Free Republic

Pro-Russian parties form new governing coalition in Ukraine by Yana Dlugy KIEV (AFP) - Ukraine's pro-Russian parties formed a new governing coalition in a stunning move that promises to slow the pro-Western course taken by the ex-Soviet nation after the "orange revolution." In front of reporters in parliament, the Regions Party and the Communists signed a coalition agreement with the Socialists, who in a surprise move had defected from the pro-Western "orange" camp the previous day. The coalition said it was open to other parties. "We're not closing the doors," said Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of Regions. "They are open...

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AP) - Turkmenistan on Friday said its natural gas contract with Ukraine for 2006 was invalid, as it continues to pressure Ukraine to pay about 50 percent more than what it currently pays for Turkmen gas. [...] Turkmenistan's gas supplies have taken on even greater importance for Ukraine after a bitter dispute in January with Russia over gas prices, but Kiev has repeatedly stalled on agreements to pay off debts, and Turkmen officials have repeatedly criticized Kiev. [...] "Turkmenistan proposed Ukraine sign a contract on gas deliveries to Ukraine for the fourth quarter at a price of US$100...

[Babel Fish Translation, use your wit :)] A coup of the secret services Everyone remembers the stormy enthusiasm of the orange revolution on the Meidan of Kiew, which help the separatism to the victory. The heroes of this national Ukrainian rising of the people, at her point president Viktor Juschenko, lost since then their prestige. Its party "Nascha Ukraina" came with the recent parliamentary election on miserable 13 per cent - and in the Donezk basin the Ukrainian nationalism played never a large role. Above all it was in the meantime confirmed that enduring the "revolutionary measures" was financed...

Kiev 17:45 Neftegaz Ukrainy admits the possibility of unauthorized tapping of gas pipelines if its underground gas reserves run out this winter, as stated in the company's letter to the Ukrainian PM Yury Yekhanurov of June 8, 2006. "Under such conditions Ukraine will be forced to tap off gas which is supposed to be transported further, thereby giving Russia grounds for accusing Ukraine of theft and presenting the country as an unreliable partner in the eyes of the European community," the document reads. The company explained that if the planned volume of gas was not injected into the underground gas...

United Ukraine parties to form new gov't By NATASHA LISOVA, Associated Press Writer Thu Jun 22, 8:04 AM ET KIEV, Ukraine - Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko announced in parliament Thursday that she and other allies from Ukraine's Orange Revolution had reunited into as a majority coalition and would start forming a government. "Today we start our struggle so that our country can be democratic," Tymoshenko said. "We were given a second chance, and ... if we don't use this second chance, then the Ukrainian people will say it serves us right." The coalition of pro-Western reformers who aim to...

KIEV -- President Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine announced Thursday that it was in talks with the pro-Russian Party of the Regions to create a governing coalition amid a continuing struggle to form a new government 11 weeks after parliamentary elections. Party of the Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych predicted that a coalition would be formed by Tuesday. "We held the first preliminary consultations with the Party of the Regions," Our Ukraine's Roman Zvarych said in parliament. "But we propose holding multilateral negotiations as well as bilateral [talks] with any political force to find a way out." Ukraine's government has been paralyzed...

In city of Dnepropetrovsk the Communist deputies and deputies from the Party of Regions [Yanukovych] were not admitted to the session of provincial council. Entrance for the elected officials was blocked by the dense cordon of soldiers from Special Forces. In order to enter the chamber, parliamentarians broke the side doors and after the battle they got into their work seats. Party of Regions requested the Attorney General of the Ukraine to open criminal case against the responsible.

The conflict has little to do with Russia’s neo-imperialism, but a lot to do with Western reluctance to foot the bill of Soviet de-colonisation. • The “genuine democracies” created in the former Soviet Union in the wake of the so-called “colour revolutions” are failing to deliver political stability and economic prosperity. Insofar as they have failed to reduce dependence on subsidised Russian gas, they are also implicitly failing to deliver real independence. • Ukraine’s demands for continued supplies of cheap Russian/CIS gas in effect mean that Kiev is promoting the preservation of Soviet economic structures. Thus, it is implicitly promoting...

An "orange coalition" is still the most likely outcome of a Ukrainian election won by the revolution's opponent, says Taras Kuzio. ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY: By Taras Kuzio Open Democracy, London, UK, Tuesday, March 28, 2006 Ukraine held its fourth parliamentary elections on 26 March in an atmosphere totally different to earlier elections. President Viktor Yushchenko can be credited with ensuring that it has been Ukraine's first free and fair poll since the country became an independent state in January 1992. The democratic breakthrough initiated by the orange revolution of November 2004-January 2005 has been consolidated. This is in stark contrast...

Ignore the broad smiles, firm handshakes, cheerful backslapping and toasts raised to "everlasting friendship" between well-dressed, smiling Russians, intense Germans, glib Americans and deceptive Brits. The Second Cold War has already begun. If forced to be perfectly frank, every diplomat, spy or banker from Boston to Baku would acknowledge this. Anyone who reads the press or watches television must have noticed by now that the most dynamic, aggressive and self-assured force in the world today is Russia. Daily reports in the media announce that Russian state-controlled gas giant Gazprom is buying a pipeline network here or a European gas company...

Are those 1200 calorie survival bars I see advertised actually edible? Do they really last 5-7 years? I've always (always here means for about 2 years) made sure I had enough food stockpiled in my house for a couple of weeks and water for two or three. My mom, however, decided that not only should I do that, I should have a portable 72 hour kit too. She made one for all her kids. They're big orange backpacks that contain just about everything a person would need to survive for three days. I actually think its kind of cool, and...

[...] The constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the authorities restrict this right in practice. Although Article 16 of the 1996 amended constitution that resulted from the illegal referendum reaffirms the equality of religions and denominations before the law, it also contains restrictive language that stipulated that cooperation between the state and religious organizations "is regulated with regard for their influence on the formation of spiritual, cultural, and country traditions of the Belarusian people." [...] In March 2004 the government began forcing state employees (some 80% of Belarusian workers) to sign short-term work contracts. Although contracts may be concluded...

CHERNOVTSY, Ukraine -- Thousands of Ukrainians with Russian last names may not recognize their names on voters' rolls when they try to vote in parliamentary elections Sunday. Their names have been translated into Ukrainian. Central Elections Commission officials are urging regional officials to recheck the rolls, and lawmakers have taken steps to allow voters to challenge the spelling of their names in court. But opposition politicians are warning that many voters in the country's east and south could end up disenfranchised. Taras Chernovil, the deputy campaign chief of the pro-Moscow Party of the Regions and a leading candidate, accused local...

Florida Capital: TallahasseeState abbreviation/Postal code: Fla./FLGovernor: Jeb Bush, R (to Jan. 2007)Lieut. Governor: Toni Jennings, R (to Jan. 2007)Senators: Mel Martinez, R (to Jan. 2011); Bill Nelson, D (to Jan. 2007)U.S. Representatives: 25Historical biographies of Congressional membersSecy. of State: Glenda Hood, R (to Jan. 2007)Atty. General: Charlie Crist, R (to Jan. 2007)Chief Financial Officer: Tom Gallagher, R (to Jan. 2007)Organized as territory: March 30, 1821Entered Union (rank): March 3, 1845 (27)Present constitution adopted: 1969Motto: In God we trust (1868)State symbols: flower orange blossom (1909) bird mockingbird (1927) song “Suwannee River” (1935) Nickname: Sunshine State (1970)Origin of name: From the...

Ellis Hunt's family has made a living growing citrus since the 1920s, when his grandfather went into the business with two brothers. The industry is all they know. Today, the third-generation farmer wonders how long he can maintain his company's share of Florida's $9 billion industry after one of the worst growing seasons in recent memory. "My personal goal is to have our 100th year anniversary in 2022, so I guess I've got to make it 16 more years," Hunt said. "We're trying to stay in the business unless we're forced out." Four hurricanes that struck or brushed Florida in...

Some Conspiracies are Real Today, 13 February 2006, is the 318th anniversary of the so-called "Glorious Revolution" -- the coup d'etat that deposed the rightful King of England, HM James II Stuart, and imposed the rule of the Dutch prince William of Orange and his wife Mary upon the United Kingdom. This was not the result of some minor dynastic quibble. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that James II was the rightful king. His deposition was instead the result of a genuine conspiracy between a group of traitors to overthrow the native-born Catholic King of England and award...

This fall, Turkmenistan is preparing to raise the price of its exported natural gas by one and a half times - to $100 per thousand cubic meters. This was declared on Friday by the president of Turkmenistan, Sapamurat Niyazov, according to a report by Reuters. "Europe has problems now. The prices of the energy sources are rising. We will also gradually raise our prices," said Niyazov during a news program on the government television station. "We have been selling for 44 dollars, now we are selling for 65, but from the ninth or tenth month of this year will we...

KIEV - The last time The Times saw Viktor Yanukovych, the burly former convict and then Prime Minister of Ukraine looked like a broken man. His victory in a presidential election had just been overturned after a fortnight of massive protests centred on Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. Viktor Yushchenko, who led the Orange Revolution and went on to win the election re-run, was being hailed around the world as a democratic hero who had wrenched the country of 47 million people out of Russia’s stifling embrace. Mr Yanukovych was vilified as a Kremlin stooge. Just over a year later, however,...

MURRIETA ---- Councilman Doug McAllister is proposing that Murrieta become one of the first cities in California to have its Police Department enforce federal immigration laws. McAllister is asking the council to allow Murrieta police to have the authority to be able to question suspects about their residency once they are detained or arrested. He's not getting much support from the rest of the council, though. The program is already being used in a few states and being pursued in Costa Mesa, which would be the first city in California to have an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...

Ukraine's president Viktor Yuschenko is getting quite the present, a fancy new plane. ITAR-TASS reports that Ukraine has raised 12 million dollars for a luxury plane for President Viktor Yushchenko. The presidential An-74 plane was decorated with amber, mahogany and 18K gold and is being tested at the Kharkov aircraft plant. The lining of the interior features rare gems and the lamps and handles are all gold per the demands of the first lady, Yekaterina Yushchenko.