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FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM  //  The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum strives to promote cooperation between the peoples of Finland and Russia by supporting civic initiatives for democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech.

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Mar 16 / 1:36pm

Russian politicians, business protect mafia

by Kerkko Paananen

Sixty-nine suspected members of a Georgian mafia gang were arrested in a Europe-wide operation. Police believe the gang is linked to a Russian mobster, Gennady Petrov, now on trial in Spain. Meanwhile, the main target of the operation, Lasha Shushanashvili, escaped because of lack of cooperation from Greek police.

The Russian mafia, and by extension the organised crime syndicates in the former Soviet republics, have gained more power and are more dangerous than the Italian mafia families. The reason is that the Russian mafia enjoys the protection of Russia's political and business structures, Spanish daily El País reports.

The Russian mafia has close ties to members of the former Soviet nomenklature. This explains the trouble in irradicating the Russian mafia. Every time that Spanish authorities investigating the activities of Russian organised crime have called for cooperation from their Russian counterparts, they have faced nothing but trouble.

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/cerca/Kremlin/lejos/justicia/elpepuesp/20100315elpepunac_3/Tes

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Filed under // Corruption Georgia Mafia Russia Spain

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Mar 16 / 12:28pm

Kremlin Media Monopoly 4ever?

by Kerkko Paananen

Cross-party Members of the European Parliament and Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), concerned by the ongoing deterioration of media freedom in the Russian Federation and shocked by the collaboration of some European companies with the Kremlin's censorship, will organise a conference on 17 March 2010 to discuss the case of the Georgian-based satellite TV channel, First Caucasian Channel.

First Caucasian Channel is the first Caucasian TV channel broadcasting in Russian independent from the Kremlin or its proxies. The channel had an agreement that it was to be relayed via Eutelsat's satellite W7. Yet after signing a deal with Russia's Intersputnik, Eutelsat, the main European satellite provider, reneged on its agreement with the First Caucasian Channel.

A court case is pending in Paris and a campaign to support the First Caucasian Channel is gathering pace in Europe. Meanwhile, the channel remains unavailable on Eutelsat, being relayed over the internet only. The case raises serious questions about the commitment of some European companies to respect media pluralism and European principles in their deals with authoritarian regimes.

On 17 March 2010, Ekaterina Kotrikadze, editor-in-chief of the First Caucasian Channel, the Russian filmamaker Andrei Nekrasov, and other Russian journalists will hold a debate about the case of the First Caucasian Channel, moderated by MEP Heidi Hautala, Chairperson of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, at the European Parliament in Brussels.

http://www.heidihautala.fi/2010/03/russia-georgia-media-freedom-debate-and-film-screening/

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Filed under // Caucasus Censorship Eutelsat Georgia Media Russia Television

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Jan 14 / 3:19am

US considered strikes to save Georgia

by Kerkko Paananen

As Russian tanks rumbled into Georgia in August 2008, a post-Cold War turning point was at hand. George W Bush’s national security team considered launching air strikes to halt the invasion, according to Ronald D Asmus’s absorbing account of the five-day clash in the Caucasus, “A Little War That Shook the World.”

Four days after the war started on 7 August 2008, Bush cut off the discussion. A top-level White House meeting produced “a clear sense around the table that almost any military steps could lead to a confrontation with Moscow,” Asmus writes. In the end, neither the administration nor NATO could do much to save Georgia.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=anp.wBWKJBGY

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Filed under // Bush Caucasus Georgia GWB Russia USA War

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