Inside News on Odessa and Ukraine
This entry was inspired by a UK MEP named Arlene McCarthy who represents the north-west of England in the European Parliament – although what she said has nothing to do with Ukraine – directly. Indirectly, her words undoubtedly fit Ukraine – as well as many other EU nations and nations that receive EU regional funds. [...]
Some things are almost guaranteed to be anticlimactic. The Odessa International Investment Forum 2013 has every ingredient necessary to produce a complete lack of climax – similar to that of an 80 year old impotent male surrounded by lithe and lustrous young beauties who then discovers he has left his Viagra in his hotel room. [...]
Back in October 2011, I mentioned that the LukOil terminal in Odessa had just been put up for sale. It has now sold. At least it is sold subject to contract exchange. The new owners are an umbrella company called VETEK LLC based in Kyiv. VETEK was registered as a company in Kyiv on 28th [...]
It’s been a while since I wrote about anything specific to Odessa – and today could be yet another day where I concentrate on the shenanigans within Ukraine or the broader regional realpolitik that effects Ukraine – there is always so much to comment upon when living in a nation stuck between the geopolitical masses [...]
As many will recall, Ukraine held the Euro 2012 football championships – Odessa was not a host city – but it built a new football stadium anyway – and very good it is – albeit the biggest names to play there thus far have been bands such as Linkin Park and Garbage. Less well known [...]
Ho humm! Shenanigans, nefarious acts and lack of public consultation have resulted in tear gas and water cannon being used at Odessa City Hall over, of all things, the renaming of some Odessa City Streets. When City Hall is daily siphoning off the city budget through opaque tenders, outright theft, deliberate mis-accounting and misappropriation of [...]
Well, well, well! No – not three holes in the ground filled with water, but rather a sarcastic acknowledgement that Odessa City Hall has finally got around to creating a new website – Invest in Odessa. I deliberately use the word “finally”, as way back in autumn 2007 when I first met Mikhail Freidlin, he was [...]
Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot – well actually at 10 am today the opposition parties in Ukraine have called for protests over the elections so maybe we’ll have a Ukrainian 5th of November to remember – or maybe not. Anyway, way back in April 2012, Odessa came up with a [...]
Well dear readers. I have been accused of being selfish! Moi? I have been approached, not for the first time, with a request to teach English to some of the local rich folks on a one-to-one basis. It seems some wish to be free from classrooms and the brakes which can occasionally be applied by [...]
Out of court settlements as traditionally understood in the West have never really taken off in this part of the world. Here things to to court, which may return a verdict based on the evidence. Alternatively a court may return a verdict based on the highest bidder for whatever outcome is desired or indeed the [...]