FINROSFORUM

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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Dec 23 / 1:52pm

"Putin's Voodoo Is Gone"

by Kerkko Paananen

Russian music critic and journalist Artemy Troitsky gave an interview to the Finnish publishing house, Into Kustannus, which publishes the Finnish edition of Novaya Gazeta. Speaking on the eve of renewed pro-democracy demonstrations planned for 24 December 2011, Mr Troitsky spoke about the change in the Russian people's protest mentality, the dismal state of the country's political party system, and the impending collapse of Vladimir Putin's regime. Below, an edited transcript of Mr Troitsky's comments.

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Filed under  //  Democracy   Human Rights   Medvedev   Opposition   Putin   Russia   Troitsky  
 
Nov 1 / 4:41pm

Russians Need To Respect Themselves

by Kerkko Paananen

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Teemu Matinpuro, executive director of the Finnish Peace Committee, and Kerkko Paananen, information secretary of the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum (FINROSFORUM), gave an interview to Lyudmila Mamina, editor-in-chief of Kasparov.Ru, about the Finnish edition of Novaya Gazeta, the attitude of Finnish society to Anna Politkovskaya, the war in Chechnya, and the current political situation in Russia. Below, an edited translation of the interview.

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Filed under  //  Amnesty   Chechnya   FINROSFORUM   Finland   Kadyrov   Medvedev   Novaya Gazeta   Politkovskaya   Putin   Rauhanpuolustajat   Russia  
 
Oct 20 / 8:04am

Students Detained at Moscow University

by Kerkko Paananen

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Several journalism students were detained for posing awkward questions to Russia's placeholder president, Dmitry Medvedev, during his visit to Moscow University. Opposition-minded students were not allowed to attend lessons during Medvedev's visit. Kremlin's youth affairs commissar, Vasily Yakemenko, arrived in Medvedev's entourage, flanked by members of his Nashi movement.

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Filed under  //  Human Rights   Journalism   Khodorkovsky   MGU   Medvedev   Moscow   Putin   Russia  
 
Aug 24 / 3:24am

The Sarko-Puto Pact

by Kerkko Paananen

The European Union should join Russia in creating a counterbalance to the US, Chinese, and Indian economies, Jean-Pierre Thomas, special representative of the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, on French-Russian business relations, said. Speaking in an interview with Russia's Vedomosti daily, Mr Thomas said President Sarkozy would present a report in autumn 2011 that would include a plan on creating a common economic area between Russia and France.

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Filed under  //  Caucasus   EU   France   Medvedev   Putin   Russia   SPIEF   Sarkozy   Thales   Vedomosti  
 
Aug 17 / 7:20am

The Godfather

by Kerkko Paananen

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"Putin designed a system of managed conflict," Nikolay Petrov, scholar at the Moscow Carnegie Center told RFE/RL's Brian Whitmore. "There is no competition in public. But he created different clans and groups who are fighting against each other."

"This is the way Putin keeps control over the system. He is an arbiter who keeps the balance among them. It is impossible for him to leave. It is impossible to imagine this system without him because all of the agreements are guaranteed by him," Petrov stated.

"Without him, all of these clans would fight each other, like after Stalin's death." Petrov said. "Russia is also personalistic: although [the clans] play an important role, it is Putin who is the major arbiter and who can even replace them," he noted.

http://rdd.me/mp7zit8k

Filed under  //  2012   Clan   Kremlin   Mafia   Medvedev   President   Putin   Russia  
 
Jun 15 / 6:07am

Khodorkovsky: Western Realpolitik Big Mistake

by Kerkko Paananen

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The West has paid too little attention to the human rights situation in Russia, the former head of the now defunct YUKOS oil company, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said. Speaking in a written interview with four Western newspapers -- The Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro, Il Mondo, and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, -- Mr Khodorkovsky blamed the West for passivity in monitoring the respect of human rights in Russia. Such a position will cost dearly to both Russia and Europe, he warned.

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Filed under  //  Democracy   EU   Europe   G8   Khodorkovsky   Medvedev   Putin   Realpolitik   Russia   USA   YUKOS  
 
Jun 10 / 4:29pm

Exit The Tandem, Enter The Team

by Kerkko Paananen

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Who is truly calling the shots in Russia, Brian Whitmore asks in RFE/RL's Power Vertical. Analysts are pointing out that Russia is run by a collective leadership. Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev are the front men, but decisions are arrived at largely by consensus among a group that includes 10 to 30 people.

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Filed under  //  2012   Elite   Kremlin   Medvedev   Oligarchs   Putin   Russia   Tandem   Vertical  
 
Apr 22 / 11:21am

Russia Ruled by Corrupt Clans

by Kerkko Paananen

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A group of experts in Russia have established a new website, Election 2012, ahead of the Kremlin's decision on who will take on the post of President in 2012. The group, Expert Monitoring Group, intends to publish seven reports about the state of the country. The first report takes a close look at the corrupt clans ruling Russia.

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Filed under  //  Clan   Corruption   Elections   Government   Medvedev   President   Putin   Russia  
 
Mar 3 / 6:13am

Voina Tests Boundaries of Art

by Kerkko Paananen

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Russia has a deep tradition of avant-garde art that has tested the boundaries of art and expression. The work of the art group, Voina ("War"), is part of this tradition. As Russia's political and economic system continues to centralize and grow more sclerotic, corrupt, and reliant on natural resources, this group is seeking to shake things up, juxtaposing humor and the absurd next to the grayness of Russian official life. The performance and public guerilla art of this collective is dedicated, in their words, to the "destruction of outdated repressive-patriarchal socio-political symbols and ideologies."

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Filed under  //  Art   Banksy   FSB   KGB   Medvedev   Performance   Police   Putin   Russia   Voina  
 
Feb 23 / 6:10pm

Russian Forest Coalition Appeals to EU

by Kerkko Paananen

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A coalition of Russian environmental organisations has appealed to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, to halt the participation of European financial institutions, including the EBRD and EIB, in motorway projects in Russia.

The coalition in defence of the forests of Moscow region called on the EU to withdraw its support for the projects until the rights of local residents were taken into account. The forest coalition includes WWF Russia, Greenpeace Russia, the Biodiversity Conservation Center, the Russian Birds Conservation Union, the Social-Ecological Union, and the Movement to Defend Khimki Forest.

The coalition pointed out that almost all major motorway projects currently under construction or planned in the near future in Russia have been "carried out without taking into account the principles of sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity, or public opinion." The coalition noted the continued violations of human rights that environmental campaigners have been subjected to in connection with the motorway projects.

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Filed under  //  Avtodor   Barroso   Corruption   EBRD   EIB   EU   Environment   Greenpeace   Human Rights   Khimki   Medvedev   Moscow   Putin   Russia   VINCI   WWF