archive of news from countries 2008

belarus

• December 11, 2008 - Supreme State Council meeting postponed; European Commission announced the Eastern Partnership
• November 28, 2008 - Russia lends Minsk $2 bln; Two Independent Newspapers returned into the Official Distribution
• November 14, 2008 - EC delegation visits Belarus; Poland reduces visa costs
• October 30, 2008 - Belarus asks IMF for a stabilization loan; Budzma! campaign launched
• October 16, 2008 - EU opens arms toward Belarus; Lukashenka meets Putin
• October 2, 2008 - No opposition MPs in the new parliament; International reactions to the results of Belarus´ parliamentary elections
• September 19, 2008 - Improvements of relations with EU and USA after the release of political prisoners; Belarusian privatization moving forward
• September 3, 2008 - All Belarusian political prisoners released; Russian and Belarusian president discuss air defense and Georgia
• August 18, 2008 - US Lawyer Receives Three Years in Prison; Russia calls Belarus to act on Georgia
• July 30, 2008 - Elections: president speaking of democracy, opposition of boycott possibility; Venezuelan leader visits Belarus
• July 16, 2008 - Belarus blast wounds 50 people and launches political consequences; Parliamentary elections: A chance for thawing of relations with EU
• July 2, 2008 - House approves new version of Media Law; Medvedev – Lukashenka meeting in Brest; European Union’s “Eastern Partnership” project approved
• June 18, 2008 - Gas to be sold to Belarus at $200 in 2009; Amendments to Single List of Candidates; Bush extends asset freeze, targeting Lukashenka and other Belarusian officials
• June 4, 2008 - Putin Named Prime Minister of Belarus-Russia Alliance; Poland and Sweden to pitch 'Eastern Partnership' idea
• May 22, 2008 - Interviews with the president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka and the chairman of the Central Bank of Belarus, Pyotr Prokopovich; Putin forges ahead with BPS-2, avoids Belarus 
• May 7, 2008 - Escalation of USA – Belarus Row; Protests over Chernobyl
• April 25, 2008 - EC Opens Delegation in Belarus; Civic activist Andrei Kim sentenced to one and a half years in prison
• April 11, 2008 - Raids on Belarusian Journalists; Further decrease of U.S. Embassy staff
• March 28, 2008 - Russia raises gas price for Belarus; Police in Minsk stroke against unauthorized demonstration
• March 14, 2008 - Belarus-EU relations depend on independency of EU foreign policy, Alexander Lukashenko says; US Ambassador Karen Stewart leaves Belarus
• February 29, 2008 - “Exchanging” Political Prisoners for the Dialogue with the West?; Entrepreneurs’ protest continues
  
• February 15, 2008 -  Belarus – Russia friendship to disagree with the Western sanctions; Artur Finkevich released, Andrei Kim officially charged
• January 25, 2008 - Minsk Journalist Arrested for Mohammed Cartoons; Malady Front Activist to Stay in Labor Camp; Police break up the protest of entrepreneurs in Belarus; BELTA: Positive developments in EU-Belarus relations in 2007

cuba

December 11, 2008 - Cuban government fights with black market; Jailed Cuban journalist wins prize; Cuban police are detaining activists prior to Human Rights Day
November 28, 2008 - EU to donate up to € 30 million to Cuba in '09; Cuba's Raul Castro open to meet Obama: report; Cuban activists say they have 20,000 signatures
November 14, 2008 - Cuba sanctions likely to ease; Powerful Paloma roars ashore in Cuba, then weakens; Cuba after hurricanes Gustav and Ike
October 30, 2008 - Cuba names a new vice president of cabinet; Spain's Prime Minister Zapatero to visit Cuba next year; Cuban dissidents say Spanish Prime Minister must insist on prisoner releases; Czech Christian Democrats to support Cuban prisoners; Cuba - EU standoff ends with cooperation accord; Russia military offers Cuba air defense aid
October 16, 2008 - Emerging community of bloggers in Cuba; Cuba bolsters food rations to counter shortages; Cuban dissidents call for independent small businesses
October 2, 2008 - Cuba freezes agricultural prices after hurricanes; U.S. Coast Guard reports illegal Cuban migration down this year
September 19, 2008 - Hurricanes in Cuba caused losses in the billions; Cuba takes step to normalize ties with EU
• September 3, 2008 - Dissident files criminal complaint against Cuba; Cuba detained leading punk rocker
• August 18, 2008 - Inhuman conditions in Cuban prisons; Cuba – Russia: towards closer relations; Fewer dissidents in Cuban prisons
• July 30, 2008 - Cuba grants usufruct to more farm land to individuals; Retired teachers will get full salaries; Hold on US funds for Cuba democracy project lifted
• July 16, 2008 - Rising prices and lower foreign investment in Cuba; Cuba cracks down, rounds up dissidents before freeing most
• July 2, 2008 - New Databases on Cuban History, Legal System and Foreign Investments; Cuba Detains and Releases Six Dissidents; Cuba Welcomes End of EU Sanctions
• June 18, 2008 - Change in equal pay in Cuba; Conditions for changing the EU policy towards Cuba
• June 4, 2008 - Cuban dissident group hopes Obama can help free island's political prisoners; Amnesty International published Annual Report 2007
• May 22, 2008 - The Pontis Foundation has joined a Day of Solidarity with the Cuban People; Internet access remains restricted in Cuba
• May 7, 2008 - Raúl Castro calls for the Consolidation of the Communist Party of Cuba; Cuba to Commute the Death Penalty; Cuba decides to Increase Social Security and Assistance Pensions
• April 25, 2008 - Peaceful protest of Ladies in White movement broken up by police
• March 14, 2008 - Cuba signs treaties on human rights; Member of EU Commission Louis Michel visited Cuba 
• February 29, 2008 - Change of power in Cuba
• February 15, 2008 - University students question the regime
• January 25, 2008  - Elections in Cuba

serbia and the balkans

• December 11, 2008 - Russia is a step closer to buying off Serbian oil monopoly; EU starts to deploy in Kosovo; Financial crisis hits the Balkans
• November 28, 2008 - Serbia debates its European future; Controversial del Ponte’s book in Serbian; Bulgarian nationalists condition EU membership of its neighbours
• November 14, 2008 - Pensions threaten stability of the Serbian government; Serbians are waiting for Russian response
• October 30, 2008 - Serbia is institutionalizing the relation between non profit sector and state; Croats are learning from Serbians how to deal with organized criminal; New bid for Macedonian official name
• October 16, 2008 - Local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Montenegro and Macedonia recognize independent Kosovo; Countries in the UN supported Serbia’s bid questioning legality of Kosovo
• October 2, 2008 - Partition of Kosovo a solution for Belgrade; End of Zastava, Fiat comes to Serbia; Serbia signed agreement with NATO
• September 19, 2008 - Serbia ratified SAA; Kosovo Serbs refuse EULEX
• September 3, 2008 - The capital city of Serbia has a pro-western Mayor; Macedonia will soon recognize Kosovo’s independence; Karadžić will not get any financial assistance from Belgrade
• August 18, 2008 - Serbia extradited Karadzic to The Hague; Serbia still did not ratify SAA; Kosovo
• July 30, 2008 - Radovan Karadzic captured
• July 16, 2008 - New government formed; Belgrade Local Government yet to be decided
• July 2, 2008 - New Serbian government due soon; Failure of the Lisbon hampered European future of the Balkans
• June 18, 2008 - Initial session of parliament, arrest of war indictee and new Kosovo constitution
• June 4, 2008 - Local coalition agreement may give hint for central manoeuvring for new partners
• May 22, 2008 - Elections in Serbia produce no clear winners; coalition negotiations begin
• May 7, 2008 - Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and EU signed
• April 11, 2008 - Early parliamentary elections in Serbia scheduled on May 11, 2008
• March 28, 2008 - Kosovo riots
• March 14, 2008 - Resignation of Serbian government 
• February 29, 2008 - Declaration on independence in Kosovo
• February 15, 2008 - The second round of presidential elections in Serbia
• January 25, 2008 - Presidential elections in Serbia