Posted by Sean on January 20, 2008
Natalia Morar is persona non grata in Russia. More and more Nashi activists are becoming persona non grata in the European Union. The origins of Nashi’s visa problems begin way back in April when its activists from Russia and in Estonia protested the removal of the Bronze Soldier from the center of Tallinn. The act whipped Nashi into a nationalist fervor, immediately labeled the Estonian government “fascist,” and quickly organized a protest against the soldier’s removal. The Nashi protest ended with a clash with Estonia police and a mini-riot. 1200 people were detained and 50 people were wounded.
The outcome of the protest is still playing itself out. Rosbalt reports that the Khariuskii court in Tallinn will try four youths–Dmitri Linter, Maksim Reva, Dmitri Klenskii from the fascist group Nochnoi Dozor and Nashi’s Estonian leader Mark Siryk–later this month for instigating the disorder. ..read more
Posted by Sean on January 20, 2008
One of the strange rituals of political campaigns is the wealth disclosure. Not because I think that politicians shouldn’t declare their wealth when they run for office. They should. In full. Even the offshores. And their families too. If there is a third cousin with a bank account, I, as a voter, wanna know. Better to know how many different cookie jars his little puffy fingers are in before you stick him in charge of a state. What makes it strange is that we know that politicians have access to all sorts of wealth and property yet we continue the charade.
Russia’s Central Electoral Commission released information on the income of Vladimir Zhirinovksy and Gennady Zyuganov. In the last four years, Zyuganov earned 3,445,291.61 rubles ($140,538.10). According to Kommersant this includes his Duma rep salary, pension, and interest on deposits. He has three bank accounts with a whopping 152,500 ..read more
