An offer Europe couldn't refuse

"It seems the Russian company Intersputnik made Eutelsat an offer it couldn't refuse on 15 January, holding out the possibility of millions of dollars in business with the media holdings of Russian gas giant Gazprom on the condition that Eutelsat stop doing business with First-Caucasian."

Garry Kasparov has written a great article about Europe's strange "loveaffair" with the totalitarian Russia in todays Guardian. In this article, wich is signed by many dissidents, he asks why Europe supports the criminal regime in Cremlin with arms, like France do, and why Eutelsat, Europe's largest satellite broadcaster decides to deny the First Caucasian Channel place on the channellist after pressure from Gazprom. Is this how we want Europe to react to the systematic violations of human rights in Russia?

I think this article is worth reading.

Yeah, Well..

I am painfully aware of the slow frequency of postings lately. There is ofcourse a lot to write about. The French arming Russia, the Russians fighting with the Abkhazians over Georgian property, the South Ossetians forcing Georgian citizens to change their names, and so on.

The reason for me not posting anything is lack of time. I am writing my master thesis, and together with work for my clients there's no time left for blogging. But stay tuned! I will find time to occational rants. A great site for amusement over at the dark side is the official website for the Prez of Abkhazia. They write in english, and always manage to create a surpricing twist to the realities around the Black Sea.

Anyway, this picture i took in one of Tbilisi's Bazars might serve as a reminder of who's calling the shots these days..