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Jansons, Āris
4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Belarusian opposition chooses wrong strategy
Presidential elections are scheduled for next Sunday in Belarus. Incumbent Alexander Lukashenko will win - and without resorting to fraud, comments the Web portal Delfi: "The opposition candidates simply have not managed to get near the popularity of Lukashenko. He speaks the language of the simple folk. And his slogans, his platform and his behaviour are just more familiar to millions of people than are those of the other candidates. ... They also have very different ideas about the geopolitical future of the country. Some want complete integration with the West; the others want partnership with Russia. But that means that there is no shared opposition representative for Europe, and yet the candidates still wonder why they don't get money from the West, why their parties get less attention, and why support is rather given to non-governmental organisations."
» full article (external link, Latvian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Belarus
Ukraine has a true election
As opposed to earlier elections Ukraine has finally had a true presidential race this time round, writes the news portal Delfi: "Russia has understood that its interference in 2004 was a mistake, and for that reason it refrained from taking sides. Six years ago the Kremlin still favoured Viktor Yanukovych, but this time the leader of the Party of Regions was not treated any more sympathetically than his strongest challenger Yulia Tymoshenko. ... The European Union also refrained from siding with any party, although none of the favourites benefits from true sympathy in Brussels. The European politicians have a hard time with Yanukovych, who is associated with the electoral fraud of 2004, while Tymoshenko alienated many people by continually ignoring obligations imposed by the EU. Nevertheless whatever the outcome, Ukraine will not have a pro-Russian president but the leader of a sovereign Ukraine. For that reason the decisive question won't be who is president, but what happens with the country after the run-off vote."
» full article (external link, Latvian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » Ukraine, » Russia, » Europe
Relations between Russia and Belarus
Relations between Russia and Belarus have cooled considerably over the past few months. Aris Jansons examines why Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to visit the Belarusian president next week. "Putin and Lukashenko will no doubt talk about gas. Belarus has no alternative for its supplies, but because Moscow is on a confrontation course with the West it can't afford to start another gas war with one of its allies. Minsk can expect to continue paying a discount price for its gas at least until the presidential elections in Russia. Nonetheless, relations between the two countries are no longer purely defined by good will and Moscow will demand its price. Part of it will be unquestioning loyalty from Minsk."
» full article (external link, Latvian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Energy, » Russia
The dispute over Soviet monuments
Aris Janson also accuses Russia of double standards: "Moscow quietly had a war monument removed from the Russian city of Chimki. Three different versions were circulated in the media: the statue was removed to make way for road repairs, for the construction of a shopping centre and because the monument was a regular haunt for prostitutes. A monument was also dismounted in Stavropol this year. But neither here nor in Chimki did the removals trigger a wave of protests or demonstrations, nor were the local authorities branded fascists because of them."
» full article (external link, Latvian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » History, » Estonia, » Russia
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