/2010

Turkmenistan views Russia as a strategic partner, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said at the start of a meeting with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Great Russia is a strategic and reliable partner," Berdymukhamedov said, adding that his country attached considerable significance to political, economic and educational cooperation with Russia. Lavrov, who arrived in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat on Monday for a two-day working visit, said that his visit to the Central Asian country could give a new impetus to bilateral cooperation. As well as the meeting with Berdymukhamedov, Lavrov was to hold talks with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. The talks are aimed at expanding mutually beneficial economic ties, raising trade and making cooperation between Russian and Turkmen regions more active. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Turkmenistan in December 2009. On the sidelines of his visit, the countries' gas monopolies Gazprom and Turkmengaz signed a deal, ending a months-long gas dispute between the two ex-Soviet states. Medvedev also said then that Russia and Turkmenistan will jointly build new gas pipelines "across Turkmenistan further on to Europe." This year Turkmenistan inaugurated new pipelines to China and Iran, and it has been courted as a potential supplier to Nabucco, the European gas pipeline project that is a rival to Russia's South Stream for future gas deliveries to the EU.

ASHGABAT, March 16 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100316/158211354.html

OSCE PA delegation to talk Karabakh conflict in Azerbaijan

05:59 15/03/2010

A delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly led by President Joao Soares and special representative Goran Lenmarker will discuss in Azerbaijan the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, an Azerbaijani parliamentary spokesman said. The assembly delegation is in Azerbaijani capital Baku in the framework of its visit to the South Caucasus. It will in particular meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and parliamentary spokesman Oktai Asadov. A long-standing dispute over Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway region inside Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population, has been a sticking point in relations between the two South Caucasus states. A fragile ceasefire has been in place in the region since a brutal war between the two countries over the disputed enclave in early 1990s, which claimed more than 30,000 lives on both sides. Karabakh has since remained under Armenian control. Baku has fiercely opposed any decision on Karabakh that could be interpreted as giving the region independence from Azerbaijan. The visit to Azerbaijan will end March 16. Prior to the visit, the OSCE delegation had been to Georgia and Armenia.

BAKU, March 15 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100315/158195950.html

Hoax report intended to blacken Saakashvili's rivals - opposition

05:05 16/03/2010

A Georgian opposition leader said the bogus news report of a Russian invasion, broadcasted on Saturday, was intended to intimidate the opposition and tarnish its image over attempts to repair ties with Moscow. The Democratic Movement - United Georgia party, led by ex-parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, announced on Monday that it would file a lawsuit against the private Imedi TV channel, which reported that Russian tanks had invaded the capital Tbilisi and the country's president was dead. "This story illustrates the true nature of our leaders, who don't care about consequences at all. That [fake report] threw the population into a state of fear and shock, but the aim of it was to intimidate the opposition and blacken its name," Burdzhanadze said in an interview with The Christian Science Monitor. Ex-parliamentary speaker Burdzhanadze, who was a key ally of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in the 2003 Rose Revolution but later became a bitter critic of the government, said that the broadcast was a riposte to her recent visit to Moscow and talks with top Russian officials. "For him [Saakashvili], any improvement in relations with Russia is negative. He wants to claim that he's not responsible for the bad relationship, that it's just impossible to talk with Russia on principle. With my trip, I tried to demonstrate that it may not be easy, but it is possible to talk with Moscow," she told the Boston-based daily. Burdzhanadze is one of a growing number of Georgian opposition leaders seeking to start political dialogue between Russia and Georgia, saying that it "plays a crucial role in Georgian unity." Georgian lawmakers loyal to Saakashvili earlier accused Burdzhanadze of "treason" over the visit to Moscow and talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Everyone in Georgia knows that the boss of Imedi fulfills instructions given him by the president," she said. Saturday's broadcast, which used the channel's normal news graphics, began with a warning that the program showed a sequence of possible events that could occur "if Georgian society is not brought together against Russia's plans." The staged images and words rang true, however, when viewers who did not see the introduction took the report at face value. People from all over the country began to call each other and the TV studio to find out what was really happening.

MOSCOW, March 16 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100316/158209710.html

Georgian opposition to file lawsuit over bogus report

19:44 18/03/2010

Georgian opposition parties said on Thursday they will sue Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and TV channel head Georgy Arveladze over a faked report about a Russian invasion of Georgia. The Imedi TV channel sparked panic in Georgia last Saturday with a broadcast that said Russian tanks had invaded the capital and the country's president was dead. The report used footage from the August 2008 conflict with Russia. "[We] are filing a lawsuit against Mikheil Saakashvili and Georgy Arveladze over the imitation Imedi Kronika [news report] and will send it to a court next week," said Zurab Nogaideli, leader of the For Fair Georgia opposition party. The former Georgian prime minister demanded Imedi apologize to politicians depicted as traitors in the report. The Democratic Movement - United Georgia party, led by ex-parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, also announced that it would file a lawsuit against the private Imedi TV channel. Burdzhanadze, who was a key ally of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in the 2003 Rose Revolution but is now a bitter critic of the government, said the broadcast was a riposte to her recent visit to Moscow and talks with top Russian officials. Koba Davitashvili, leader of the People's Party, another opposition group, said the lawsuit would be filed not only because opposition politicians had been branded traitors in the report but also because it had threatened the health and lives of many people. The broadcast, which used the channel's normal news graphics, began with a warning that the program showed a sequence of possible events that could occur "if Georgian society is not united against Russia's plans." The news item included clips of panicked residents trying to flee Tbilisi and reported that there was panic in Gori, Mtskheta and other regions. The staged images and words rung true, however, when viewers who did not see the introduction took the report at face value. People from all over the country began to call each other and the TV studio to find out what was really happening. The report contravened Georgian broadcasters' code of conduct by carrying no clear warning that it was fictitious and sparked a wave of international criticism, including from the United States. Archive footage of President Barack Obama giving a statement was used with a Georgian voiceover to give the impression he was supporting Georgia during the supposed Russian invasion. Georgia's National Media Commission ordered Imedi to apologize to the public for the report and examine complaints from all the "victims" - people who had reportedly suffered heart attacks and experienced other health problems over the report.

TBILISI, March 18 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100318/158243298.html

Venezuela to export 80,000 barrels of crude per day to Belarus

06:04 16/03/2010

Belarus will be able to buy up to 80,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez told a news conference after meeting with his Belarusian counterpart. "We confirm our readiness to support Belarus in the energy sphere and are set to sign an agreement on crude supplies in the coming hours," Chavez said. Alexander Lukashenko, who arrived at Caracas on an official visit earlier on Tuesday, also said that the two leaders have "agreed the terms of oil supplies to the Belarusian market," adding that the oil will be refined at the Belarusian territory and then sold to European countries. He added that the two states are set to boost oil output by a Belarusian-Venezuelan joint venture, established in 2007 in Venezuela's oil-rich Orinoco region. Belarus has little hydrocarbon resources and depends on fuel supplies from Russia. Early this year the two ex-Soviet neighbors were involved in a dispute over oil supplies, as Moscow demanded Minsk pay full import duties on crude its refines and transits to Europe, dropping considerable subsidies. Belarus requested Russia to supply up to 30 million metric tons of oil duty free, saying it would otherwise increase transit fees for Europe-bound oil from $3.90 to $45. An array of agreements on crude oil deliveries and uninterrupted transits to Europe was signed in late January, under which Minsk will receive 6.3 million metric tons of oil duty-free this year, but the volume could rise later depending on the country's economic performance.

MOSCOW, March 16 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20100316/158210001.html

Belarus to share experience in national defense with Venezuela

17.03.2010 11:02

CARACAS, 17 March (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to share its experience in the development of the national security and defense system with Venezuela, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he presented a speech at the National Assembly of Venezuela on 16 March. “We have offered the President of Venezuela our experience in setting up a systematic national defense system. If the Venezuelan side agrees, we can do it in the shortest possible time,” Alexander Lukashenko said. “You will be able to live in security and create, not worrying about whether the great are your friends or conspire against you,” the Belarusian head of state added.

http://www.belta.by/en/news/president?id=503386

Belarus to construct houses in three regions of Venezuela

17.03.2010 10:43

CARACAS, 17 March (BelTA) – Belarusian developers will construct houses in three regions of Venezuela: Caracas, Maracay and Barinas. The relevant agreement was reached as President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez visited the future construction sites on 16 March, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service. The Presidents of Belarus and Venezuela visited a housing complex under construction in the city of Maracay on 16 March. Maracay is located in the north of Venezuela, 80 kilometers away from Caracas. One of the most important industrial centers of Venezuela, Maracay produces textiles, paper and tobacco. The main agricultural products grown in the surroundings of Maracay include cocoa, coffee and tobacco. The heads of state laid the foundation stone at the site where new houses will soon spring up. Alexander Lukashenko and Hugo Chavez were informed about a series of promising construction projects and the joint projects that are now in progress. The heads of state talked to the local dwellers, Belarusian and Venezuelan builders, looked around the site under the future construction. President Hugo Chavez presented 200 Belarus tractors to Venezuelan farmers. Housing construction and social projects in Venezuela were top on the agenda during the Maracay visit. The heads of state agreed to launch the construction of houses for the Venezuelan military on the territory of the air force base in Maracay beginning 1 January 2010. Apart from that, Hugo Chavez suggested that Belarusian specialists take part in the redevelopment of Maracay residential districts. Alexander Lukashenko, in turn, offered to construct dairy and meat processing plants in Venezuela using Belarusian design solutions. All the matters related to the construction projects were settled right there, at the future construction site. The relevant instructions were given to the governors of Maracay and the Minsk Oblast and other officials. A delegation of Maracay will soon come to Belarus to study Belarus' best practices in housing and industrial construction. The President of Belarus believes that Belarusians should focus on the construction of three major projects - the development of a residential district in Caracas and housing construction in Maracay and Barinas - instead of taking up projects all over Venezuela. The heads of state agreed to continue their talks on 17 March. http://www.belta.by/en/news/president?id=503364

Lukashenko, Chavez to visit Venezuela's social infrastructure facilities

19.03.2010 09:05

CARACAS, 19 March (BelTA) –President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is in Venezuela on an official visit. In the next few days the Belarusian President and President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez are set to get familiar with social and economic development of the regions of Venezuela and pay a visit to the facilities of social infrastructure, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service. The two presidents are set to discuss the extension of Belarus' participation in the projects that are important for Venezuela and the promotion of Belarusian goods to the markets of Latin America.

http://www.belta.by/en/news/president?id=504592ù

Yanukovych not giving up on official status of Russian in Ukraine

18:35 17/03/2010

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has not abandoned his intention to grant Russian the official status of a second national language in Ukraine, the deputy chief of the presidential administration said on Wednesday. "We can't speak about a second national language at the moment, because it requires a change to the constitution. We have never been people who throw words into the wind. Right now, we don't have the demanded constitutional majority, so there is no way we can do this," Anna German said. "However, the charter for regional languages will be enacted in Ukraine. If the Russian-speaking people have complaints, we will do everything we can to forge a constitutional majority and amend the constitution," she added. Ukrainian is enshrined in the country's constitution as the sole national language, and 300 votes are required in the 450-seat parliament to change the constitution. With the country split almost 50-50 between the Russian-speaking east and more nationalist west, there is little immediate chance of any group reaching that level of support. Yanukovych has said, however, he will seek the ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which would allow individual regions to decide on whether to use Russian for official business and in schools. The status of the Russian language is a hugely controversial issue in Ukraine, where some political groups oppose the "Russification" of the country. Many people in the former Soviet republic have never learned to speak Ukrainian, and Russian is widely spoken, especially in the east, Crimea and the capital.

KIEV, March 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100317/158229155.html

Ukraine's Yanukovych dismisses presidential envoy to Crimea

02:46 19/03/2010

New Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has dismissed the presidential envoy to the Crimea, the predominantly Russian-speaking Black Sea autonomous republic, as part of his plans to shake up his predecessor Viktor Yushchenko's pro-Western establishment. A presidential order dismissing Leonid Zhunko is published on the Ukrainian president's official website. Zhunko was appointed presidential envoy to the Crimea by Viktor Yushchenko in January 2008. Earlier, he served as chairman of the local administration in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet's main base is located. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea has been a source of tension between Russia and Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when the region first claimed independence from Ukraine. A 1994 referendum in the Crimea supported demands for a broader autonomy and closer links with Russia. Tensions rose sharply in 2003 over a bitter border dispute on the Kerch Strait, and again in 2008, over the deployment of Russia's Black Sea Fleet during a five-day war with Georgia. Russia's lease on the Black Sea Fleet's base of Sevastopol is due to expire in 2017, but the new president may look to step back from Yushchenko's strict insistence that the foreign forces leave. Yanukovych came to power in February after narrowly winning presidential runoff. The new Ukrainian leader has pledged to hold more balanced relations with Russia than Yushchenko, whose West-leaning policies, including a bid for NATO membership, frequently infuriated Moscow. On Thursday, Yanukovych also appointed new governors to 14 out of 24 Ukraine's regions to replace those whom he dismissed earlier. The former deputy head of Ukraine's Security Service, Anatoly Prisyazhnyuk, was appointed head of the Kiev administration.

SIMFEROPOL, March 19 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100319/158245972.html

Ukrainian PM criticizes Kiev mayor for poor work

16:48 20/03/2010

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov harshly criticized Kiev's authorities and warned against possible radical measures, the government's press service said on Saturday. "In my opinion, the authorities in the capital are not working," Azarov said. Kiev Mayor Leonid Chernovetskiy was elected in 2008, and was rather popular before the financial crisis but his rating saw a substantial drop recently. On March 17, President Viktor Yanukovych ordered Kiev government authorities to improve the living standards in the Ukrainian capital. Yanukovych, who has already replaced governors in several Ukrainian regions, cannot fire Chernovetskiy but the country's parliament can appoint early elections of Kiev's mayor. Azarov said that Kiev officials must "either improve their work, or resign" but promised that the government will help the local authorities. He criticized Chernovetskiy for the poor condition of Kiev's roads, street lighting, garbage disposal, water shortage and power cuts and traffic jams. "Underground parking garages remained on paper. How will Kiev host Euro 2012?" Azarov said. Ukraine's readiness for the 2012 tournament, which it is to share with Poland, has been a constant source of concern for the UEFA. The UEFA has so far only confirmed games will be played in the capital, Kiev. Poland's preparations were approved by the European football's governing body in April 2007.

KIEV, March 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100320/158261198.html

Kyiv's authorities have three months to solve urgent problems, says premier

14:24

Ukrainian Premier Mykola Azarov has said that Kyiv's authorities have three months to solve urgent problems in the capital. The cabinet's department for public relations reported that Azarov gave the instructions on Saturday at a meeting with the leadership of Kyiv city administration and heads of central executive power bodies devoted to the settling of urgent problems of Kyiv's development and provision for the city's vital needs. "We're giving some time - no more than three months. These three months do not mean that we let you to freely float. If the situation did not improve, we'll take tougher measures," he said. The prime minister said that Kyiv's authorities have all resources and possibilities to settle the situation.

20.03.2010

http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/34577/

Moldova Communists boycott Parliament sessions

March 18, 2010

Communist Party members in Moldova have begun a boycott of parliament sessions, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports. The boycott is in protest at the pro-Western government's attempt to change the constitution and avoid early elections. The communists are the largest opposition force with 43 seats in the 101-member assembly. Their party leader Vladimir Voronin last week said the boycott would be open-ended and could be followed by additional protests, such as calling for a referendum on dismissing the government. It was unclear, though, if the communists will be able to collect enough signatures for such a move. The communists claim that the four-party ruling coalition is "undermining the state" by planning to change the constitution, which says the country should hold fresh elections by mid-June because the parliament has failed repeatedly to elect a new head of state. Although the ruling coalition has not stated clearly which articles of the constitution it wants to change, the communists say that apart from making it easier to elect the president, the government would also like to change the name of the country's official language from "Moldovan" to "Romanian" and possibly to scrap Moldova's neutrality. The communists are fierce opponents of Moldova joining NATO and of closer ties with NATO and EU-member Romania, of which Moldova was part until World War II.

http://politicom.moldova.org/news/moldova-communists-boycott-parliament-sessions-207366-eng.html

Moldovan Communists advocates dialogue with ruling alliance

March 19, 2010

The Party of Communists (PCRM) has urged the leaders of the Alliance for European Integration (AIE) to enter dialogue to overcome the political crisis. PCRM leader Vladimir Voronin sent an appeal to this effect today. Voronin said that, to overcome the political crisis, it is necessary to identify consensus, which can be reached if the parliament amends Article 78 of the Constitution concerning presidential elections. The PCRM considers that consensus should be found till 31 March. Voronin said that no consensus can be reached unless the date of the parliament's dissolution is set after 16 June, and a snap parliamentary election is called. MP Vladimir Turcan has advocated the amendment of Article 78 too. He offered to set up a special commission to amend this article. Parliament Speaker Mihai Ghimpu said that the creation of such a commission would discredit the activity of political forces.

Moldpres, Moldova state news agency

http://politicom.moldova.org/news/moldovan-communists-advocates-dialogue-with-ruling-alliance-207412-eng.html

Inverno Italiano a Sofia

Emanuele G. — 2010-03-20T19:13:13Z

L'interesse dei lettori di GIRO DI VITE per gli eventi culturali a Sofia dell'estate scorsa mi ha spinto a scrivere questo articolo al termine della stagione invernale di cultura a Sofia che ha visto la participazione italiana.

Il ciclo OPERA IN CINEMA - in una sala o proiezioni all'aperto – e l' eventogia conosciuto a Sofia. Questa volta la 23-ma edizione del Music festival per Capodanno e stata inaugurata il 7 di dicembre scorso nella grande sala del Palazzo nazionale della Cultura con la trasmisione in diretta dal Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Spettacolo era la prima di CARMEN di Bizet per la regia di Emma Dante, sotto la bacchetta di Daniel Barenboim. Casa Cicilia Bulgaria ha offerto dopo la trasmisione un buffet, preparato dallo chef internazionale prof. Lorenzo Guardino. Il pubblico ha degustato pietanze tipiche della cucina siciliana.

Dieci giorni dopo - un concerto per le festività natalizie è stato proposto dall'Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Sofia – già diventato una tradizione - presso il Museo Archeologico. Dopo le entusiastiche parole introduttive di Ezio Perraro, direttore dell'I.I.C. di Sofia, il noto gruppo musicale LA POSSIGNOL con strumenti e costumi d'epoca ha presentato sotto il titolo ECCE NOVUM GUDIUM canti e musiche natalizie del Rinascimento.

Riservata per la fine c'è stata una sorpresa per tutti – due bambine bulgare già ritornate dalla participazione al 23 Zecchino d'Oro in Bologna / categoria Zecchino Rosso/ hanno presentato la loro canzone La danza di Rossinca. Sorpresa molto simpatica!

Non è mancato il tradizionale e gustoso pandoro. Tutto questo dall' Italia per un gioioso Natale e un 2010 creativo e sereno.

La mostra Maschere Artigianali di Venezia, fine di febbraio presso la sala Raico Alecsiev nel centro di Sofia, questa volta ha prestato una collezione di bellissime maschere in cartapesta, dipinte a mano e decorate con piume, velluto, oro e argento realizzate da Kartaruga di Venezia. Non sono la unica che ha fatto tante fotografie. Le voglio condividere adesso con i lettori.

Senza dubbio il pubblico ha potuto sentire un po' l'atmosfera del Carnevale di Venezia – specialmente i cittadini indossando maschere.

La settimana dopo, nella notte, è stata organizzata una vera danza con maschere e costuni per la gioventù. La mia proposta per il prossimo anno: una sala due-tre volte più grande!

LA VERA COSCIENZA di Joseph Haydn – una opera non conosciuta in Bulgaria, è stata presentata tre volte alla fine di gennaio 2010 presso l'Opera Nazionale a Sofia. Il direttore d'Opera Plamen Cartalov – un regista bulgaro, già conosciuto in tutta Europa, ha participato a Treviso alla preparazione del progetto europeo – una coprodizione fra Teatro Real di Madrid, Teatro Comunale di Treviso, Opera di St.Etienne, Opera Royal de Wallonie Liegi, Opera di Rouen, Opera nazionale di Sofia, I Teatri di Reggio Emilia.

Direttore del progetto Jesus Lopez-Cobos, regia Elio di Capitani, scene Carlo Sala, costumi Ferdinando Bruni.

La prima italiana si è tenuta al Teatro Comunale di Treviso giorni 21-22-23 novembre 2009.

Sono andata alla prova generale prima del debutto a Sofia per osservare il lavoro del co-regista Pao Gish e dei suoi assistenti. Nella sala non più di 20 persone – colleghi giornalisti e fotografi. Mi raccontavano, “la squadra” bulgaro-itaiana ha lavorato giorno e notte per fare un miracolo.

La giovane cantante italiana Federica Carnevali come Rosina e un gruppo dei giovani cantanti lirici bulgari hanno formato un ensamble perfetto. Ma solamente per 3 spettacoli!

Il 7 marzo nel grande auditorium dell' Università di Architettura è stato presentato un concerto in occasione del 75 compleanno del cantante Dimitar Yossifov, un vero ambasciatore della musica leggera italiana in Bulgaria. Un ospite italiano, il cantante Luigi Martilotti, ha participato all' evento.

Da tanti anni gli ascoltatori della Radio nazionale della Bulgaria aspettano le corrispondenze di Dimitar Yossifov dal Festival di Sanremo, invitato sempre come ospite d'onore. Il cantante ha pubblicato anche un libro. Gli incassi del concerto saranno devoluti in beneficenza. La linea di fondo – una presenza adeguata della cultura italiana a Sofia questo inverno.

Nascite

Pina La Villa — 2010-03-20T14:42:16Z

21 marzo: equinozio di primavera . Stagione di rinascita.

A Motta d'Affermo l'Associazione Fiumara d'Arte di Antonio Presti inaugura l'ennesima grande opera d'arte, la Piramide del 38° parallelo.

Con la sensibilità e la visionarietà che lo contraddistingue, Antonio Presti insiste a propagandare e difendere il valore della bellezza. Lo fa da circa vent'anni. Una vera Resistenza. Un tipo di Resistenza che ci coinvolge e ci impegna sempre di più.

Come tutti i tempi di recessione e di privazione della libertà il nostro si presenta con il volto della bruttezza e della mediocrità. Il potere ci vuole brutti, consapevoli della nostra bruttezza, privi di speranza, pieni di paure, e fa di tutto per renderci brutti e mediocri. Pensiamo all'abbuffata di cronaca nera dell'informazione televisiva, agli scandali che rendono tutti simili, tutti nel fango perché nel fango è la classe dirigente del paese.

Antonio Presti costruisce una Piramide, col suo slancio verso l'alto, sulla cima di un colle, la bellezza e la spiritualità insieme.

La costruisce in provincia di Messina, e facendo così indica i veri colpevoli delle frane e delle alluvioni, chi ha dimenticato la bellezza e ha deturpato il nostro territorio e le nostre città.

La inaugura il 21 marzo, impegnando le istituzioni a costruire, attorno a quest'opera, ogni solstizio d'estate, eventi e riti di una cultura nuova, una cultura della vita contro la cultura della morte.

In un'intervista, Antonio Presti dice che la Piramide indica l'Emergenza, con un doppio significato, Emergenza del restituire Bellezza, ed Emergenza come metafora del nascere.

Centro Studi Est Europa: synthetic overview of March 19, 2010

Emanuele G. — 2010-03-19T19:19:15Z

Today news:

* Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Bosnia and Balkans)

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Balkan Insight Daily No. 489, March 19, 2010

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

* Balkans.com (Balkans)

Week in Review - Update of March 19, 2010 - Balkans.com Business News

> For further information: www.balkans.com

* Belarus News and Analysis (Belarus and Cis)

15 new articles posted on March 19, 2010

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

* Camera di Commercio Italiana per l'Ungheria (Hungary and Italy)

Desideriamo invitarLa al prossimo Happy Hour, organizzato in collaborazione con il Luxury Club in programma per venerdì 26 marzo p.v. dalle ore 19:30 presso il Láncíd Palota (1010 Budapest, Fő utca 1.).

Cliccando qui si visualizza l'invito

Cliccando qui si puó effettuare la registrazione

> For further information: www.cciu.com

* Central Asian News Service (Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia)

Daily news report of March 19, 2010

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

* Civil Georgia (Georgia)

Daily news online of March 18, 2010

> For further information: www.civil.ge

* Council of the European Union (Belgium)

Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of the European Council, on the Western Balkans conference to be held in Brdo, Slovenia on 20 March Herman VAN ROMPUY, President of the European Council, made the following statement:

“I welcome all initiatives promoting regional cooperation in the Western Balkans including the conference to be held in Brdo, Slovenia tomorrow.

This cooperation is of the highest importance for the whole of Europe. In this context, I plan to visit the region as soon as possible.”

Western Balkans conference

Middle East Quartet Statement, Moscow (original version)

> For further information: www.consilium.europa.eu

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

Press releases / Press releases: week ending 19 March 2010:

EBRD helps improve quality of electricity supply in South Caucasus

New railway bypass in Tbilisi

New local currency financing for micro and small businesses in Armenia

Feature stories:

EBRD launches second sustainable energy credit line in Slovakia

> For further information: www.ebrd.com

* Ec Delegation BiH (Bosnia/Herzegovina and Belgium)

Paola Pampaloni, Head of Unit for Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement visited Banja Luka - Paola Pampaloni, sef Odjela za Bosnu i Hercegovinu u Direkciji Evropske komisij za proširenje, posjetila Banja Luku

> For further information: www.europa.ba

* Economia.hu (Hungary)

L'azienda farmaceutica italiana Kedrion investe in Ungheria

Posted: 19 Mar 2010 05:35 AM PDT

Kedrion, azienda biofarmaceutica italiana specializzata in farmaci plasmaderivati, annuncia una forte espansione della sua capacità nell'impianto ungherese di Gödöllő, nei pressi di Budapest. In un comunicato l'azienda ha fatto sapere di voler attuare un piano di riorganizzazione per adattarsi alla sua crescita nei mercati globali. Nell'impianto ungherese lavorano

MOTO: no al Gp di Ungheria 2010, fermi i lavori del Balatonring

Posted: 19 Mar 2010 03:06 AM PDT

Il Motogp di Ungheria, già annullato nel 2009, non si farà nemmeno nel 2010. La tappa del 19 settembre stavolta non sarà annullata come è avvenuto la scorsa stagione, quando il Motondiale ha avuto una gara in meno, ma sarà corsa in Aragona,

Laser: progetto ELI in primo piano per Ungheria

Posted: 19 Mar 2010 02:16 AM PDT

Il governo e il Primo Ministro ungherese hanno passato le due risoluzioni sulle misure e le attività necessarie per implementare la fase uno della Extreme Light Infrastructure dell'Unione europea (ELI) il progetto da 100 miliardi di fiorini – 376,25 milioni di euro – riguardante il super laser

Lavoro: Elcoteq assume in Ungheria

Posted: 19 Mar 2010 12:23 AM PDT

L'unità ungherese dell' azienda finlandese di elettronica Elcoteq, Elcoteq Magyarország, comunica che aumenterà il proprio personale a causa della crescente domanda di prodotti che richiedono una forza lavoro altamente qualificata. Elcoteq

> For further information: www.economia.hu

* Eurasianet (Usa, Caucasus and Central Asia)

CENTRAL ASIA

Uzbekistan: Nazarbayev Makes Diplomatic Trade-Off with Karimov BY JOANNA LILLIS

Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev got what he wanted out of Uzbekistan. During talks in Tashkent on March 17, Nazarbayev secured Uzbek support for his cherished aim of hosting a summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) later this year. In return, he offered unqualified backing for Uzbekistan's stance on hydropower development in Central Asia.
CAUCASUS

Georgia: Tbilisi Trying New Way to Woo Abkhazia, South Ossetia BY JOSHUA KUCERA

CASPIAN BASIN

Azerbaijan: Outrage at US Drug Report Builds on Irritation with Washington BY SHAHIN ABBASOV

CAUCASUS

Armenia: Slander Case against Copper Mine Protestor Dropped BY MARIANNA GRIGORYAN

CENTRAL ASIA

Kazakhstan: Ex-Nuclear Boss Sentenced Amid Claims of Political Reprisals BY JOANNA LILLIS

NEAR EAST

Turkey: Obama Administration Official Cautions Against Armenian Genocide Resolution BY JOSHUA KUCERA

CENTRAL ASIA

Tajikistan: World Bank Offer Energizes Rogun Hydropower Project BY KONSTANTIN PARSHIN

CAUCASUS

Georgia: Alleged Telephone Tapes Stir Controversy over Fake Russian Invasion Report BY MOLLY CORSO

> For further information: www.eurasianet.org

* Ice sede centrale di Roma (Italy)

VATTANI: L'ICE, INSIEME ALL' ASSOCIAZIONE RONDINE, PER SVILUPPARE UN INTERSCAMBIO CULTURALE OLTRE CHE COMMERCIALE NELLE AREE GEOGRAFICHE IN CONFLITTO (CAUCASO, BALCANI, MEDIO ORIENTE, AFRICA)

Roma, 19 marzo 2010 – “L'ICE - dichiara il Presidente Umberto Vattani - con l' Accordo firmato con l'Associazione Rondine Cittadella della Pace e l'Associazione Imprenditori per la Pace, si impegna tramite la propria Rete in Italia e all'estero a far coincidere l'attività tipica dell'Istituto di promozione dell'internazionalizzazione delle PMI italiane, di informazione e formazione, con una finalità più alta e umanamente significativa, ovvero quella della cultura del dialogo e della pace”.

I presidenti delle tre Istituzioni, rispettivamente Umberto Vattani, Franco Vaccari e Valentino Mercati si sono riuniti nel primo pomeriggio presso la Sede romana dell'ICE per firmare l'Accordo che prevede la collaborazione delle Parti per favorire lo sviluppo dei rapporti economici tra l'Italia, le aree geografiche da cui provengono gli studenti di Rondine e le Aree di interesse delle aziende dell'Associazione Imprenditori, nella convinzione che tali rapporti siano presupposto per il consolidarsi di una cultura condivisa del dialogo e della pace.

“L'ICE – ha aggiunto il Presidente dell'ICE - fornirà un supporto sia sul versante dei servizi di informazione e assistenza, attraverso alcune agevolazioni alle imprese italiane dell'Associazione Imprenditori sia sul piano dell'attività di formazione, dando accesso agli studenti selezionati dall'Associazione Rondine agli stage formativi presso gli Uffici ICE in Italia e all'estero”

L'Associazione Rondine Cittadella della Pace, con sede in provincia di Arezzo, promuove la cultura del dialogo e della pace. Tramite lo Studentato Internazionale offre ai propri allievi provenienti da aree geografiche in conflitto (Caucaso, Balcani, Medio Oriente, Africa) un percorso formativo a livello universitario che si conclude con l'inserimento in posizioni chiave nei rispettivi Paesi d'origine.

L'Associazione Imprenditori per la Pace, invece, raggruppa le principali imprese della produzione tipica toscana creando sinergie con i giovani formati dall'Associazione Rondine, realizzando un circolo di scambi economici e culturali con i loro Paesi d'origine.

Nelle parole del Presidente dell'Associazione Rondine, Franco Vaccari: ”Cresce Rondine, crescono le imprese amiche di Rondine. E' una nuova scommessa vinta: un impegno serio nell'educazione e nella formazione culturale porta inevitabilmente sviluppo economico. Con questo Accordo tra ICE, Rondine e Imprenditori per la Pace, - prosegue Vaccari - si rende evidente a tutti il prezioso e unico sistema di "ambasciatori" rappresentato dai giovani leaders, usciti dal percorso formativo dello Studentato Internazionale, che rappresentano concrete opportunità di sviluppo nelle relazioni tra Arezzo, la Toscana, l'Italia e i tanti paesi di provenienza in cui da anni Rondine sviluppa relazioni ai vari livelli”.

“Con l'accordo odierno – afferma Valentino Mercati, Presidente dell'Associazione Imprenditori per la Pace - si è attivata una collaborazione fra tre Enti che, avendo gli stessi valori etici, potranno sviluppare in sinergia fra di loro forti iniziative in tutte le aree di conflitto internazionali a cui si dedica lo studentato di Rondine. Non sarà solo l'impegno formativo dei ragazzi, su cui eccelle Rondine, ma anche i supporti per l'inserimento di questi dirigenti nel tessuto economico dei rispettivi paesi, che potranno contare su un rapporto privilegiato con le imprese Italiane. Ci aspetta un lavoro importante che non potrà non dare frutti sia nel breve che nel lungo termine.”

> For further information: www.ice.it

* Interfax (Russia and Cis)

Interfax Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama March 19, 2010

Russia & CIS Banking and Finance Weekly March 19, 2010

Russia & CIS Business and Investment Weekly March 19, 2010

> For further information: www.interfax.com

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

Invito al Premio Lerici Pea - Приглашение на вручение премии Леричи Пея

Invito al reading Ponte Di Poesia presso l'Istituto Italiano di Cultura - Приглашение на поэтический вечер Понтэ Ди Поэзия в Итальянском Институте Культуры

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

* Latvian Centre for Human Rights (Latvia)

Newsletter of March 19, 2010

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

* Memorial (Russia and Cis)

Special operation in Ekazhevo. March 2-3. Details, testimonies, photos

Human rights center Memorial has already reported about special operation in the village of Ekazhevo (Ingushetia) on March 2-3, 2010 (http://www.memo.ru/eng/news/2010/03/19/1903101.htm).

On March 10, members of HRC Memorial visited Ekazhevo and met the relatives of Kartoev brothers who are accused of the involvement in illegal armed groups and harbouring in their house an ideologist of armed North Caucasian underground Said Buriatsky (Alexander Tikhomirov).

Umatgiri Kartoev, head of the family, tells that around 6am on March 6 he was returning home from a mosque. Suddenly many officers of federal law enforcement authorities appeared on Kartoev street. They blocked Kartoev's house and the houses of his sons living nearly. Kartoevs did not understand anything. Suddenly the shooting started. The density of fire was very high, shooting did not stop till night.

Siloviks fired at the house of an elder son, Tukhan Kartoev, DOB 1970. Movlatkhan Kartoeva, his mothers, tells that Tukhan was killed almost at once when left the house after had heard sounds of shooting and a neighbor's cry for help. His brother Nazir, DOB 1978, was supposedly killed on the street when he was trying to enter his brother Beslan's courtyard. During the firing at the Kartoevs' houses another brother – Akhmed, DOB 1981 – was killed.

Some houses were gravely damaged. On the first day Tukhan's house suffered damages most.

Three more brothers Kartoev were detained – Tarkhan, DOB 1972, Tatarkhan, DOB 1973, and Beslan, DOB 1977. Parents thought that also their son Magomed, DOB 1979, had been detained because they could not find him anywhere.

The bodies of killed were taken to Nazran morgue. The district where the special operation was being held remained under control of siloviks.

On March 3, members of law enforcement authorities started searching Kartoevs' houses. Suddenly the shooting began. It continued the whole day. Later it was officially announced that one of the boeviks who had survived the day before and was hiding in the basement of the house started shooting at the members of the investigation group. One of them was killed. Also one OMON officer was severly wounded. Magomed Kartoev hiding in the basement was also killed.

In the evening of March 3 the bodies of the killed were taken from the morgue in an unknown direction. The bodies of the Kartoev brothers were not given to the relatives. On March 16 the relatives submitted an application to the Ingush public prosecutor but so far the bodies of the killed have not been given to them.

Since 4 till 6 March siloviks stayed at the territory of the special operation. Umatgiri Kartoev says that they robbed seven houses that belonged to his family, then ruined them and set on fire.

On March 7 Umatgiri with relatives was invited to visit Ingush president Unus-Bek Yevkurov. He said that the ideologist of boeviks Said Buriatskii was hiding in the brothers' house and that Umatgiri's sons were involved in some crimes committed at the territory of Ingushetia including firing at police officers and killing them. Umatgiri stated that did not know who Said Buriatskii was. He said that his sons earned an honest livelihood and that the authorities never laid claims to any of them.

Kartoevs' relatives and neighbors also doubt that Tikhomirov was hiding exactly at Kartoev street. They suppose that he could have been killed together with two other boeviks in the house of Dobrievs, at Albogachieva street. There was also a fight on March 2 at that street. This house is situated more than in a half a kilometer from Kartoevs' houses, at the end of the street, it is not enclosed with a fence. Local residents say that the owners of the house have not been living there for already a long time. They used to rent this house out, in recent months there were no lodgers. On March 2 at 6am Dobrievs' house was blocked by the siloviks. They shot at it by different types of armors for almost a whole day. As a result, the house was totally ruined. It was impossible to leave even the neighboring houses so there are no witnesses who would confirm that someone fired from the house.

Three bodies were pulled out of the ruins.

At the Albogachiev street some people with the surname Kartoev were detained. Witnesses say that the young men were detained only in the heat of the moment. Siloviks illegally searched the houses neighboring to the Dobrievs' one, they intentionally damaged furniture and cars. The owners say that after the searches some their valuables were missing.

According to the official version, seven boeviks were killed during the special operation in Ekazhevo among them Said Buriatskii, four brothers Kartoevs, a certain B. Dalgiev and a still not unidentified person. Another member of this armed group, Adam Kodzoev, DOB 1979, a member of Federal Treasury in Ingushetua, was killed on March 4 at the village of Srednie Archaluki. Federal Security Service (FSS) reports that he was a financier of the group. FSS also says that since November 2009 till February 2010 this group committed 15 terrorist acts in relation to representatives of authorities and civil population.

During the special operation ten residents of Ekazhevo were detained. All of them were taken to a Moscow investigation isolation ward Lefortovo. Among the detained there are three survived Umatgiri Kartoev's sons, six people with surname Kartoev more and Zelimkhan Aushev. These detained are indicted of involvement in the explosion of the train Nevsky express on November 27, 2009.

For the testimonies of the witness' (in Russian) see the Memorial's site http://www.memo.ru/2010/03/18/1803102.htm

> For further information: www.memo.ru

* Ministero degli Esteri (Italy)

Telefonata Frattini Clinton

Roma, 19 marzo 2010

Di rientro da Damasco, dove ha accompagnato il Presidente della Repubblica Napolitano in visita di Stato, e nel quadro dello stretto raccordo bilaterale con gli Stati Uniti , il Ministro Frattini ha avuto oggi un cordiale colloquio telefonico con il Segretario di Stato statunitense Hillary Clinton, nel corso del quale sono stati discussi alcuni temi di rilevante attualità nei rapporti tra i due Paesi e nel più ampio quadro transatlantico.

Il Ministro Frattini ha voluto esprimere al Segretario di Stato Clinton le più sentite congratulazioni per i risultati della riunione ministeriale del Quartetto sul Medio Oriente svoltasi a Mosca, e ha assicurato che il Presidente del Consiglio Berlusconi sosterrà, anche in occasione del prossimo Vertice della Lega Araba cui è stato invitato, le posizioni espresse dal Quartetto quale importante punto di riferimento per il rilancio delle prospettive di pace nella regione.

I due Ministri hanno avuto uno scambio di vedute anche sulle tematiche della sicurezza, in vista della prossima riunione dei Ministri degli Esteri della NATO che si svolgerà a Tallinn il 22 aprile, e sulla cooperazione tra Italia e Stati Uniti nel campo della sicurezza energetica, che ha ricevuto ulteriore impulso a seguito della recente visita in Italia dell' Inviato del Sottosegretario di Stato per l'energia, Ambasciatore Morningstar. Sono stati, su tutti questi temi, ribaditi gli eccellenti rapporti di collaborazione e di alleanza strategica tra Italia e Stati Uniti.

> For further information: www.esteri.it

* The Moscow Times (Russia and Cis)

Conference update of March 19, 2010

News summary update of March 19, 2010

> For further information: www.themoscowtimes.com

* Nato (Belgium)

VISIT TO NATO OF ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

The Romanian Foreign Minister, Mr. Tehodor Baconschi, will visit NATO Headquarters on Monday 22 March 2010. He will meet the Secretary General, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

There is no media opportunity. Still photographs will be available on the NATO website after the event.

> For further information: www.nato.int

* Osce (Austria, Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia)

Georgian Vice Prime Minister presents engagement strategy to OSCE Permanent Council, affirms Georgia's support for OSCE presence on the ground

VIENNA, 19 March 2010 - Georgian Vice Prime Minister Temur Yakobashvili addressed a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council today to present Georgia's strategy for engagement through co-operation following the conflict in August 2008.

Yakobashvili, who also serves as the State Minister for Reintegration of Georgia, said that the strategy was the result of wide consultations with local as well as international experts and stakeholders, and aimed to be a roadmap for engagement and co-operation, addressing issues including healthcare, education, trade, environment and infrastructure.

"Because all these areas are of a humanitarian nature we call this a 'humano-centric' strategy, focusing on the needs of people, not politicians," he said. "While developing the strategy we tried to take into account the practical needs of the population and those who were affected by the war."

Yakobashvili said the Georgian government was working on an action plan for the strategy, entitled "State Strategy on Occupied Territories: Engagement through Co-operation", and aimed to organize a conference with all stakeholders to discuss its implementation.

"The implementation conference is a concrete forum where the OSCE can contribute greatly," he said in his report submitted to the Permanent Council.

"The OSCE has unique instruments and capabilities aimed at promoting confidence-building activities on the ground. We have seen and experienced this while the OSCE Mission to Georgia was working on the ground, promoting interaction between the war-torn societies and households."

He affirmed Georgia's support for the Geneva Discussions co-chaired by the OSCE, European Union and United Nations, and said the government was committed to restoring an OSCE presence on the ground. The OSCE Mission to Georgia closed in June 2009.

"It is the intention of the Government of Georgia to bring the OSCE back to Georgia," he said.

The next round of the Geneva Discussions - which have taken place in two parallel working groups addressing security and stability in the region and humanitarian questions - will be held on 30 March.

Read

European human rights bodies call for decisive action against racism and xenophobia

WARSAW, STRASBOURG, VIENNA, 19 March 2010 - In a joint statement ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) strongly condemn manifestations of racism and xenophobia, with a particular focus on the Internet:

"We must remain vigilant in the face of racist behaviour and incidents, including hate crimes and malicious expressions of hate and racist sentiments on the Internet.

"Our organizations are alarmed by patterns and manifestations of racism such as the ever-increasing use of the Internet by racist groups for recruitment, radicalisation, command and control, as well as for the intimidation and harassment of opponents. The Internet has become an important communications channel that links people in 'cyberspace', who then meet and take action in the physical world.

"Social networking sites are now prime locations for the spread of racist and xenophobic views, especially among young people. We must challenge such views, while being careful not to undermine freedom of expression.

"The danger emanating from hate spread through the Internet has long been recognized by the international community and our organizations dedicate serious attention to this issue. Prominent examples include ECRI's General Policy Recommendation N° 6 on Combating the Dissemination of Racist, Xenophobic and Antisemitic Material via the Internet and the upcoming 22 March ODIHR expert meeting on challenges of combating crimes motivated by hate on the Internet.

"At the same time, we strongly believe in the Internet's huge potential to overcome bias and prejudices based on characteristics including race, colour, language, nationality or national origin or religion. This potential should be fully utilized.

"We, the signatories of this statement, believe that:

governments should investigate and prosecute criminal threats of violence based on racial, ethnic, religious or other bias and fully use existing domestic and international legal instruments and co-operation channels in this regard;

governments should provide training to law enforcement officers and prosecutors on addressing hate crimes motivated by racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic or other related bias on the Internet;

governments should reflect on whether national legislation provides an adequate basis to respond to crimes motivated by racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic or other related bias on the Internet;

governments should establish or expand educational programmes for children and young people about expressions motivated by racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic or other related bias they may encounter on the Internet and include media literacy training in school curricula;

effective measures addressing hate on the Internet that do not endanger freedom of speech and expression should be identified and disseminated;

civil society should explore ways of utilizing the popularity of social networking sites to combat racism;

civil society's efforts to monitor the Internet for manifestations of hate, and efforts to share and publicise the findings should be encouraged and supported;

the Internet industry should take an active role in addressing the issue of hate on the Internet and develop and implement effective complaints response mechanisms while respecting freedom of expression."

Ambassador Janez Lenarcic

Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Morten Kjaerum

Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Nils Muiznieks

Chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

Read

> For further information: www.osce.org

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

Newsletter settimanale Nr. 11/2010

Primo Piano

Fuga

La crisi spinge alla fuga dai Balcani? La liberalizzazione del regime dei visti arma a doppio taglio? Polemiche sul presunto esodo di massa da Serbia e Macedonia verso l'Ue. Di certo sinora c'è solo una truffa in grande stile: false agenzie di viaggio trasportavano migranti verso Bruxelles per poche centinaia di euro.

Senza dubbio, però, per molti un passaporto Ue significa una possibilità in più. Per questo in tanti aspirano a quello bulgaro. Ora nuove norme dovrebbero rendere più trasparenti le procedure per la richiesta di cittadinanza. Evitando che a goderne siano soprattutto intermediari e gruppi criminali.

Fughe invocate anche in Romania, ma da modelli anticrisi neoliberisti. Anche il 2010 per Bucarest sarà un anno difficile. E i 20 miliardi di dollari in arrivo da FMI, Banca Mondiale e Ue serviranno probabilmente ad ammortizzare la caduta ma non a stimolare la ripresa. Un approfondimento del nostro corrispondente Cornel Ban.

Notizie

Crisi, corsa ad ostacoli

L'economia romena probabilmente rimarrà in recessione per buona parte del 2010. Un pacchetto di aiuti del valore di 20 miliardi di dollari da FMI, Banca Mondiale e Ue servirà più da stabilizzatore macroeconomico che da stimolo per l'economia della Romania. Un'analisi

In prigione

Corruzione e minacce. Srečko Prijatelj, uomo di punta del Partito nazionale è il primo parlamentare sloveno a finire in prigione. La vicenda coinvolge anche il ministro (ora ex) per l'Agricoltura Milan Pogačnik e il leader del partito nazionale Zmago Jelinčič

Risoluzione Srebrenica

Il presidente serbo Tadić spinge per l'adozione in parlamento di una risoluzione su Srebrenica: una condanna del massacro del luglio 1995. Perché proprio ora? Quale l'impatto sull'opinione pubblica? Ne parliamo con Vojin Dimitrijević, direttore del Belgrade Center for Human Rights

L'incubatore

Sviluppo economico? Cooperazione allo sviluppo? Nei Balcani i due ambiti s'intersecano sempre più. In Macedonia per promuovere le giovani aziende si tenta per la prima volta la strada degli incubatori d'impresa. Una sfida assunta da realtà no-profit. Un'intervista

L'ombra del genocidio

Il voto del Congresso americano sul genocidio e il futuro dei protocolli d'intesa firmati da Ankara e Yerevan in ottobre. Il dibattito in Armenia

Passaporti bulgari

Nei Balcani il passaporto bulgaro è uno dei più richiesti, soprattutto dai criminali. Sui quotidiani di Sofia si parla apertamente di "mafia dei passaporti". Ora in Bulgaria una nuova legge vuole rendere più trasparenti le procedure di rilascio del documento, a scapito di intermediari e pratiche corruttive

Tra tradizionalismo e tolleranza

Un tradizionalista del Nord dell'Albania? Nient'affatto, piuttosto un leader pragmatico che molto si ispira all'omologo italiano. Il rapporto tra Silvio Berlusconi e Sali Berisha, premier albanese. Le relazioni e gli stereotipi che legano i due paesi. Un commento

Bruxelles, mon amour

Quello che sembrava un esodo di massa da Serbia e Macedonia verso l'Unione europea, grazie alla liberalizzazione del regime dei visti, si è rivelata una truffa in grande stile. False agenzie di viaggio trasportavano migranti verso Bruxelles in cambio di poche centinaia di euro

Sempre on-line

Sono passati 10 anni. E Osservatorio continua nella sua attività di informazione e approfondimento su Balcani e Caucaso. Per il decennale rilancia: con un nuovo portale

Appuntamenti

L'amore, la guerra, la pace

Incontro con l'artista e regista Emir Kusturica, intervistato da Luka Zanoni caporedattore di Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso BOLZANO, 22 marzo

I romeni in Italia tra rifiuto e accoglienza

Presentazione del libro bilingue di Caritas Romania e Caritas Italiana ROMA, 25 marzo

Trenutek reke / Il tempo del fiume

Proiezione in prima visione del documentario di Nadja Velušček e Anja Medved. In occasione della Giornata mondiale dell'acqua GORIZIA, 22 marzo

Opportunità

RTM cerca Volontario Internazionale Reggio Terzo Mondo, nell'ambito del Volontario internazionale, cerca un responsabile per il progetto di Educazione alla Pace da realizzare nella Municipalità di Klina, in Kosovo. Il contratto proposto, rinnovabile, ha durata di un anno ad iniziare dal 1° luglio 2010. Le mansioni riguardano la supervisione del personale e delle attività di una scuola d'infanzia in area rurale; l'organizzazione di percorsi formativi rivolti al personale docente; l'organizzazione di percorsi di animazione giovanile in contesti multietnici. Sono richieste: laurea e/o studi in ambito educativo; comprovata esperienza professionale nel settore; forte propensione al lavoro in team; conoscenza di base della lingua inglese; disponibilità ad apprendere le lingue locali; disponibilità a effettuare un periodo di formazione nel periodo maggio-giugno 2010. È prevista la copertura delle spese di vit to, alloggio, assicurazione e trasporto in loco, nonché un piccolo rimborso mensile per spese personali. Gli interessati devono inviare entro il 30 aprile 2010 il loro CV accompagnato da una lettera di motivazione a: simone.lusuardi@reggioterzomondo.org. Info: RTM, Via Mogadiscio 1, Reggio Emilia - telefono: 0522 514205 - web: www.reggioterzomondo.org

> For further information: www.balcanicaucaso.org

* Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland)

Please find enclosed next issue of the Bulletin: Issue of Iceland's Membership of the European Union by Adam Szymański.

In an opinion issued in February the European Commission recommended commencing accession talks with Iceland. Although Iceland is to a great extent integrated with the EU through its membership of the EEA, a successful outcome will depend on finding a solution to problems arising due to the economic crisis and adoption of EU legislation outside of the areas covered by the EEA. Iceland's membership of the EU, which Poland should support, is possible three years from now at the earliest.

> For further information: www.pism.pl

* The Presidency of Russian Federation (Russia and Cis)

Daily news report of March 19, 2010

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

* Seenews (Bulgaria and Balkans)

Daily news report of Albania (March 19, 2010)

Read and click ALBANIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Bosnia-Herzegovina (March 19, 2010)

Read and click BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA on menu bar

Daily news report of Bulgaria (March 19, 2010)

Read and click BULGARIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Croatia (March 19, 2010)

Read and click CROATIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Macedonia (March 19, 2010)

Read and click MACEDONIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Moldova (March 19, 2010)

Read and click MOLDOVA on menu bar

Daily news report of Montenegro (March 19, 2010)

Read and click MONTENEGRO on menu bar

Daily news report of Romania (March 19, 2010)

Read and click ROMANIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Serbia (March 19, 2010)

Read and click SERBIA on menu bar

Daily news report of Slovenia (March 19, 2010)

Read and click SLOVENIA on menu bar

> For further information: www.seenews.com

* The Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia)

Free Newsletter - March 19, 2010 - In this issue:

1. UN expands development assistance to Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan, March 19, 2010-issue 608) BY LIDIA SAVINA TCA CONTRIBUTOR

BISHKEK (TCA) — The launch of the One UN Program in Kyrgyzstan was announced at a press conference held at the UN House in Bishkek last week. UN Resident Coordinator Neal Walker and UNICEF Representative Tim Shaffter took part in the event.

Over the past two years, Kyrgyzstan has been experiencing a convergence of food and energy insecurity that has had effects on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups in the country, Walker noted. “A harsh winter, followed by low precipitation during spring and summer of 2008 led to depletion of the country's hydroelectric resources and compromised the energy resilience of Kyrgyzstan; soaring food and fuel prices, adverse weather conditions and declining compensation further limited the purchasing power of the most vulnerable and contributed to a precarious food security situation for some,” said Walker. In response to the world economic crisis in 2008, the United Nations, in consultation with the Government of Kyrgyzstan and other humanitarian partners, issued a Humanitarian Flash Appeal for around $14.8 million to ensure backup power systems for critical facilities and to meet the basic needs of the 800,000 most vulnerable people in the country, Walker added. Since the launch of the Flash Appeal, the global recession has had a serious impact on the Kyrgyz Republic. The United Nations Country Team and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic have agreed that coherent collaboration will be a key requirement to expand current development assistance to address the new emerging challenges stemming from the convergence of the global economic crisis and inherent country vulnerabilities, said the UN Resident Coordinator. One UN Program offers new ways of enhancing UN coherence at the country level in Kyrgyzstan, continued Walker. All projects will work to reduce the impact of energy and food insecurity and the global economic crisis on the most vulnerable in the country. Specific funding allocations will be assigned to the proposed projects in six thematic areas: social services, food security, agriculture, energy, environment, and risk management. Funding of a total $3.626 million was committed for the implementation of the One UN Program in Kyrgyzstan in 2010, Walker explained. This sum represents core UN funding granted to the UN system in Kyrgyzstan to be allocated to projects determined jointly between the United Nations and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic through the Joint Steering Committee (JSC). The JSC will provide overall strategic guidance for the One UN Program. The JSC will consist of two representatives of the United Nations in Kyrgyzstan and two representatives of the Government. The UN Resident Coordinator will co-chair the JSC on behalf of the UN with the First Vice-Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. The JSC will monitor the overall progress of One UN Program and results achieved by the executing partners; review and jointly approve criteria for resource allocation; review and approve allocations of One Fund resources to projects and joint program, Walker continued. The UN continues to pay special attention to the situation of maternal mortality in Kyrgyzstan, said Tim Schaffter, Representative of UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan. One of the priorities of the new initiative will be assistance to Kyrgyzstan in developing the health care system. Some activities will be aimed specifically at reducing maternal mortality. At present, UNICEF has selected six major maternity homes throughout the country. They plan to update the material and technical base of maternity wards, and establish a system of recording births, medical observation of pregnancy, as well as improve the skills of doctors and nurses. These measures will reduce the maternal mortality ratio. The UN's One Program will ensure more efficient assistance for a greater impact, Walker concluded.

2. LETTER FROM THE STEPPE: Their heads have been saved (Kazakhstan, March 19, 2010-issue 608) By Charles van der Leeuw special to TCA

ALMATY — "Governors are required to support business development, [allowing their provinces to] generate taxable income, rather than beg the government for money. In practice, land, infrastructure and zones with subsoil resources are inaccessible to modest-sized enterprise. Many resources are in the hands of those either unable or unwilling to commercialize them. This must be put an end to!"

And: "No one is checking the viability and productivity of projects [funded by the state]. [Local officials] just cut the ribbon and leave it at that. Who needs this mere display, this sham?!?" Finally: "Local authorities must show true efficiency and viability, creating favorable living conditions for the population. The governors must be closer to the people and well aware of their needs and problems. [...] A local governor ought to give the right example in terms of abiding by the law before demanding it from those under his authority. You are appointed to serve the people!" Dixit Princeps (The First Citizen Spoke). Not in the brand-new glamorous halls of Astana, but at a trade and finance conference in Ak-Orda, deep in the heartland of Kazakhstan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev exploded in a manner veteran Soviet officials should remember all too well. The only difference is that Nazarbayev did it in the public eye whereas the "red czars" of the Soviet empire did it behind closed doors, leaving it to the public and the media to guess why certain figureheads failed on the balcony of the Kremlin during the October parade. The only thing cabinet ministers (most of whom had been summoned last weekend to Ak-Orda) could do is look down in shame as several of them heard their dismissal announced while others had to swallow a severe warning: "One day in this very room I received solemn vows from Prime Minister Karim Masimov and Minister of Industry and Trade Aset Isekeshev that their heads were on the executioner's block. Their heads have been saved. Let me remind you that you all have heads!" Isekeshev has been moved to the post of Minister of Industry and New Technologies — a key post in the context of Nazarbayev's urge to speed ahead with Kazakhstan's development into a modern industrial state. The trade department is being moved from Isekeshev's former Ministry of Industry and Trade to the newly-established Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. The Natural Resources Department will instead be put under the Industry Ministry's umbrella with the exception of oil and gas which will be put under the authority of a separate new Ministry of Oil and Gas. The Information Department will be moved from under the Ministry of Culture and Information to the Ministry of Communication. What that means for Kazakhstan's controversial media policy is yet to be determined. A cabinet reshuffle in Kazakhstan is nothing new. The previous government under Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov was dismissed almost as swiftly and smoothly as it had been installed a couple of years earlier. At the time, the main reason for the government's dismissal seemed to be the overall incompetence of a large number of its members. This time, it appears there is a more structural goal: reducing the power of state companies such as Kazmunaygaz, Kazatomprom, the national power grid KEGOC and as it appears, the Samruk Kazyna state property management fund, in order to bring control over state assets back where it belongs — i.e. within the government. The creation of a new Oil and Gas Ministry outside the realm of the other ministries is a clear signal to top executives of state companies: no more wild adventures, but instead, public control. The dilemma should be clear. The state does not have enough control over the way billions of dollars are taken from the state treasury. The projects which funds have been allocated to are spread all over the country. The country is divided into provinces each of which is headed by a governor or akim in Kazakh. Each province is divided into districts and micro-districts, the heads and mayors of which are also called akim. Geo-political reforms are thought to include more responsibility for the governors – but it also brings the need to exercise more control over them. Close to the end of his first term and with his re-election campaign already in preparation, Vladimir Putin made millions of friends among common folks in Russia's federal republics by appropriating to the head of state the exclusive right to hire and fire governors. Since, in Russia governors and heads of autonomous federal republics make up the upper chamber of parliament, this automatically established presidential control over the Senate. Taking over this formula in Kazakhstan, though, tends to raise fears among the Kazakhs, who make up a very narrow ethnic majority in the country. In the north, Russians prevail, as do Tartars and Bashkirs in the northwest. Kazakhs tend to fear the spectre of breakaway regions after the example of Nagorno-Karabakh, South-Ossetia, Abkhazia and Moldova's maverick Trans-Dnyestr Republic. This amply illustrates that Nazarbayev's outburst is about a lot more than just spending subsidies and marginalizing executives of state corporations. It touched upon the deepest feelings within Kazakhstan's multi-ethnic nation.

3. World Bank to conduct feasibility study of Rogun project (Tajikistan, March 12, 2010-issue 608) By Rakhim Nazarov

DUSHANBE (TCA) — According to Motu Konishi, Regional Director of the World Bank (WB) for Central Asia, the WB and Tajik government have reached the final stage in the issue to conduct a feasibility study and environmental assessment of the Rogun hydropower plant (HPP) project. Earlier, the government suggested we conduct a feasibility study and environmental assessment of the project. We were searching for funding to conduct the study, and finally, the time has come, said Konishi.

According to Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon, the examination should be conducted at a high level, and its results should be available to countries located in the lower reaches of the Vakhsh river, on which the Rogun HPP is being built. “President Rakhmon insisted that after the examination of the Rogun HPP project, we are to provide a report to countries located in the lower reaches of the Vakhsh river, and the WB will surely do so,” noted Konishi. “The WB will thoroughly evaluate the project, involving specialists from many countries. If the Rogun HPP project proves its financial and environmental sustainability, the WB will assist the Tajik government to create an international consortium to build the HPP. The Tajik government and the WB will sign a memorandum regarding this issue. It will take about three months to hold a bid for selecting a contractor to conduct the study and environmental assessment of the project. The feasibility study and environmental assessment will take from 12 to 18 months,” Konishi added. The WB representative noted that the World Bank will finance the study. The construction of the Rogun HPP will continue together with the feasibility study, and the construction standards will be monitored simultaneously. Tajik experts believe that it is necessary to continue the construction of Rogun along with the international examination. The government made the right decision involving the WB in conducting the study and environmental assessment. After examination, the World Bank may assist Tajikistan in completing the construction of Rogun. However, it is necessary to conduct our own study for the effective use of the facility, experts noted. According to Khomid Arifov, expert on energy issues, it concerns the use of advanced technologies, new types of building materials and technology. It is necessary to install two units with 600 megawatt capacity each, and the remaining four units should have a capacity of 700 megawatts each. Arifov noted that none of the countries can dictate to Tajikistan the conditions for conducting the international study of the Rogun HPP, which passed all possible examinations in the Soviet era. None of the Central Asian countries conducts international examinations, nor consults with other countries when building a reservoir on its own territory. Since Tajikistan conducts these studies, it is necessary to raise the question of holding such studies in other Central Asian countries on rational and equitable water consumption. The environmental component is important in this issue, said Arifov. Meanwhile, the sale of shares and share certificates of the Rogun HPP continues in Tajikistan. According to the Ministry of Finance, the total sum of shares and share certificates sold through February 20 totaled 732.4 million somoni (about $168 million). These funds went for the construction of the Rogun HPP through public and private banks.

4. Despite cash injections, Uzbek entrepreneurs struggling (Uzbekistan, March 19, 2010-issue 608) By Dilshod Ashurmatov

TASHKENT (TCA) — In spite of the financial crisis, Uzbekistan will increase bank loans to small and medium size businesses (SMBs). Approximately $1.7 billion will be directed to support SMBs in 2010, 1.4 times more than last year. However, businessmen believe the survival of SMBs is not dependent on loans.

At a government meeting last month regarding the 2009 figures, President Islam Karimov talked about expanding loans to SMBs. Karimov mentioned efforts to prevent illegal interference in the private sector and removing barriers to market activity. Officially, SMBs role in the Uzbek economy continues to grow. Last year, the total compared to GDP was 50.1 percent, up from 48.2 percent in 2008. Small enterprises employ about 8.5 million people, which accounts for about 75 percent of the total working population in Uzbekistan. Nearly 450,000 small businesses are registered in the country, of which 65 percent are within the agricultural sector. Under the program to overcome consequences of the global crisis, the government has put in place a number of measures to improve access to small business loans. Loan terms have been increased up to eighteen months in order to replenish the circulating capital. Uzbekistan's Reconstruction and Development Fund issued loans worth $12 million to Uzbek banks for equipment purchase at about five percent annually. Also, international financial institutions have allocated about $100 million in loans. The government allocates essential funds for supporting the private sector through subsidies to commercial banks with nearly $1.2 billion spent to finance SMBs in 2009. According to Saidullo Abdullayev, Director General of Uzbekistan's Banking Association, state financial support for SMBs is essential. Last year, about $250 million was used to support SMBs, which is quite a good result. About 5,000 projects were financed or re-financed, and more than 390,000 jobs were created. Abdullayev believes that the government has established a sufficiently effective mechanism to deliver funding to SMBs, which allows them to take affordable short term loans. However, other experts, especially those directly involved in the market, believe that the issue of small business survival has nothing to do with loans. The Uzbek government has been implementing measures to support small and medium businesses for few years. Among the recent measures is a reduction in tax rates for small businesses from 8% to 7%. Nevertheless, out of 181 countries represented in the Doing Business rating by the World Bank, Uzbekistan ranks 158th. (In comparison, Kyrgyzstan is ranked 80th, Kazakhstan 82nd, and Russia 143rd.) Last April, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) presented a report on the business environment for the private sector in Uzbekistan in 2009. The report's findings, obtained after interview with entrepreneurs, were disappointing. Businesses are still suffering from arbitrary rules by officials and regulatory bodies, legal insecurity, difficulties in obtaining loans and high taxes. According to one entrepreneur, who wished to remain anonymous, “Some businesses are re-orienting their production. They do not know how they will pay back their loans. Now, all the entrepreneurs think about whether they can afford paying off a loan once they obtain one.” Commercial banks are not willing to operate with subsidized loans and try to compensate through higher amount of collateral. Today the average collateral is 122.4 percent of the loan amount. Thus, not every small business can afford to take the risk. “Instead of allocating money to support small businesses, the government should better encourage consumer loans,” said Alisher Khashimov, an entrepreneur. “If the population had the money, it would give impetus to develop entrepreneurship,” Khashimov added. The adoption of a new Tax Code on January 1, 2008 didn't solve the main problem with the tax system — high fiscal burden on entrepreneurs. The total tax burden on enterprises remains high. For every $1,000 net profit, a company spends $170 for various taxes. Small businesses have to pay seven different taxes. Moreover, most businessmen are not aware of all the changes. “The new Tax Code had to be directly applicable, and was meant to simplify understanding of laws. But in reality it does just the opposite,” believes Anvar Jumayev, an economist. “Most instructions and explanations, written in simple language, were abolished. The situation is as follows: the laws have been changed, but authorities failed to make them clear,” said Jumayev. Another problem – the Uzbek currency conversion into hard currency – remains unresolved. The latest IFC study showed that the average conversion period in 2007 was 37 working days. There are no recent figures, but most market participants believe that this procedure actually takes up to 90 days. However, the government has taken some measures to improve the situation. In 2007, President Karimov reduced the tax on manufacturing equipment purchased by small businesses by 25 percent for five years. Since 2008, companies importing equipment were exempted from VAT. However, these benefits are valid only after commissioning the purchased equipment. It is then no wonder that, according to polls, only 11 percent of small businesses purchase new equipment. The structure of SMBs is influenced by their technological backwardness as well. Only seven percent of small businesses work in the industry and produce 17 percent of the total industrial production. Thus, in the current situation, financial injections into SMBs are not the only answer.

> For further information: www.timesca.com

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

New at Transitions Online - March 19, 2010

Documento assemblea Rai di Bari su Levante e Est Ovest

Emanuele G. — 2010-03-19T17:40:53Z

L'assemblea della redazione giornalistica Rai di Bari, alla quale hanno partecipato anche i rappresentanti sindacali (RSU) dei lavoratori della Sede, si dichiara contraria all'ipotesi formulata dalla Direzione della TGR sul futuro delle rubriche nazionali Est Ovest e Levante.

La fusione delle rubriche – con conseguente dimezzamento da 30 a 15 minuti della durata complessiva – costituisce un preoccupante calo di attenzione nei confronti delle complesse realtà geopolitiche descritte e raccontate con successo da Est Ovest e Levante negli ultimi sette anni. Rubriche non a caso molto seguite anche all'estero, sia in tv che su internet.

E' una scelta che va nella direzione opposta rispetto a quella della politica estera italiana e degli interessi economici e culturali del nostro Paese. Un ridimensionamento che confligge con il ruolo del servizio pubblico radiotelevisivo. Né possono essere plausibili motivazioni di carattere economico, vista l'esiguità dei costi di produzione.

L'assemblea si dichiara indisponibile a ogni decisione che non tenga conto dell'autonomo lavoro di ideazione, proposta e produzione realizzato in questi anni a Bari e Trieste. Due realtà – è il caso di sottolineare – che non sono centri di produzione Rai e che pertanto verrebbero ancor di più penalizzate dal ridimensionamento delle rubriche. Due città che - storicamente - sono le porte dell'Italia verso Est.

Est Ovest e Levante sono conquiste professionali irrinunciabili per le due redazioni.

Per questo l'assemblea della redazione di Bari dichiara lo stato di agitazione e affida al CdR un primo pacchetto di tre giorni di sciopero.

L'assemblea della redazione giornalistica Rai di Bari

Il Comitato di Redazione Rai Bari

Viaggio nella giungla dei compensi - [SIAE] Normativa & Per chi utilizza le opere

Giuseppe Castiglia — 2010-03-19T16:41:57Z

di G. Scorza -

Roma - Non si sono ancora placate le polemiche che hanno accompagnato il varo del c.d. Decreto Bondi in materia di equo compenso per copia privata, varato lo scorso 30 dicembre che, all'orizzonte, si profila un nuovo caso di compensi, più o meno "equi", che l'industria dei fonografici pare intenzionata ad esigere in forza di un contesto regolamentare vecchio - per non dire antico - disordinato, ambiguo e confuso.

Inutile dire che, anche in questo caso, non stiamo parlando di qualche migliaio di euro ma di milioni di euro destinati ad essere dragati dalle centinaia di migliaia di esercizi commerciali operanti nel nostro Paese ed a finire nelle casse dei fonografici dopo esser transitati in parte per la solita SIAE ed in parte per la più giovane SCF - Consorzio Fonografici. Ma andiamo con ordine e partiamo dai fatti.

Nei mesi scorsi decine di migliaia di esercizi commerciali hanno ricevuto una lettera prestampata con la quale la SCF, riferisce che propri incaricati, nel corso di una fantomatica "visita tecnica" - della quale, in realtà, molti dei destinatari della lettera non si sono mai avveduti - avrebbero "rilevato la diffusione di musica registrata o comunque la presenza di apparecchi idonei a detta diffusione (radio, TV, lettori CD, computer, palinsesti dedicati)".

Muovendo da tale presupposto il Consorzio dei fonografici allega alla lettera una fattura ed un bollettino di pagamento, invitando il titolare dell'esercizio commerciale a provvedere al pagamento del compenso che la legge sul diritto d'autore porrebbe "a carico di chi diffonde in pubblico musica registrata... in favore delle case discografiche e degli artisti interpreti ed esecutori". Nella lettera, infine, si chiarisce che "il compenso in questione non sostituisce, ma si aggiunge, a quello dovuto alla SIAE, a beneficio degli autori delle composizioni musicali" e si minaccia "in caso di mancato pagamento del compenso nei termini indicati nel bollettino", l'attivazione di "procedure di recupero coattivo del credito con ulteriore aggravio dei costi".

A leggere la lettera, complice anche l'importo generalmente contenuto di ogni fattura, sembra tutto straordinariamente semplice e lineare con la conseguenza che appare molto più facile pagare e togliersi il pensiero piuttosto che andare a fondo e cercare di capire se ed in che misura le pretese del nuovo "esattore dei diritti" siano giustificate e fondate. La questione, tuttavia, è assai più complessa di quanto la lettera, per ovvie ragioni, non dia a vedere. E gli stessi rapporti tra SCF e SIAE e tra gli importi esatti dai due soggetti sono assai meno lineari di quanto non si voglia lasciar intendere. Vale quindi forse la pena di provare a ricostruire la vicenda addentrandosi, non senza una buona dose di pazienza, nella giungla delle norme nelle quali le pretese della SCF affondano le loro radici.

Il punto di partenza è rappresentato dagli articoli 73 e 73 bis della Legge sul diritto d'autore.

La prima delle due norme stabilisce che "Il produttore di fonogrammi, nonché gli artisti interpreti e gli artisti esecutori che abbiano compiuto l'interpretazione o l'esecuzione fissata o riprodotta nei fonogrammi, indipendentemente dai diritti di distribuzione, noleggio e prestito loro spettanti, hanno diritto ad un compenso per l'utilizzazione a scopo di lucro dei fonogrammi a mezzo della cinematografia, della diffusione radiofonica e televisiva, ivi compresa la comunicazione al pubblico via satellite, nelle pubbliche feste danzanti, nei pubblici esercizi ed in occasione di qualsiasi altra pubblica utilizzazione dei fonogrammi stessi". La seconda, prevede, invece, che un ulteriore compenso - questa volta "equo" - sia dovuto ai medesimi soggetti allorquando l'utilizzo non sia avvenuto a scopo di lucro.

La legge demanda la determinazione della misura dei compensi al Regolamento di attuazione della stessa Legge sul diritto d'autore, Regolamento dettato con il Regio Decreto, 18 maggio 1942, n. 1369 il quale, a sua volta, affida la determinazione della misura del compenso - in realtà con esclusivo riferimento a quello di cui all'art. 73 LDA - ad un decreto del Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri o a speciali accordi "tra le parti". La misura del compenso per l'utilizzazione dei fonogrammi per scopo di lucro a norma di quanto disposto dall'art. 73 LDA è stata determinata con il DPCM, 1 settembre 1975 a norma del quale "in difetto di diverso accordo tra le parti" la misura del compenso di cui all'art. 73 LDA "è commisurata al 2% degli incassi lordi o delle quote degli incassi lordi corrispondenti alla parte che il disco o apparecchio occupa nella pubblica utilizzazione".

La misura dell'equo compenso per l'utilizzazione dei fonogrammi a scopo non lucrativo presso gli esercizi commerciali non è stata, invece, mai determinata.

Chiarito così il contesto normativo di riferimento, veniamo ora a quanto sta accadendo negli ultimi mesi nei quali la SCF, dopo un lungo periodo se non di inattività almeno di torpore, sembra essersi risvegliata e appare determinata a recuperare il tempo - e soprattutto gli incassi - perduti e proviamo a far luce sulle molte ombre che questa vicenda proietta sulle dinamiche di gestione ed utilizzo dei diritti d'autore nel nostro Paese.

Cominciamo da un primo dubbio che non può, a mio avviso, ancora considerarsi risolto. L'utilizzo di un sottofondo musicale in un negozio di abbigliamento, in un barbiere o in un alimentari o, piuttosto, un televisore acceso in un bar o in una pizzeria possono considerarsi forme di utilizzo "a scopo di lucro" a norma dell'art. 73 LDA alla stessa stregua dell'utilizzo di musica e video in una discoteca, in un piano bar o in un locale da ballo? Al riguardo occorre, tuttavia, riconoscere che sin qui tanto la giurisprudenza che il Comitato permanente per il diritto d'autore che si è occupato della vicenda in un recente parere dell'11 dicembre 2008, hanno ritenuto, con poche esitazioni, di poter ricondurre anche la fattispecie dell'utilizzo della musica come sottofondo in un esercizio commerciale all'ipotesi di cui all'art. 73 LDA e, dunque, allo scopo di lucro.

Si tratta, però, di una conclusione che non convince perché, a tacer d'altro, non consente di comprendere quali sarebbero, invece, le forme di utilizzo a scopo non lucrativo di cui all'art. 73 bis LDA.

A prescindere, tuttavia, da tale questione, il punto è un altro e riguarda le modalità di negoziazione e determinazione della misura del compenso e di riscossione degli stessi. Al riguardo sembra opportuno ricordare che lo scorso 12 ottobre, Antonio Catricalà, Presidente dell'Autorità Garante della concorrenza e del Mercato, ha preso carta e penna e scritto ai Presidenti di Senato, Camera e Consiglio dei Ministri nonché all'On. Bondi, Ministro per i beni e le attività culturali, manifestando la propria preoccupazione per la situazione venutasi a creare in relazione all'elevata "conflittualità tra le categorie dei beneficiari dei diritti connessi e degli utilizzatori" con specifico riferimento ai compensi di cui agli artt. 73 e 73 bis LDA. Secondo il presidente dell'Autorità Garante, in particolare, il quadro normativo della materia "non si è mostrato idoneo ad assicurare un'efficace tutela dei contraenti più deboli" e si renderebbe, pertanto, necessario "un ripensamento del descritto quadro normativo al fine di individuare modalità di funzionamento del sistema che, da un lato, riducano il livello di conflittualità dei rapporti negoziali e tutelino più efficacemente i contraenti deboli, dall'altro risultino meno idonee ad incidere sull'esito della libera negoziazione delle parti".

Difficile non convenire con una tanto lucida analisi.

Allo stato, infatti, le centinaia di migliaia di esercizi commerciali italiani sono, loro malgrado, destinatari di richieste convergenti di SCF e SIAE, entrambe preoccupate di garantire ai propri mandanti il miglior risultato economico possibile e non disposte - almeno sin qui - a trovare un accordo che eviti ai titolari degli esercizi commerciali di "cader vittima" di un doppio pagamento, al medesimo titolo.

È la stessa SCF - con un comportamento che, in realtà, lascia perplessi e non brilla né per coerenza né per buona fede - che mentre nelle lettere di accompagnamento alle fatture di cui si è detto sottolinea come "il compenso in questione (n.d.r. quello da essa preteso) non sostituisce ma si aggiunge a quello dovuto a SIAE...", lasciando così intendere che quanto da lei richiesto sia sempre dovuto anche da quanti hanno già versato altro compenso a SIAE, nella convenzione firmata il 30 dicembre scorso con la FIPE - Federazione italiana pubblici esercizi - dà atto espressamente del rischio di "doppi pagamenti" tanto da impegnarsi "ad attivare senza indugi negoziati con AFI ovvero la sua mandataria SIAE al fine di concordare un sistema di riscossione dei compensi di cui all'art. 73 LDA che non leda gli interessi degli esercenti aderenti".

È innegabile, infatti - per quanto entrambe le parti spesso si siano sforzate di sostenere che i compensi da loro esatti si riferiscano ad ambiti e diritti diversi - che la SIAE, allo stato, per effetto, tra l'altro, della convenzione siglata con l'AFI il 23 ottobre scorso, operi anche sul medesimo mercato della SCF, riscuotendo i medesimi compensi ex art. 73 LDA presso il medesimo pubblico degli esercizi commerciali e contribuendo così a creare un clima di intollerabile confusione sul versante della certezza del diritto.

Ce ne sarebbe già abbastanza per invocare una moratoria sulla riscossione dei compensi - equi e meno equi - per la diffusione di fonogrammi negli esercizi commerciali ma non basta. Sussistono, infatti, forti perplessità sulle modalità di determinazione e riscossione dei compensi cui la SCF sta facendo ricorso.

Cominciamo dal principio. Il diritto al compenso di cui all'art. 73 LDA - anche a voler riconoscere che far suonare una radio nella bottega di un barbiere possa costituire esercizio a fine di lucro di un diritto d'autore - nasce per effetto dell'utilizzo di uno specifico fonogramma su cui insistono i diritti di un particolare produttore e non è - come sembra ritenere o voler indurre a ritenere SCF - una tassa sul possesso di "radio, TV, lettori CD" o persino "computer". La prima conseguenza che occorre trarre da quanto precede è che in assenza di un puntuale accertamento in contraddittorio circa l'effettivo utilizzo di un altrui diritto d'autore, l'obbligo di pagamento del compenso non può presumersi o, semplicemente, desumersi dalla presenza nell'esercizio commerciale di un dispositivo idoneo a riprodurre fonogrammi. Ove tale accertamento manchi ed il diritto azionato potrebbe pertanto risultare insussistente, il contenuto delle lettere prestampate che SCF sta inviando ai titolari di decine di migliaia di esercizi commerciali solleva dubbi e perplessità sotto il profilo della sua legittimità. Non si può paventare a terzi come dovuto un importo - per di più in forza di un generico riferimento normativo - e richiederne il pagamento - allegando, persino, una fattura ed il relativo bollettino di pagamento - se tale circostanza non corrisponde al vero. Lascio ad altri qualificare tale condotta ma faccio fatica a ricondurla al novero delle pratiche commerciali corrette.

Nessun dubbio, peraltro, sussiste circa la circostanza che SCF non possa - in assenza di prove sull'effettiva debenza delle somme richieste - archiviare tra i dati dei propri "debitori morosi" quelli dei titolari di esercizi commerciali cui ha indirizzato una lettera senza aver preventivamente provveduto ad un accertamento in contraddittorio circa l'effettivo utilizzo da parte del destinatario di uno dei fonogrammi sui quali insistono i diritti dei propri mandanti.

Tale trattamento dei dati personali del titolare dell'esercizio commerciale, infatti, sarebbe palesemente illegittimo e gravemente lesivo dei diritti di quest'ultimo.

Al riguardo sarebbe inutile - come pure SCF fa attraverso il proprio sito internet - richiamare precedenti giurisprudenziali nell'ambito dei quali, i Giudici avrebbero riconosciuto il proprio diritto. È, infatti, proprio la lettura a contrario di tali precedenti a rendere evidente che la giurisprudenza esige ai fini dell'accertamento della sussistenza del diritto al compenso la prova dell'utilizzo di un fonogramma sul quale insistano diritti di uno dei mandanti della SCF.

Né la legge sul diritto d'autore né l'arcaica sovrastruttura regolamentare da essa germogliata in materia di compensi ex art. 73 LDA, infatti, prevedono alcuna eccezione al regime dell'accertamento della sussistenza dei diritti spettanti ai titolari. Nessun pagamento, pertanto, è dovuto da parte dei titolari di esercizi commerciali che, pur disponendo di apparecchi idonei alla riproduzione di fonogrammi, non li utilizzino effettivamente per la riproduzione di opere sulle quali insistono diritti di una delle società mandanti di SCF: televisori attraverso i quali ci si limita a consentire la fruizione di eventi sportivi previo pagamento dei relativi diritti, dispositivi utilizzati per la sola riproduzione di basi musicali autoprodotte o prodotte da soggetti diversi rispetto ai mandanti della SCF o, magari, radio che suonano esclusivamente musica di pubblico dominio o diffusa con licenze alternative (CC).

Un altro profilo di dubbia legittimità di quanto sta accadendo concerne la misura del compenso pretesa dalla SCF. Il DPCM 1° settembre 1975, infatti, prevede che "In difetto di diverso accordo fra le parti, la misura del compenso per l'utilizzazione diretta, a scopo di lucro, del disco o apparecchio analogo, dovuto al produttore ai sensi dell'art. 73 della legge 22 aprile 1941, n. 633, sulla protezione del diritto di autore e di altri diritti connessi al suo esercizio e dell'art. 23 del relativo regolamento di esecuzione, è commisurata al 2% degli incassi lordi o delle quote degli incassi lordi corrispondenti alla parte che il disco o apparecchio occupa nella sua pubblica utilizzazione da parte delle categorie di utilizzatori di cui al primo comma del citato art. 73 della legge".

Non è facile - nonostante il contrario avviso del comitato permanente sul diritto d'autore - trasporre il metodo fissato nel lontano 1975 alle dinamiche di utilizzo dei fonogrammi proprie del 2010 ma è fuor di dubbio che competa a SCF procedere, caso per caso - in difetto di accordo - a determinare la misura del compenso preteso alla stregua della "formula" individuata nel citato DPCM. L'applicazione di qualsivoglia diverso criterio, infatti, è priva di adeguata copertura normativa e rende, pertanto, infondata la pretesa.

Allo stesso modo solleva dubbi e perplessità - tanto sotto il profilo della disciplina autorale che sotto quello della disciplina antitrust - la circostanza che SCF possa pretendere importi diversi a parità di situazioni, a seconda che il titolare di un esercizio commerciale sia o meno iscritto ad una determinata associazione o federazione. Come, infatti, reiteratamente stabilito dalla giurisprudenza, il compenso di cui all'art. 73 LDA non ha natura contrattuale ma indennizzatoria con la conseguenza che la sua misura deve necessariamente essere commisurata al sacrificio subito dal titolare dei diritti a fronte di una determinata forma di utilizzo e non appare né ragionevole né legittimo ipotizzare che tale indennizzo vari a seconda che il "pregiudizio" sia arrecato da un soggetto iscritto o non iscritto ad una determinata associazione. Lascia, pertanto, perplessi anche la politica di "sconti" e "sanatorie" avviata da SCF a seguito, ad esempio, della stipula della convenzione del 30 dicembre scorso con la FIPE. Tutti i titolari di esercizi commerciali con caratteristiche omogenee dovrebbero, infatti, scontare tariffe altrettanto omogenee in relazione all'utilizzo dei diritti di cui all'art. 73 LDA essendo, in caso contrario, elevato il rischio di preoccupanti distorsioni nel mercato.

Un ultimo cenno merita la questione degli interessi richiesti da SCF. Come infatti da ultimo stabilito dal Tribunale di Milano con la Sentenza n. 2289 del 23 febbraio 2010, la circostanza che il compenso ex art. 73 LDA abbia natura indennizzatoria e non contrattuale esclude che così come, per contro, pretenderebbe SCF, sugli importi da essa richiesti possano essere altresì pretesi gli interessi calcolati alla stregua della speciale disciplina sui ritardi di pagamento nelle transazioni commerciali. Occhio alle fatture, quindi.

I dubbi e le perplessità non finiscono qui e, proprio per questo, allo stato appare auspicabile che il Ministro Bondi ed il Governo raccolgano il suggerimento del Presidente dell'Autorità Garante per la concorrenza ed il mercato ed avviino senza ritardo un processo di radicale revisione della disciplina vigente che, tra l'altro, segni anche un ripensamento della nozione di utilizzo "a scopo di lucro" di un fonogramma. Fino ad allora credo che una moratoria sull'esazione dei compensi ex artt. 73 e 73 bis LDA sarebbe un gesto dovuto ed apprezzabile da parte dell'industria fonografica che, in ogni caso, alla fine del 2010 sarà più ricca - o se si preferisce meno povera - dell'anno precedente grazie al Decreto sull'equo compenso per copia privata.

Guido Scorza

Presidente Istituto per le politiche dell'innovazione

www.guidoscorza.it Fonte: Punto-Informatico

Promo offerte informatiche, prodotti Asus su: http://www.serviceupgrade.net

L'oppio di Marjah

Redazione — 2010-03-19T07:42:34Z

L'operazione 'Moshtarak' - la più grande offensiva militare alleata dall'invasione dell'Afghanistan nel 2001 - ha consentito alle autorità afgane di riprendere il controllo della cittadina di Marjah e dell'intero distretto rurale di Nadalì, nella provincia meridionale di Helmand. Gli emissari del governo Karzai, che sono tornati ad amministrare queste terre dopo oltre due anni di contropotere talebano, hanno promesso di riaprire le scuole, ristabilire le libertà civili della popolazione e di sradicare la coltivazione dei papaveri da oppio.

Marjah, la capitale dell'eroina. "Distruggeremo le piantagioni di papavero di Marjah e Nadalì, perché la produzione di oppio è illegale", ha dichiarato alla stampa Zalmai Afzali, portavoce del ministero Antidroga, suscitando le proteste della popolazione locale, la cui sussistenza dipende interamente dal 'tariàk', la preziosa resina marrone che si estrae dai papaveri. Secondo l'ultimo rapporto del dipartimento antidroga delle Nazioni Unite (Unodc), la provincia di Helmand produce da sola quasi il 60 per cento di tutto l'oppio afgano (4 mila delle 6.900 tonnellate totali e 70 mila ettari di piantagioni su un totale nazionale di 123 mila), e il distretto di Helmand in cui maggiormente si concentra la produzione (e la raffinazione) è proprio quello di Marjah-Nadalì: zona non a caso nota come 'la capitale afgana dell'eroina'. Ma anche capitale mondiale, visto che l'Afghhanistan produce il 90 per cento dell'eroina che circola sul pianeta.

Nessuno distruggerà le piantagioni. Ma nei giorni scorsi, un esponente del governo afgano, che ha chiesto di non rendere pubblico il suo nome, ha dichiarato a Irin News, l'agenzia giornalistica dell'Onu, che al di là delle dichiarazioni ufficiali, le autorità hanno informalmente concesso ai contadini del distretto di continuare a produrre oppio, per non alienarsi il sostegno della popolazione locale che, senza i guadagni dell'oppio, finirebbe sul lastrico. "Il governo – spiega la fonte – ha garantito che nessuna distruzione di piantagioni verrà effettuata a Marjah e Nadalì, almeno per quest'anno". Una conferma esplicita viene dal nuovo governatore di Marjah: "Bisogna stare attenti con la questione dell'oppio: non lotteremo contro il narcotraffico distruggendo le piantagioni", ha dichiarato Haji Abdul Zahir all'inviato del Miami Herald, che a Marjah ha parlato anche con il maggiore dei Marines David Fennell: "Noi non siamo venuti qui per sradicare i papaveri". Rimane da capire che fine farà il prossimo raccolto.

Il vero scopo dell'Operazione 'Moshtarak'. "L'unico vero scopo dell'operazione 'Moshtarak' - spiega a Peacereporter Safatullah Zahidi, un giornalista locale - era mettere le mani sulle piantagioni di papavero da oppio. E quelle di Marjah e del suo distretto, Nadalì, sono le più grandi e produttive di tutto l'Afghanistan. Grazie all'operazione Moshatarak sono tornate sotto controllo del governo e degli americani, giusto in tempo per il raccolto di marzo. E ora faranno lo stesso con le piantagioni della seconda principale zona di produzione di oppio, quella di Kandahar". Un'interpretazione dei fatti clamorosa, ignorata in Occidente ma largamente condivisa in Afghanistan. Anche da personaggi molto noti e autorevoli, come l'ex parlamentare democratica Malalai Joya, nota in tutto il mondo per il coraggio che ha sempre dimostrato nel denunciare i crimini e la corruzione dei governanti afgani finanziati e protetti dall'Occidente.

Malalai Joya: "Americani coinvolti nel narcobusiness''. "L'obiettivo di queste operazioni militari - ci spiega Malalai - non è quello di sconfiggere i talebani, che vengono regolarmente avvertiti prima in modo da poter fuggire altrove. I talebani e i terroristi servono agli americani per mantenere il mio paese nell'insicurezza, così da avere un pretesto per rimanere in Afghanistan assicurandosi il controllo di questa regione strategica, vicina all'Iran, alla Cina e ai paesi dell'Asia centrale ricche di gas e petrolio, ma anche per continuare a fare affari con lo sporco business dell'oppio. Oppio che, trasformato in eroina, frutta enormi guadagni sia al governo afgano che alle forze americane, che portano la droga fuori dall'Afghanistan con i voli militari che decollano dalle basi aeree di Kandahar e di Bagram. Quest'ultima offensiva in Helmand, che tra l'altro - sottolinea la Joya - ha causato molte più vittime civili di quelle pubblicamente dichiarate, è l'ennesima conferma di ciò: l'obiettivo non era colpire i talebani, che hanno avuto tutto il tempo di scappare, ma semplicemente riprendere il controllo della principale zona di produzione di oppio di tutto il paese".

Centro Studi Est Europa: synthetic overview of March 17 & 18, 2010

Emanuele G. — 2010-03-18T20:25:31Z

Today news:

* Associazione Italia Russia (Italy and Russia)

Per la XV edizione di Arte da Mangiare (Milano, 25 marzo 25 aprile 2010)

L'Associazione Italia Russia presenta nell'ambito dell'iniziativa

TI PRESTO IL MURO

DNA di Anton Parfenov 25 marzo - 24 aprile 2010 Associazione Italia Russia - Via Silvio Pellico 8 Milano Inaugurazione giovedì 25 marzo 2010 18.30 - 21.00

INSETTOMANIA di Jurij Tilman 25 marzo- 24 aprile 2010 Chiostri dell'Umanitaria - Via San Barnaba 48 Milano Inaugurazione giovedì 25 marzo 2010 18.00 - 22.00

COMUNICATO STAMPA

Italia Russia partecipa alla XV edizione di “Orto d'artista: dalla semina al raccolto” per una Milano A-Ortista (25 marzo – 25 aprile 2010), promossa dall'associazione Arte da mangiare mangiare Arte, da molti anni impegnata ad approfondire i rapporti tra arte, cibo e comunicazione.

Il progetto coinvolge diversi artisti chiamati a “raccogliere”, in concomitanza con lo svolgimento del MIART, ciò che hanno “seminato” nel mese di ottobre. Nella serata del 25 marzo nei Chiostri dell'Umanitaria gli artisti procederanno con il raccolto in Orti notturni, un Percorso A-Ortista dalle ore 22.

Fra il 25 e il 27 marzo numerose saranno le iniziative sul tema Arte e cibo, Arte e alimentazione: installazioni, mostre, dibattiti, presentazioni, degustazioni, tavole rotonde. Numerosissimi gli enti e le associazioni che aderiscono al progetto: Acquario civico - Museo di Scienze naturali – Museo Diocesano - Fnac - Makeup studio Diego dalla Palma - Fondazione D'ars Oscar Signorini onlus - Associazione Italia Russia - Parco Nord - Cascina Grande Rozzano - Galleria Venticorrenti (Milano Green Festival) - Farfallario Parco Trotter - Atrio Stazione Garibaldi (green Island 2010) – Elita (Teatro Franco Parenti) - stazione Garibaldi (treno Verde Legambiente) – Scuola Politecnica del Design – MAP di Castiglione Olona.

L'Associazione Italia Russia, ente attivo da anni nella promozione di progetti di scambi e collaborazioni tra i due Paesi e nell'organizzazione di iniziative culturali di ampio respiro, con TI PRESTO IL MURO concede le pareti della propria sede in Via Silvio Pellico 8 a Milano, a giovani artisti esordienti che non hanno mai esposto in Italia e in Russia, con l'obiettivo di promuovere e favorire le espressioni artistiche più interessanti e innovative.

Giovedì 25 marzo alle 18.30 si terrà l'inaugurazione della mostra DNA di Anton Parfenov, giovane di San Pietroburgo da diverso tempo residente in Italia. Nato nel 1985, Anton Parfenov nei suoi lavori si ispira alla street art e all'arte murale. Il titolo dell'esposizione, DNA, richiama l”informazione genetica” che Parfenov vuole individuare, con le proprie opere, nella miriade di volti che popolano le nostre città.

Nei Chiostri dell'Umanitaria, sempre giovedì 25 marzo alle ore 18.00 sarà inaugurata l'installazione dello scultore Jurij Tilman INSETTOMANIA. Jurij Tilman, artista internazionale dalla cultura multiforme, di origine russa, pratica di norma la scultura. Vocazione predisposta sin da bambino dalla manualità dei prigionieri giapponesi, stanziati nella remota Vladivostok, dove è nato. la lunga esperienza di restauro delle icone ai musei del Cremlino, ha fatto poi il resto, permettendoli un approfondimento di conoscenze che lo hanno indotto al recupero dell'icona nell'era del compire, attualizzata, s'intende, nel processo concettuale che contiene una personale visione del mondo, e della moderna linguistica, che predilige la scultura alla pittura.

> For further information: www.associazioneitaliarussia.it

* Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Bosnia and Balkans)

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Balkan Insight Daily No. 488, March 18, 2010

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Balkan Insight Daily No. 487, March 17, 2010

Balkan Insight n. 231

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

* Belarus News and Analysis (Belarus and Cis)

20 new articles posted on March 18, 2010

8 new articles posted on March 17, 2010

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

* Central Asian News Service (Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia)

Daily news report of March 18, 2010

Daily news report of March 17, 2010

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

* Civil Georgia (Georgia)

Daily news online of March 17, 2010

Daily news online of March 16, 2010

> For further information: www.civil.ge

* Council of the European Union (Belgium)

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council - "BELIEVE IN FREEDOM" - Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian independence (original version)

Declaration on the parliamentary and presidential approval of the Kyrgyz law on accession to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR on the abolition of the death penalty (original version)

> For further information: www.consilium.europa.eu

* Le Courrier des Balkans (France and Balkans)

Le Bulletin du Courrier des Balkans N° 703

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

* demosEuropa (Poland)

Invitation to a major speech by Karel de Gucht - EU Commissioner for Trade

Making trade work

25 March 2010 - Sala Ludwikowska, Polonia Palace Hotel Al. Jerozolimskie 45, Warsaw

The EU trade policy should ideally be one of the drivers of economic growth, enabling Europe to emerge from the crisis at an optimal pace. However, if it is supposed to play this role, a thorough reform is needed - both in the EU external trade policy and in the global trade architecture. In the new institutional cycle, the EU will need to address these changes, including the completion of the Doha round, the increased role of emerging powers - BASIC - or the implications of introducing the low-carbon economy for trade flows and policy instruments. But whether the global position of the EU is strengthened or harmed depends on the exact direction of these changes.

How to make trade work? This will be a major theme in the speech by Karel de Gucht, EU Commissioner for Trade, which is organised by demosEUROPA - Centre for European Strategy and European Commission Representation in Poland.

Commissioner de Gucht will take questions from the audience after his speech, which will be delivered in English.

REGISTRATION

Programme

14.30 - 15.00 Registration

15.00 Welcome and introduction

Marie-Therese Duffy-Haeusler, Head of the EU Commission Representation in Poland

Paweł Świeboda, President, demosEUROPA - Centre for European Strategy

15.10 "Making Trade Work" - speech by Karel de Gucht, EU Commissioner for Trade

15.40 Discussion with the audience

16.15 Concluding remarks

Paweł Świeboda, President, 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)

Procurement notices / Opportunities for suppliers, contractors and consultants worldwide:

Railways Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project II (Works), Montenegro

Sibiu MELF: Procurement of equipment associated..., Romania

Substation 400 kV Lemešany - Enlargement (BIDSF-014-09), Slovak Republic

> For further information: www.ebrd.com

* Ec Delegation BiH (Bosnia/Herzegovina and Belgium)

Roundtable in Mostar Held within the EU Project “Theme Weeks” - U okviru EU projekta “Tematske sedmice” odrzan okrugli stol u Mostaru

Theme Weeks on the topic of Bologna process to be held in Banja Luka - Tematske sedmice na temu Bolonjskog procesa odrzat ce se u Banja Luci

> For further information: www.europa.ba

* Economia.hu (Hungary)

Daily update of March 18, 2010

Daily update of March 178, 2010

> For further information: www.economia.hu

* Enel (Albania)

Enel is organizing a Photo Contest entitled " The Power of energy" in Albania.

Enel eshte duke organizuar nje Konkurs Fotografie te titulluar " Fuqia e Energjise" ne Shqiperi

You can find info about this photo contest in the following sites:

Mund te gjeni informacion per kete konkurs ne sitet e meposhtme:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=346808381475

http://www.enel.com/en-GB/group/worldwide/albania/

or if you want to have more information about you can write us at:

ose nese ju nevoitet me shume information mund te na shkruani ne adresen:

infoalbania@enel.com

* Ice ufficio di Budapest (Hungary and Italy)

Abbiamo il piacere di invitarVi al seminario ”Utilizzo indiretto dei fondi europei: le gare d'appalto – Informazioni utili per gli operatori”, organizzato dall'Istituto nazionale per il Commercio Estero (ICE) in collaborazione con la Camera di Commercio Italiana per l'Ungheria (CCIU).

Il seminario si svolgerá in data 14 aprile 2010 dalle ore 15.00, presso l'Hotel Palazzo Zichy, 1088 Budapest, Lőrinc pap tér 2.

In allegato troverete l'invito ed il modulo di partecipazione.

> For further information: Budapest@ice.it

* Institutul Cultural Roman (Romania)

EVENIMENTE

Arte Marţiale cu Ion Bârlădeanu: din ghenă în Parnas

Marţi, 23 martie 2010, la ora 18.00, seria Arte Marţiale de la Institutul Cultural Român îl are ca invitat pe artistul Ion Bârlădeanu. Criticul de artă Erwin Kessler, iniţiatorul întâlnirilor din această serie, va modera confruntarea dintre două perspective asupra fenomenului Bârlădeanu.

Festival de film românesc la Madison, Wisconsin

Institutul Cultural Român în parteneriat cu Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia (CREECA) din cadrul Universității din Madison, Wisconsin, organizează cea de-a patra ediție a Festivalului Filmului Românesc de la Madison, Wisconsin. Evenimentul se va desfășura în perioada 18-20 martie, la Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (227 State Street).

16 scurtmetraje româneşti la Festivalul Internaţional Go Short

În perioada 17-21 martie 2010 are loc la Nijmegen, Olanda, ediţia a II-a a Festivalului internaţional de scurtmetraj Go Short, eveniment la care România are, în acest an, statutul de ţară invitată. Prezenţa românească la festival, sprijinită de Institutul Cultural Român, include 16 scurtmetraje, în cadrul secţiunii Wide Awake.

TIMOC FEST – Tradiţie şi spiritualitate românească în Serbia

În perioada 21 martie – 1 iunie 2010, Institutul Cultural Român, prin Direcţia Români din Afara Ţării, va derula o serie de evenimente culturale organizate de în parteneriat cu asociaţiile româneşti din Timoc (Serbia).

FABRICA DE SCURTMETRAJE 03

În încercarea de a promova filmul de scurtmetraj la nivel naţional, SPUNE PE SCURT a ales ca din luna martie să organizeze FABRICA DE SCURTMETRAJE în parteneriat cu librăriile Cărtureşti. Astfel, Sâmbătă 20 Martie, Fabrica de Scurtmetraje 03 se va ţine în Mansarda Cărtureşti Verona de la ora 20.00.

TARGUL DE CARTE DE LA LEIPZIG

Scriitori români la Târgul de Carte de la Leipzig

Scriitorii Ana Maria Sandu, Doina Ruşti, Vasile Ernu, Ion Vianu şi Adrian-Christian Kuciuk vor fi prezenţi în perioada 18-21 martie 2010 la Târgul de Carte de la Leipzig. Participarea scriitorilor este susţinută de Institutul Cultural Român.

> For further information: www.icr.ro

* Interfax (Russia and Cis)

Interfax Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama March 18, 2010

Interfax Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama March 17, 2010

> For further information: www.interfax.com

* Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Lubiana (Italia)

Si ricorda al nostro gentile pubblico che / spoštovani, mercoledì / Sreda 17 marzo / marec 2010 Ore / ob 18.00

Italijanski inštitut za kulturo Kongresni trg 13, Ljubljana

si svolge il / poteka

Circolo di lettura

Il libro di marzo è Il viaggiatore notturno di Maggiani, un romanzo formulato sull'uso del racconto orale che parla fondamentalmente del bello dal punto di vista morale. Il protagonista vi rievoca due viaggi di lavoro in luoghi antitetici (il deserto nordafricano dell'Hoggar e i boschi della Slovenia e della Bosnia durante la guerra degli anni '90) riflettendo sugli eventi vissuti e sui gesti osservati.

In collaborazione con la Sezione d'Italianistica della Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell'Università di Lubiana

Bralni krožek

Marca bo na vrsti Maggianijev roman Il viaggiatore notturno (Nočni popotnik), ki se oblikuje po zgledu ustne pripovedi in govori predvsem o lepoti z moralnega vidika. Protagonist romana se spominja dveh službenih potovanj v kraje, ki so si pravo nasprotje (severnoafriško puščavo Hoggar ter slovenske in bosanske gozdove med vojno v devetdesetih letih), in ob tem razmišlja o dogodkih, ki jih je doživel in jim bil priča.

V sodelovanju z italijanistično sekcijo Filozofske fakultete v Ljubljani

> For further information: www.iiclubiana.esteri.it

* Latvian Centre for Human Rights (Latvia)

Newsletter of March 18, 2010

Newsletter of March 17, 2010

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

* Memorial (Russia and Cis)

N. Korean citizen abducted in Vladivostok

On March 18, 2010 North Korean citizen Kim Choy Su was abducted by unknown at 9 a.m. Vladivostok time (2 a.m. Moscow time) by unknown.

Several days ago Mr. Su came from Khabarovsk to Vladivostok to meet Vera Slutskaya, the representative of International Organization for Migration and to discuss the possibility of rendering him some help. In the morning he was waiting the arranged time in the car near the hotel where the representatives of the Organization had stayed when another car arrived. Several persons in plain-clothes came out the car and told the driver that his passenger was a criminal. The newcomers put the handcliffs on Kim Choy Su, put him into the car and took away without showing any ID's.

Currently there is no information on the personalities of the abductors and the direction Kim Choy Su was taken to. The representative of IOM Vera Slutskaya has already applied to ombudsman in Primor'ye region and to the local department of internal affairs.

For additional information please call Vera Slutskaya at +7 910 418 0734 and Svetlana Gannushkina at +7 985 368 8256.

> For further information: www.memo.ru

* Ministero degli Esteri (Italy)

Gemellaggi: un nuovo bando con FYROM nella sezione IPA/PHARE

> For further information: www.esteri.it

* The Moscow Times (Russia and Cis)

News summary update of March 17 & 18, 2010

Business update of March 17 & 18, 2010

Culture update of March 18, 2010

> For further information: www.themoscowtimes.com

* Osce (Austria, Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia)

Georgian vice prime minister to brief OSCE on Friday

VIENNA, 18 March 2010 - Georgian Vice Prime Minister Temur Yakobashvili will deliver a speech to the OSCE Permanent Council on Friday.

Yakobashvili, who also serves as the State Minister for Reintegration of Georgia, is expected to discuss Georgia's "State Strategy on Occupied Territories: Engagement through Co-operation" at a special meeting of the Permanent Council, one of the OSCE's main regular decision-making bodies.

Journalists are invited to the speech, set to start at 10 a.m. on Friday, 19 March, in the Hofburg Congress Centre's Neuer Saal.

For admittance to the Hofburg Congress Centre, please bring your OSCE press badge or a valid press card to the security desk (main entrance from the Heldenplatz). Parking is available for the press during the event in the OSCE-reserved parking area on Heldenplatz. Temporary parking permits must be collected from the security desk.

Read

OSCE launches photo contest on tolerance and non-discrimination

VIENNA, 18 March 2010 - The OSCE launched a photo contest today to highlight tolerance and non-discrimination - key priorities of the OSCE Chairmanship of Kazakhstan in 2010 - with winners receiving a trip to Astana in June.

Initiated and financed by the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the OSCE, the contest invites photographers, both professional and amateur, residing in the 56 OSCE participating States to submit photos illustrating the importance of tolerance and non-discrimination on racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious grounds.

A selection of photographs will be presented at a special exhibition at the OSCE High-Level Conference on Tolerance and Non-discrimination in the Kazakh capital, Astana, on 29 and 30 June, and showcased on the OSCE website. The prize for the five winners will be a trip to Astana to an award ceremony at the conference, and a tour of Astana's sights and surroundings.

The deadline for submissions of entries is 10 May 2010, 24:00 (midnight) Central European Time.

Contest details can be found on the OSCE website: http://www.osce.org/item/43109.html

Read

OSCE supports reforms, political discourse, Chairperson's Special Envoy says during visit to Sarajevo

SARAJEVO, 17 March 2010 - The OSCE is committed to the security, stability and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and will continue to promote reforms, Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov, the Special Envoy of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, said during a visit to Sarajevo today.

"Reforms in the field of education, local governance, rule of law and security co-operation are crucial to the country's stability and progress," Zhigalov said. "The OSCE, and particularly its Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, will continue its support in this field."

A successful constitutional reform would require a consensus-based dialogue that engages all political actors and respects the country's diversity, he added.

"An inclusive political discourse, both in the context of constitutional reform and in relation to the campaign for the general elections in October, would also be beneficial for the country's prospects," he said.

Zhigalov also welcomed the unanimous decision among the 56 OSCE participating States last week to appoint Dunja Mijatovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the new OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

Zhigalov's agenda for the visit included meetings with the Chairman of the BiH Presidency Haris Silajdzic, Deputy Minister of Foreigh Affairs Ana Trisic-Babic and High Representative and European Union Special Representative Valentin Inzko.

In the meetings, Zhigalov also discussed the Kazakh OSCE Chairmanship plans, highlighting an envisaged informal ministerial meeting set to take place this summer in Almaty. "An informal meeting in Almaty would provide an excellent opportunity to discuss the future of the European security, the OSCE's engagement with Afghanistan and the substance of an OSCE summit," he said.

Read

OSCE Roma adviser welcomes European Court ruling against school segregation

WARSAW, 17 March 2010 - The OSCE's Roma adviser, Andrzej Mirga, today welcomed a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights against segregation of Roma children in elementary schools.

In the case Orsus and Others v. Croatia, the Court's Grand Chamber yesterday said that the segregation of Roma children into separate classes based on language deficiencies violates the prohibition of discrimination set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

"The ruling is important for our efforts to end the segregation of Roma and Sinti children in education systems across the OSCE area," said Mirga, the head of the OSCE's Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues.

"Forcing Roma and Sinti children to go to special schools and classes condemns them to substandard education and reduces their life opportunities."

The goal must be that Roma and Sinti children are integrated into mainstream education, he said, stressing the importance of early education in this respect.

"Quality early education is a powerful tool to ensure a successful start in school for Roma and Sinti children and break the cycle of exclusion," Mirga said.

The 2003 OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti calls for educational policies that aim to integrate Roma and Sinti into mainstream education by providing full and equal access at all levels. The Action Plan requires that the OSCE's 56 participating States ensure that national legislation bans racial segregation and discrimination in education.

In 2008, OSCE participating States agreed to promote early education for Roma and Sinti children as an instrument to prevent social exclusion and marginalization and to create a long-term improvement in the situation of Roma and Sinti.

The Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues is located within the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Read

* Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland)

Please find enclosed next issue of the Bulletin: “Parliamentary Elections in Iraq” by Patrycja Sasnal.

Free parliamentary elections held in Iraq for the second time since the intervention in 2003 could be a breakthrough in the country's political development. All of the ethnic and religious groups took part in the elections. Continued stabilization of the country will depend on a ruling coalition being formed quickly.

> For further information: www.pism.pl

* Polish News Bulletin (Poland)

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Poland Needs More Innovation in Economy

According to the annual report on the implementation of innovative solutions in the EU published by the European Commission on 17 March, Poland is well below the EU average when it comes to innovation, however, it is making up for its shortcomings at a higher than average pace. The ranking of the most innovative EU countries was prepared on the basis of 29 criteria. The undisputed winners are Sweden, Finland, Germany and Great Britain. In the general classification, Poland has taken the fifth position from the bottom of the ranking. However, it has been been classified as quite high for good accessibility to human resources. Other strong points of Poland are the relatively well developed segment of research and development and the correlation between the application of innovative solutions and economic growth plus new jobs. We still have problems with public private partnerships and the introduction of innovative products onto the market. (Puls Biznesu Online, March 17 2010; Polish News Bulletin Daily No 1330, March 18 2010)

Easy Monitoring of Legislative Work's Progress

In June, the Government Center for Legislation will launch an internet platform to report on the progress of preparation of government legislative proposals and amendments. The platform was expected to be launched in December 2009, however, at the present moment, the information can still be accessed only in ministerial bulletins and only some of them are also being announced by the Government Center for Legislation. It has significant consequences for the progress of legislative work, as access to the legal documents is granted only to these institutions which have been invited to consultations. Other institutions and interested parties must rely on the information published by the media. Since June, every legislative proposal will be accessible to all interested parties through the platform, together with complete information on the changes introduced to it in the course of legislative work.

Dziennik Gazeta Prawna p. B1, March 10 2010; Law Supplement, Issue no.286, March 17 2010

FT Boss Wants TPSA to Strengthen Its Position in Poland

New France Telecom (FT) CEO Stephane Richard has arrived in Warsaw in what is his first trip abroad after being appointed FT helmsman. In an interview cited by Gazeta.pl, he explains that his decision to visit Poland first was motivated by the fact tha...
GUS: 2009 Bank Results Poorer Than in 2008

Combined turnover from operational activity for banks in 2009 amounted to ZA200.6bn, which is 0.9 percent less than the same result in 2008, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) announced on Friday. Commercial banks accounted for ZA195.2bn of this total...

Petrolinvest Teams Up with Total

One week after obtaining a $50m loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Petrolinvest has secured considerable financing from Total. Parkiet daily writes that the official communique concerning the issue is to be publishe...

Hungary: Industrial output climbs unadjusted 3.4pc in Jan

Hungary's industrial output rose an unadjusted 3.4pc and a workday-adjusted 5.7pc in the twelve months to January, unchanged from the preliminary, the Central Statistics Office (KSH) said in a second reading on Wednesday. Following two months of decline, output, exports and even domestic sales rose on the month at a pace not seen for years. Exports rose sharply on the year from a low base but domestic sales still fell. In a m/m comparison, output rose a seasonally-and workday-adjusted 8.8pc, again unchanged from the first reading published on March 9, as exports climbed 7.4pc and domestic sales increased 2.6pc. The 8.8pc increase in output was the steepest monthly rise registered in the past two years, and the 7.4pc rise in exports was the sharpest monthly increase probably in the past decade. The rise of domestic sales was the biggest adjusted monthly increase since June 2007. All the monthly rises came after two months of declines, including sizeable drops in December. Exports contracted m/m in November-December following monthly increases between May and October. Domestic sales last rose on the month in October. In a 12-month comparison, unadjusted output rose now for the second month y/y after an uninterrupted twelve-month decline between October 2008 and November 2009. Workday-adjusted output rose y/y for the first time since July 2008. The rises came from a low base. Export sales climbed an unadjusted 13.4pc and an adjusted 16.3pc from January 2009, rising for the second month in a row. Aside a slow base, the sharp rise reflected a steep m/m increase. Domestic sales fell an unadjusted 12.6pc and an adjusted 10.6pc y/y from a relatively high base in January 2009 when domestic sales were less affected by the crisis than exports were. The unadjusted twelve-month drop in domestic sales accelerated the adjusted fall slowed from December. Based on unadjusted figures industrial output, exports and domestic sales all declined uninterruptedly between October 2008 and November 2009. The workday-adjusted figures reveal that the period of twelve-month fall of output and exports started as early as July 2008 and lasted until December 2009.

CEEBL/MTI-ECONEWS, March 17, 2010

Serbia: JAT Airways posts loss of EUR23.5m in 2009

National air carrier Jat Airways last year produced a loss of EUR23.5m and does not expect to earn any profit in 2010 either, company general manager Srdjan Radovanovic said on March 16. He told reporters that the airline's operative loss totals EUR16.5m...

Slovakia: RWE Gas builds its share on Slovak gas market

RWE Gas Slovensko is increasing its share on Slovakia's natural gas market. Statutory representative of the company Miroslav Kulla told a news conference on Tuesday that the firm currently has a 25-percent market share in the segment of large corporate clients while it was about 6 percent last year. The company will supply natural gas to ov...

Slovenia: Tus Holding to open largest shopping centre in Slovenia

Slovenia's Tus Holding said its real estate division, Tus Nepremicnine, has invested EUR61m in a shopping and entertainment centre due to open in the Adriatic city of Koper on March 31. The 70,000 square metrer Plant Tus Koper will be the largest shoppin...

U.S. Morgan Stanley Sees Romania's GDP Rising 1.1% in 2010, 2.8% in 2011

U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley expects Romania's economy to switch to a 1.1% growth this year and to expand by 2.8% in 2011, the bank said. Romania's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 7.1% last year, according to data from the country's statistic...

> For further information: www.pnb.pl

* The Presidency of Russian Federation (Russia and Cis)

Daily news report of March 18, 2010

Daily news report of March 17, 2010

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

* Rai trasmissione Estovest (Italy)

In Lettonia, il prodotto interno lordo nel 2009 ha segnato meno 18%, mentre il tasso di disoccupazione, che secondo le previsioni nel 2010 aumenterà, ha quasi raggiunto il 20%. Estovest, la rubrica della Tgr prodotta dalla sede Rai per il Friuli Venezia Giulia, in onda sabato alle 11.15 su Raitre, apre la puntata con un servizio di Lucio Giudiceandrea realizzato a Riga. La dipendenza dai capitali esteri e l'illusione della facile ricchezza hanno fermato lo sviluppo della produzione, lasciando la repubblica baltica in balia della congiuntura internazionale.

Segue un servizio realizzato a Lidice, un piccolo centro minerario di 451 abitanti a una ventina di chilometri da Praga, che il 10 giugno del 1942 fu raso al suolo e bruciato dai tedeschi occupanti per rappresaglia dopo l'uccisione del governatore Reinhard Heydrich, conosciuto come "il boia di Praga" per la spietatezza con cui governò quelle regioni. Gian Paolo Girelli e Renato Orso hanno ritrovato Marie Dolezalova, una dei pochi superstititi del massacro degli abitanti. Furono fucilati tutti i 176 maschi dai 15 anni in su. Le 196 donne furono separate dai loro bambini (89) e deportate nei campi di concentramento dove quasi tutte morirono. Marie Dolezalova all'epoca aveva dieci anni e per le sue sembianze ariane, bionda con gli occhi azzurri, fu adottata da una famiglia tedesca. Solo nel '46 fu ritrovata e dopo aver conosciuto la verità, l'uccisione del padre e del fratello quindicenne e di quasi tutti i bambini di Lidice, fu cresciuta dalla zia materna.

Crescono i nuovi poveri in Bosnia Erzegovina. La crisi economica vista da questo fragile paese dei Balcani è ancora piu grave che altrove. E' in forte aumento il numero delle persone che per mangiare fanno la fila ogni giono davanti alle diverse mense della città. Enzo Ragone ha compiuto per Estovest un viaggio in questi avamposti della solidarietà, gestiti da cattolici e musulmani senza alcuna discriminazione verso le persone da assistere. Chiude la puntata un servizio dell'inviato Mario Refrigeri. In Moldova, dove ci sono le cantine più grandi del mondo, l'esportazione di cognac e brandy, un tempo rivolta esclusivamente all'area di influenza sovietica, oggi interessa anche America e Giappone.

Estovest è curato da Giovanni Marzini e Gian Paolo Girelli.

> For further information: www.eastovest.rai.it

* Rai trasmissione Levante (Italy)

Nuovo appuntamento con "Levante", la rubrica nazionale della TGR realizzata dalla redazione Rai di Bari a cura di Renato Cantore - Pino Bruno, in onda sabato 20 marzo alle 11.30 su Raitre. In questa puntata:

AL MERCATO DELLE BRACCIA di Annarosa Macrì

Piazza Omonia, nel cuore di Atene, è il mercato delle braccia clandestine. Gli immigrati si offrono per venti euro al giorno, ma il lavoro scarseggia e s'ingrossano le fila dei sans papier. Potrebbero diventare una miccia esplosiva in un Paese che è già in forte fibrillazione.

LA GUERRA DEL FORMAGGIO di Daniela Tortella

Più che un formaggio è un capitolo importante della storia e della tradizione cipriota. Halloumi è il formaggio fresco imitato in tutto il mondo, di cui Cipro sta rivendicando fieramente la paternità con un lungo contenzioso europeo per l'ottenimento della Denominazione di Origine Protetta.

UN'ALTRA BUCAREST di Vito Giannulo

La capitale romena non fa parte dei circuiti turistici internazionali. Anche se il dittatore Ceausescu amava definirla la Parigi dell'Est, Bucarest non è città da visitare per una lunga vacanza. I suoi scorci di straordinaria bellezza meritano comunque un week end.

EDRISI IL GEOGRAFO di Rocco Brancati

un volume sontuoso, dedicato a Edrisi, il geografo arabo del dodicesimo secolo conosciuto anche come "il siciliano". "Sollazzo per chi si diletta di girare il mondo" è il titolo del suo diario, edito da Giuseppe Barile per la Regione Basilicata. Un'occasione per scoprire un Mediterraneo diverso e ricco di fascino.

"Levante" va in onda anche sul canale satellitare Rai Med, ogni giovedi' alle 21.22 e alle 23.17. Rai Med e' trasmesso in chiaro anche dalla piattaforma SKY, sul canale 804. L'intera puntata si può vedere sul sito Internet www.levante.rai.it

* Sarke (Georgia)

News in brief of March 18, 2010

News in brief of March 17, 2010

News in brief of March 15, 2010

> For further information: www.sarke.com

* Seenews (Bulgaria and Balkans)

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

Read and click ALBANIA on menu bar

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

Read and click BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA on menu bar

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

Read and click BULGARIA on menu bar

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

Read and click CROATIA on menu bar

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

Read and click MACEDONIA on menu bar

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

Read and click MOLDOVA on menu bar

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

Read and click MONTENEGRO on menu bar

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

Read and click ROMANIA on menu bar

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

Read and click SERBIA on menu bar

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

Read and click SLOVENIA on menu bar

> For further information: www.seenews.com

* Uzreport (Uzbekistan and Central Asia)

Daily report of March 18, 2010

Daily report of March 17, 2010

> For further information: www.uzreport.com

* Vest (Slovenia)

Daily update of March 18, 2010

Daily update of March 17, 2010

> For further information: www.vest.si

CEEOA starts the annual research "CEE IT Outsourcing Review" and

iryna — 2010-03-18T20:14:35Z

17 March, 2010 – Sofia – Central and Eastern European Outsourcing Association (CEEOA) is pleased to announce that they started the research “Central and Eastern Europe IT Outsourcing Review 2009” – annual review of IT outsourcing services providers markets in 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The CEE region is one of the leading providers of IT outsourcing services on the global market and is rapidly developing due to its geographic proximity to the European consumers of outsourcing services and cultural compatibility to the North American consumers. The main objectives of the “CEE IT Outsourcing Review” is to determine the volume of IT outsourcing services providers markets, to research the trends of IT outsourcing industry development and the advantages of each country regarding the IT outsourcing development in this country, and some fundamental information for the potential consumers of outsourcing services about the first steps while looking for the providers.

For the first time the research “Central and Eastern Europe IT Outsourcing Review” was conducted in early 2008 for the year 2007.

The 2007 research report "Central and Eastern Europe IT Outsourcing Review 2007" indicated that there was a great interest to the CEE as a prospective region for IT outsourcing services. The report was accessed by an estimated 10,000 people and many research companies used it as a resource for their commercial reports. Thus, in 2008 KPMG referenced the report in their own research ‘Exploring Global Frontiers'. Following positive feedback for the 2007 Report, the CEEOA decided to commission an annual research on CEE IT Outsourcing Review, resulting in the 2008 Report conducted in early 2009. Currently the report is the most full and demanded analytical source about the IT outsourcing development in the CEE region.

The report 2009 will consist of the following key sections: introduction, expert views/estimations on the market development, analytical review of the main indicators of IT outsourcing providers market, country profiles, profiles of experts and partners, profiles of the companies-respondents.

In 2007 and 2008 the data for the reports were gathered by interviewing the national IT, software and outsourcing associations, the largest IT, software and consulting companies and experts from 16 countries of the CEE region. This year CEEOA launches the online survey for the research which will facilitate the interviewing of the companies. It is expected that at least 50 companies from each country will participate in the online survey with total number of more than 800 respondents.

This online survey will be the base for the catalogue of IT outsourcing companies from the CEE region – ITOlist.eu.

The representative of Bulgarian Web Association noted, “This year we launch the online survey for our research and thus we expect to attract more respondents. The questionnaire is more detailed and this will allow us to make our market estimations more precise. We hope that the launch of the catalogue of IT outsourcing services providers from the CEE region - ITOlist.eu that will be based on the online survey will be significant event on the global outsourcing market . The catalogue will unite all ITO providers from Central and Eastern Europe and will become the efficient communication channel between the potential customers and providers. We consider that ITOlist.eu will facilitate the selection process of providers for the interested customers.”

The report “CEE IT Outsourcing Review” is one of the free distribution reports, and that allows reaching the maximal distribution of the information among the potential outsourcing services consumers.

CEEOA kindly invite all the companies providing IT outsourcing services from the CEE region to participate in the online survey – http://research.ceeoa.org The participation in the research will allow your company to get the recognition as one of the active players in the IT outsourcing services provision market in the CEE region.

Participating in the research your company get the free brief profile in the report "Central and Eastern Europe IT Outsourcing Review 2009" and the free profile on ITOlist.eu (http://www.itolist.eu) - the catalogue of IT outsourcing companies from Central and Eastern Europe.

About CEEOA Central and Eastern European Outsourcing Association (CEEOA) (www.ceeoa.org) was founded in 2008. The members of the association are the leading national IT and Outsourcing associations from the Central and Eastern Europe, among them Baltic Outsourcing Association (BOA), Ukrainian HI-TECH Initiative, Hungarian Service Industry and Outsourcing Association (HOA), Employers' Association of the Software and Services Industry (ANIS) from Romania, Bulgarian Web Association (BWA) and ASPIRE - Association of IT & Business Process Services Companies (Poland). One of the main objectives of CEEOA is to promote the Central and Eastern European Region as competitive alternative to other Global offshoring destinations, and to increase services delivery quality and volume to the recognized standards.

Contact details:

Marina Osadchuk

CEEOA

Email: m.osadchuk@ceeoa.org

Phone: +380 44 458 1753

FNSI e USIGRAI PRESENTANO: RAI PER UNA NOTTE

Giuseppe Castiglia — 2010-03-18T19:23:59Z

Cari amici per realizzare la nostra manifestazione – trasmissione, giornalisti, cameramen, elettricisti e operai lavoreranno gratis. Il volontariato, tuttavia, non basterà a coprire i costi necessari alla realizzazione dell'evento. Vi chiedo perciò di contribuire donando 2 euro e 50 ciascuno e mi auguro che siate più di cinquantamila ad aiutarci a realizzare la nostra iniziativa. Raggiungere questo obiettivo sarà la prima importante risposta alla censura. Fate dunque girare questo appello tra i vostri amici e ringraziateli da parte mia per il loro aiuto. Vi aspetto giovedì

Michele Santoro