not making sense, contradicting one another etc.

Panic does that people. But before anyone breaks open the champagne check out Leopolis for a peek at a write up regarding events in Ukraine and what would resolve the crisis - split country into two halves. (Always easy to do so when discussing someone else's country and not one's own.)

I've heard Czechoslovakia, America before the Civil War, all analogies have one thing in common - they are NOT Ukraine. It is quite complex and multilayered as there are multiple players on stage. And that is the thing as in every single one of these cases there are similarities and differences bet. events in Ukraine. It is amazing to step back and realize that this truely post-Soviet country is trying to go from 75 years of Communism to full democracy Europeanhood and has accomplished so much in 16 yrs. and is still way behind. But NO country has accomplished this so far. (RF is a managed democracy and Kazakhstan may be stepping back based on events in UA and KZ) It is quite incredible and history in the making one way or another.

Did you get that Yulia did not show up on the NU rally with Kyrylenko and Lutsenko but Turchunov in her place?

Virtual politics rule.

dlw

Given your reference to Fawlty Towers, I am certain that your characterization of the "thought on Ukraine" blogspot was made with tongue firmly in cheek.


A commie looking to rebuild a commie state, and calling on Kiev commies to liberate Moscow - the guy is bonkers.

Well I hope the following is not true but in UA, enemies take delight in ratting on each other ...
"Tymoshenko Intrigues Against Yushchenko Rather Than Against Yanukovych"
http://www.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/4/11/7441.htm

--------------
And I don't know but as proud a papa as one may be, isn't the legal code a bit of enfant terrible? esp. as it have gone through years of tinkering ala Kravchuk and Kuchma and pretty much everyone?u
"Judge Futey: “I Do Not Think Ukraine Is Moving Towards Emergency State”"
http://www.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/4/11/7439.htm

------------
The best was reading about Lutsenko's comments concerning the new travel bureau ala Intourist ---- "Yanukovych-Travel"
http://www.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/4/11/7437.htm

But I am not surprised as the Min. of Education is a pip - speaks exclusively in Russian (which I still do not understand how officials can get away with it as it is not the official govt lang.), was the guy who sent the telegram mandating students write an essay about State Control so they would be unable to attend Lutsenko rally, etc.

So far no downward economic signals in the country but I am sure that Azarov will make sure that they happen if this situation is not resolved to his satisfaction.

(Oddly enough the last time that it was stated that the economy was in crisis because of political furor, the economy did quite well as they were too busy 'neutralizing' one another.)

I wondered when the "economic crisis" card would be played to pressure Yushchenko to back down.
http://www.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/4/10/7426.htm

I view marxism as a secular religion, so his solution is bound to be based on the wishful thinking for another "paradise on earth" to be established, except this time they'll do it right, with rubber bullets or something...

I liked best his analysis of how Russia is f---ing Ukraine.
dlw
anyways, it seems that these sorts of events would mandate a need for changes of some sort...
http://foreignnotes.blogspot.com/2007/04/yush-going-wobbly.html

The sooner the truth of the need for reforms to prevent these sorts of gross theft seeps thru the veil people in the east are under the better...

dlw

Who is Granny Paraska? She seems like a determined person.

She appeared at the 'Dear Friends "Embalming"' written up in UP http://www2.pravda.com.ua/en/news/2007/4/4/7392.htm

The following should give the politicians something to think about (ah the pesky media!)
"Ukraine TV To Blackout Warring Politicians In Constitutional Crisis"
http://www.playfuls.com/news_10_23903-Ukraine-TV-To-Blackout-Warring-Politicians-In-Constitutional-Crisis.html

Here is an article which was linked in one of the comments on Neeka's backlog.

It perfectly captures the "fake Maidan."

It is by Oksana Sabuschko, who was a Fullbright scholar at Harvard and Pittsburgh, and now teaches creative writing at Kiev University.

http://www.signandsight.com/features/1292.html

That is a wonderfully written article. I passed it on to my friend who teaches english literature.

dlw

Well, Taras replied in the comments at his blog to my question of how he reconciled his prophecy that things would work out well if an election took place and the predictions of the PoR.

He wrote, "It is too early to give accurate forecasts of election results. We know that 3 will get into the Rada: Regions, Our Ukraine, BYuT

It is unclear about the Communists. The Socialists will not. Two which could this time break through are the Progressive Socialists and Lytvyn bloc.

I suspect that orange parties (Our Ukraine, BYuT and possibly Lytvyn) will receive a slim majority.

The Anti-Crisis coalition is not happy at elections because:The Socialists are finished as a political force. The Communists are border line.

After the elections, Regions will either be in opposition or a junior partner in a coalition. The Anti-Crisis coalition is the only coalition of the 3 (Grand, Orange, Anti-Crisis) where Yanukovych is Prime Minister. It does not matter if Regions come first as in a proportional system who creates a coalition forms the government."

So it seems that the power-struggle over the Constitutional Court is a serious source of concern, as I think the issue is not what the Constitution says but a matter of values or influence...

dlw
dlw

Being "finished as a political force" doesn't seem to be as final here as other places. You wonder if Moroz will make a comeback in a few months to a year.

Optimism like this can be contagious...
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/04/4EB46828-785C-41FC-ACF1-5D0600830262.html

dlw

Apparently, the cost of transporting paying so many protestors 40 H a day is around 8 million H a day.
http://eng.maidanua.org/node/715

It seems to me that paying people to protest or vote is one of the things that will need to be made illegal after the election...

dlw

Ukrainian church music is, in my opinion, beautiful music.

Here is one variant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WtsGS6kpDU

The Coalition of Judases is putting out all sorts of distractions and falsifications non-stop, and so fast, that I am worried that their heads will spin off.

They are spinning faster than a Turkish whirling dervish.

We've heard one of these before - "well, the President should stand for re-election also."

Now - the party that hired an American public relations firm to insist on "democracy" and the "rule of law" - just like Putin - is talking about disbanding the Constitutional Court.


That's right - apparently, Yanuk's idea of democracy and rule of law is - that there are no courts.

http://www.ukranews.com/eng/article/37325.html

Yup, I love Ukrainian Church music too, even, or especially, the version where everyone sings in minor chords.

I guess the NU is in for a penny, in for a pound...let's hope they overdo it and the Oranges commit better to working together to make real changes...

dlw

I thought excessive makeup was prohibited for women inside orthodox churches. That lady looked like she had enough lipstick on to smother a horse. But yes, I'm a fan of the music, too.

I think the bad worldwide press that Russia is getting for arresting the protestors can only help the reformers in Ukraine...
http://news.google.com/?ncl=1115367571&hl=en

dlw

The whole world is watching!
The whole world is watching!
The whole world is watching!

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070414-1516-russia-protests.html