Inside News on Odessa and Ukraine
As it is my umteenth anniversary today, and thus via the “ball and chain” and the goodwill of Ukraine, I have permanent residency here, this entry really does not affect me in any way. In fact it doesn’t affect anybody I know either. It will undoubtedly affect some readers however - both currently and in […]
Enrst & Young are carrying out a little survey amongst expatriates in Ukraine. I have written about polls and surveys before, 18th July to be exact, and what weight, if any, can be given to them: “………..My point, such as it is, is to look at any particular poll not only in comparison with others, […]
Having finally got around to the core issue of Stage 1 relating to the road map on Visa-free travel as per the document from the EU, the RADA has passed the necessary laws for biometric passports and identified the company that will produce them. Just how technically good the new law is remains to be […]
Last week the EU appraised Moldova against the Visa-free road-map it was given, pretty much at the same time as Ukraine was given the same road-map. The up-shot of that appraisal? Moldova has overtaken Ukraine and can now move from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the said road-map. In short it has its technical […]
To the very clever people in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London UK. I write that opening sentence with some sincerity, despite the sarcastic tone it may convey. I have in my many years living in Russia and latterly Ukraine met a good number of UK Ambassadors, Charges d’Affaires and other assorted FCO staff as […]
Immigration is a very touchy subject in the UK. Well it is everywhere, but as the subject of this entry is the UK, UKBA website, UK immigration rules et al, that seemed like a solid starting sentence. On 9th July 2012, the immigration rules got much tougher. Hurrah and huzzah cry the voting masses of […]
Yes, yes, I know! Today is 4th June and I’m telling you about changes coming into force 4 days ago. Well six months ago I told you about the new law so I did tell you and you have simply forgotten in amongst the torrent of tedious ruminations you have had to sit and read […]
When all major political parties in Ukraine manage to gain 18% or less individually in the straw polls of public opinion regardless of what provocative or pacifying actions they make take in an attempt to either motivate or buy off the voting public, the one clear result opinion polls show is that the Ukrainian public […]
Today I was going to write about why reform in Ukraine is so slow and the bottom-up support that is missing. That will have to wait until I get around to it. Currently I am researching serious and organised crime for a document that will be published elsewhere in cyberspace in the months ahead. Certainly […]
Here is the speech of Prime Minister Azarov from 7th March to the government and President of Ukraine. Notable for drawing up the battle lines upon which the government seems intent to fight the October election for many and notable for me due to his forth point, which is a point I have been making here […]