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  
 
Dec 12 / 9:54pm

When There Is No Going Back

by Kerkko Paananen

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"It has been almost 20 years since Russia saw so many people in the streets," writes Masha Gessen in The International Herald Tribune's Latitude blog. "The unmistakable sense that everyone is here, that no one is talking about anything but the protests, is distinctly reminiscent of the time 20 years ago," she recalls.

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Filed under  //  Democracy   Elections   Putin   Revolution   Russia   Russian Spring   Soviet Union   USSR  
 
Dec 4 / 9:03am

Khodorkovsky

by Kerkko Paananen

German filmmaker Cyril Tuschi's documentary about Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former owner of Yukos Oil Company, received much attention and praise at its debut during this year's Berlin Film Festival after it was stolen twice in the final months of its production.

The film became one of the most talked about at the festival and prompted rumours about who was involved in the thefts. The film tells Khodorkovsky's story from a socialist believer to a perfect capitalist and subsequently the best known Russian prisoner.

http://www.khodorkovsky-movie.com/

Filed under  //  Documentary   Human Rights   Khodorkovsky   Oligarchs   Putin   Rosneft   Russia   YUKOS  
 
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  
 
Sep 8 / 3:25pm

Putin's Russian Question

by Kerkko Paananen

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Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, held a speech on the "Russian question" at the Global Policy Forum in Yaroslavl on 7 September 2011. His speech was clearly intended as a campaign speech ahead of the elections to the Russian State Duma in December 2011, Kommersant reported. Earlier reports said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called Rogozin back from Brussels to help him in the election campaign.

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Filed under  //  Caucasus   Elections   Minorities   Nationalism   Putin   Rogozin   Russia   Xenophobia  
 
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