euro|topics - Ondrej Soukup

21/11/2008

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Soukup, Ondrej

2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Hospodářské noviny - Czech Republic | 24/09/2007

Ukraine in the run-up to the elections

The Ukrainians have become weary of politics, Ondrej Soukup writes. After witnessing an election rally held by the former icon of the opposition movement Yulia Tymoshenko, he draws bitter conclusions about the time since the Orange Revolution in 2004. "This time, too, several thousand people attended the rally. But the enthusiasm is gone. The former head of government is as rhetorically gifted as ever, but the magic of those days when she hypnotised hundreds of thousands of people has faded. Words alone are not enough nowadays, especially as everyone present still has vivid memories of the scandals during Tymoshenko's brief term in office - for instance the lucrative privatisations financed by party funding. Back then it became clear that the orange politicians' concept of democracy differed from that of the majority of their voters. They mainly took care of their own interests."

Hospodářské noviny - Czech Republic | 16/02/2007

A dialogue between Belarus and Europe?

Jaroslav Simov, a journalist with Radio Free Europe, comments in an interview with Ondrej Soukup on relations between Russia and Belarus, which took a drastic turn for the worse in the wake of the oil and gas dispute. "Moscow obviously no longer regards Alexander Lukshenko as a reliable ally. It's impossible to rule out the possibility that Russia will try to force Lukashenko to renounce his power and replace him with someone who supports Russia's interests." However, Simov notes, at the moment the issue does not have top priority in Russia where they are gearing up for the election campaign. "This gives the President of Belarus, the democratic opposition and Europe, too, a window opportunity to establish the conditions for a dialogue that could reduce Russia's influence in Belarus. Nonetheless, the fundamental question remains as to whether the Belarusian regime is prepared to allow a thaw-out period to begin in its own country."

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