Valentinas Mite

Also by Valentinas Mite

• December 21, 2004

  Ukraine: 'Orange Revolution' -- Break With The Past Or Historical Blip?

  For the participants in Ukraine's "Orange Revolution," it is still too early to celebrate victory. Their leader, opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, must still triumph on 26 December in a presidential election that must be accepted as legitimate by a majority of Ukrainians. Nonetheless, it's hard to dismiss the feeling that something truly extraordinary has happened in the country. After weeks of opposition protests that led to the annulment of the original election for fraud and the scheduling of new polls, it would seem that a new, democratic Ukraine is being born. Yet many remain cautious, saying a rollback to the post-Soviet status quo is still possible.

• December 15, 2004

  Iraq: Election Campaign Begins As Trials Announced For Former Officials

  Then-President Saddam Hussein and his coterie (file photo) Iraq's political parties kicked off their first official day of campaigning today for national elections. On 30 January, Iraqis are scheduled to elect a 275-member assembly that will appoint a government and draft a constitution. The campaign began one day after Iraq's interim prime minister announced that some leaders of the former regime would go on trial as early as next week for crimes against humanity and war crimes. For now, there are no indications when ousted President Saddam Hussein will stand trial.

• December 08, 2004

  Ukraine: Pro-Democracy Demonstrators Look To Yushchenko To Answer Their Prayers

  Yushchenko supporters in Iraq Ukrainian's pro-democracy movement is centered around the personality of one man -- charismatic presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. People shout his name at rallies, and his picture can be seen everywhere in the capital, Kyiv -- on cars, trees, coats, and hats. Is Ukraine's opposition movement only about one man?

• December 07, 2004

  Ukraine: Election Crisis Highlights Difference In Attitudes Between East, West

  Yanukovych is popular in the Donetsk region (file photo) Recent developments have once again thrown Ukraine's territorial integrity into question. The country's eastern regions had threatened to secede as a possible response to pro-democracy demonstrations in Kyiv. Many of those who live in the industrial east wanted Viktor Yanukovych -- who was born in Donetsk -- to be declared the winner of the second round of the presidential election. But those results have now been annulled by the Supreme Court and a repeat vote is tentatively slated for 26 December. After negative reactions from Kyiv, the rebellious region toned down its demands and announced that it wanted only limited autonomy.

• December 06, 2004

  Ukraine: Eastern City Views Kyiv With Suspicion

  Yanukovych supporters celebrating news of Donetsk's referendum plans (file photo) The people of the eastern industrial city of Donetsk cast a suspicious eye on the pro-Western leanings of other Ukrainian regions. As Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko prepare to face off in a historic repeat of the country's disputed presidential runoff, the city's authorities are threatening to seek greater autonomy.

• December 03, 2004

  Ukraine: Ethnic Relations Good, But Some Fear Russian Manipulation

  Russian or Ukrainian -- some say it makes little difference (file photo) Some Ukrainians fear that the current political crisis could drive a wedge between their country's ethnic Russian and Ukrainian communities. For now, Ukrainians interviewed on the streets of Kyiv say both groups are getting on fine. But analysts warn that Ukraine's push for greater independence and democracy could encourage Moscow to use Ukrainian Russians as a tool to poison relations between the communities and help keep Kyiv in Moscow's grip.

• December 02, 2004

  Ukraine: Eastern Ukrainians Talk About Yanukovych

  A pro-Yanukovych demo in Donetsk The recent election problems in Ukraine have highlighted the country's linguistic and geographic divisions. Citizens of the eastern part of the country -- culturally closer to Russia -- tend to favor Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. While Ukrainians from the western part tend to favor opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. Whatever happens, there seems little immediate prospect of bridging that gap. RFE/RL, in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, spoke to some residents of eastern provinces to find out their views.

• December 01, 2004

  Ukraine: Youthful Protesters Find That 'Times Are Changing'

  Ukrainians are hopeful, but cautious about the future The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, is flooded with young people demonstrating for democracy amid the political crisis over the country's disputed presidential election. Despite the cold and snow, the thousands of young protesters -- school kids, college students, young workers, and civil servants -- never seem to tire and always appear enthusiastic. The daily demonstrations in Kyiv's Independence Square have the feel of a joyful youth festival, although participants say they understand that reforms will be difficult.

• November 28, 2004

  Yushchenko Supporters Rejoice At Parliament Vote

  The opposition was swelling with confidence in Kyiv on 28 November A decision by the Ukrainian parliament on 27 November rejecting the results of the recent presidential election brought hope to supporters of opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. The streets of Kyiv were filled today with even bigger crowds of people singing, dancing, and shouting political slogans. Supporters of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych seemed upset, but said the matter is now in the hands of the Supreme Court, which is to consider the validity of the vote on 29 November.

• November 27, 2004

  Ukraine: Citizens Relieved To See Sides Negotiating

  Ukrainian opinion is split on the elections (file photo) Following mediation by outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, European officials, and a Russian official, the two contestants in Ukraine's disputed 21 November presidential election announced they would immediately start negotiating a political solution to the crisis. Ukrainian authorities also promised to refrain from using force against demonstrators backing either opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko or Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. RFE/RL sought the opinions of ordinary Ukrainians about the news, and found that many are pleased to see that the rivals have at last started looking for a way out of the crisis.

• November 26, 2004

  Ukraine: Despite Mediation Efforts, Ukrainians Say Country's Fate Is In Their Hands

  Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in recent days With European Union envoys in Kyiv to help Ukraine sort out its disputed presidential poll, supporters of both opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko and the purported winner of the election, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, say it is unclear to them what role the EU has in the crisis. RFE/RL reports on the mood in Kyiv.

• November 25, 2004

  Ukraine: Voices Of Yanukovych Supporters Drowned Out Amid Kyiv Protests

  World attention has focused this week on the thousands of supporters of Ukrainian opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko. For four straight days, they have braved freezing temperatures to protest the 21 November presidential polls, which pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych officially won despite strong criticism from the West that the poll was fraudulent. But what about Yanukovych's supporters? Though not nearly as visibly numerous as his rival's backers, Yanukovych voters have also made their voices heard despite being virtually shut out by the Western media.

• November 24, 2004

  Ukraine: Yushchenko Supporters Say They Want Freedom To Live A Decent Life

  Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko say they want to see Yushchenko triumph, but their concerns run deeper than politics. People say they cannot make ends meet and see no end to what they say is a miserable life. They accuse the present ruling elite -- and government-backed candidate Viktor Yanukovych -- of corruption and avoiding reforms.

• November 18, 2004

  Russia: Putin Awards Soviet Official Who Tried To Topple Gorbachev

  President Putin (file photo) Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the Order of Merit to Army Marshal Dmitrii Yazov, a former Soviet defense minister. Yazov was one of several Communist Party leaders and Soviet officials who participated in the failed August 1991 bid to overthrow former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. In recent years, Putin has made repeated gestures to symbols and figures of the Soviet past, including reinstating the Soviet national anthem and resurrecting the Soviet red star as the military's emblem.

• October 29, 2004

  Middle East: Arafat Arrives In France As His Illness Raises Questions About Succession

  Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has arrived in France, where he is seeking medical treatment for a serious illness. His plane touched down at a military airport near Paris a short time ago. Arafat had been confined to his compound in Ramallah by Israeli forces since 2002. Yesterday, Israeli officials said Arafat will be free to return to the West Bank after receiving treatment. Arafat's poor health is raising questions about what might happen in the Palestinian territories if he dies or is forced to leave the political scene.

• October 27, 2004

  Iraq: Army Massacre Being Investigated

  The aftermath of the execution (file photo) Prague, 27 October 2004 (RFE/RL) -- The 23 October massacre by insurgents of 49 newly trained Iraqi National Guard recruits continues to reverberate within Iraq. Authorities have now launched an investigation into the killings. The investigators will be probing whether insurgents infiltrated military ranks to obtain information about troop movements.

• October 26, 2004

  Russia: Rumors, Theories Still Swirl Around Beslan Tragedy

  A Russian intraparliamentary commission charged with investigating last month's school hostage massacre in Beslan recently returned from the city. The commission's official report is not due to be made public until the end of its investigation, which may continue for at least another six months. Meanwhile, unsubstantiated theories and rumors continue to swirl around the siege, during which 340 people, nearly half of them children, were killed, according to official figures.

• October 20, 2004

  Belarus: Scores Arrested, Opposition Leader Hospitalized After Minsk Protests

  Belarusian authorities have so far sentenced 12 people -- including some opposition leaders -- who were arrested yesterday during a second night of protests against the results of parliamentary elections and a constitutional referendum. Sentences ranged from 10 to 15 days in jail, some including fines. One opposition leader is in hospital after being beaten by police. Protesters say the 17 October vote was fraudulent. Western observers also say the poll fell far short of international democratic standards.

• October 19, 2004

  Iraq: Prime Minister Extends Arms Amnesty

  (file photo) Iraq's government will launch a nationwide arms-collection campaign next week. The campaign will build on a relatively successful arms-for-cash program going on in Baghdad's Al-Sadr City area. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says the program will first be extended to the southern, mainly Shi'a city of Al-Basrah, and then possibly to the rest of the country.

• October 14, 2004

  Belarus: Lukashenka Set For 'Victory' As Belarus Prepares To Vote

  Alyaksandr Lukashenka On 17 October, Belarus will hold parliamentary elections as well as a controversial referendum to decide whether to amend the constitution to allow President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to run for a third term in 2006. The referendum is viewed in the West as an obvious bid by Lukashenka to prolong his rule. Lukashenka was first elected in 1994 and this is the third time he is seeking to use a referendum to remain in power.

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