VIJIGISHU '24

Tuesday, 19 December 2023

INSTANT NEWS RECAP | EASTERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA: Weekly Updates

 Estonia- Ongoing Power Outage

  • Large numbers of households in Southeastern Estonia have been without power for well over a week due to snowfall. Trees and power lines have fallen.
  • Affected households are reportedly in Valga and Võru counties, in Southeastern Estonia, inside the Karula National Park (Karula Rahvuspark).


Slovenia- Till June, 2024 Border Restrictions


  • The Slovenian government had previously decided on Nov 16, to prolong border controls at the Croatian and Hungarian borders until 21 December. This has been extended till June 2024 now. 

Read more at: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/slovenia-extends-border-controls-with-croatia-hungary-until-june-2024/


Russia- Latvia : 10 Nov onwards Closure

  • Latvia closed the Pededze and Vientiuli border crossing stations on the Russia-Latvia border on 10 Nov these are two of seven crossings on the shared border.
  • Latvia previously banned persons entering the country from Belarus or Russia with Russia-
  • registered vehicles on Sept. 12 and 16 Oct.
  • It is unclear how long the border crossings will remain closed.

Cause:

  • The closure has been imposed in response to Moscow's ruling funneling all overland entry to
  • Russia for Ukrainian passport holders via Vientiuli Crossing.


Finland to sign a defence pact with the USA

  • Secretary Blinken and Defense Minister Häkkänen are signing a Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the United States and the Government of Finland. 
  • The agreement sets forth the framework for enhanced defense and security cooperation and partnership between our two countries. 
  • Finland is an essential strategic partner, an indispensable NATO Ally, and we look forward to continued close cooperation. 


Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan Oil Services Workers Persist in Strike for Better Conditions Amidst Company Firings

  • Employees of an oil services company in western Kazakhstan are pushing ahead with industrial action in their demand for improved working conditions despite waves of firings.

  • Around 500 workers at West Oil Software, a company based in the Mangystau region, reportedly downed their tools and began holding rallies early last week.
  • A core demand is for employees to hired by subsidiaries of state-owned oil and gas company KazMunaiGas, or KMG, which they say would ensure higher salaries.

Chinese Companies Eye Container Facilities in Kazakh Ports, Discuss Railway Projects

  • A Chinese company, Shipbuilding Industry Corp., is exploring the possibility of building container facilities at the Kazakh port cities of Aktau and Kuryk, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport.
  • A ministry statement added that China Railways Group Ltd. has “expressed interest in projects to modernize existing [routes] and build new railway lines.”
  • Discussions have so far yielded no specific deals. 
Read more at: https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-china-explores-developing-infrastructure-at-caspian-ports


Kazakhstan Unveils Chinese-Funded Luban Workshop Vocational School at Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University

  • Kazakhstan’s Education Ministry has announced the opening of a Chinese-funded vocational school, known as a Luban workshop, located on the campus of Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University in Oskamen.

Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh War:

  • The unprecedented joint statement by the two countries' leaders did not include specifics on the future of the bilateral format or the peace process overall.

Read more at: https://eurasianet.org/no-clear-path-forward-for-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-talks-after-prisoner-swap


Armenia and Azerbaijan Issue Unprecedented Joint Statement, Express Intent to Achieve Long-Awaited Peace

  • On the evening of December 7, Armenia and Azerbaijan issued an unexpected joint statement, the first of its kind that did not bear the signature of any mediator working on the peace process between the two. 
  • According to the statement, Armenia and Azerbaijan "share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region." 
  • "The two countries reconfirm their intention to normalise relations and to reach the peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," it read.

Uzbekistan
Chinese Hackers attack Uzbek Foreign Ministry Servers

  • Chinese hackers have reportedly conducted attacks on governmental servers in Uzbekistan and against individual users in South Korea.
  • The Hacker News reported in early December that the Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s servers came under an attack utilizing a “remote access Trojan” program called “SugarGh0st RAT,” which reportedly enables hackers to transfer data, initiate commands remotely and other malicious activities.
  • The Hacker News report goes on to claim that the program originated in China, adding that the hackers appeared to be native Chinese speakers.

Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Security Heads Hint at Progress in Border Demarcation Talks, Easing Decades-Long Tensions

  • The heads of the security services of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have dropped fresh hints that a border demarcation deal may be coming into focus, raising the prospect of an end to decades of violence-prone unease between the two nations.
  • Kamchybek Tashiyev, the head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, or GKNB, and his Tajik counterpart, Saimumin Yatimov, met on December 1 in the Tajik town of Buston for talks that reportedly produced “key decisions” on how to resolve differences over the border. 

Iran's President Raisi Visits Tajikistan, Signalling Thaw in Relations Despite Past Tensions

  • For the past few years, Tajikistan’s propaganda machine has cast Iran in the worst possible light, as a sponsor of terrorism and the architect of numerous attempts to cultivate radical Islamic sentiments.
  • All that was forgotten about on November 8, when Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi traveled to Dushanbe to be greeted with smiles and warm handshakes.
  • Following a day of talks and negotiations on November 8, Raisi and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon oversaw the signing of 19 cooperation documents in areas including visa policies, international transportation, drug control, free economic zones, long-term economic and trade cooperation, and research.

Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan and Japan intend to establish direct flights

  • Representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Thailand held consultations in a video conference format on December 15, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan reported.
  • The sides exchanged views on current issues and prospects for bilateral relations in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Afghan and Turkmen Foreign Ministers Deliberate TAPI Pipeline Project and Torghondai Railroad Extension

  • Acting Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi and his Turkmen counterpart Raşit Meredow have discussed the TAPI pipeline project, extension of the Torghondai railroad

Serbia
Protesters in Belgrade Demand Election Result Annulment, Opposition Leaders Declare Hunger Strike

  • In Belgrade, representatives of the opposition and their supporters are holding a protest rally demanding to cancel the results of the parliamentary elections, where the coalition of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic won, local newspapers report Politika andKurir and TV channelRTC.
  • The rally began at around 18:00 local time at the building of the Belgrade City Assembly, and eventually its participants reached the building of the Republican Electoral Commission (REC). Protesters broke the fence around the commission building and tried to get inside, RTC reports. According to the TV channel, about 1.6 thousand people are participating in the protest.
  • The leaders of the opposition bloc “Serbia against violence” Marinika Tepic and Miroslav Aleksic announced a hunger strike, which, according to them, will last until the election results are annulled, Politika writes.


Russia
Moscow will respond to the 12th package of EU sanctions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said

  • On December 18, the European Unionapproved the twelfth package of anti-Russian sanctions. It imposes restrictions on the import of non-industrial diamonds that were produced or processed in Russia. The ban will be installed in stages by September 2024.
  • Export restrictions have been introduced on chemicals, lithium batteries, thermostats, DC motors and servo motors for drones, import restrictions on cast iron, copper and aluminum wire
  • The EU also obliged member countries to notify the sale of tankers to any third country.
  • In addition, Brussels included 29 legal entities on the sanctions list for “direct support of the Russian military-industrial complex.” They will be subject to stricter export restrictions regarding dual-use goods and technologies.
  • In addition, a number of individuals were subject to sanctions. Among them are the son of Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev Ilya, Speaker of the Moscow City Duma Alexey Shaposhnikov, as well as the head of the Altai Republic Oleg Khorokhordin and Bashkiria Radiy Khabirov.

Russian President Putin Simplifies Citizenship Process for Belarusians, Kazakhs, and Moldovans

  • Citizens of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova will be able to apply for Russian citizenship in a simplified manner, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin. Itis postedon the legal information portal.
  • Citizens of Belarus will be able to submit an application without complying with clauses 1–3 of Art. 15 of Federal Law No. 138-FZ “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”. We are talking about the points:
  • permanent residence in Russia from the date of issue of the residence permit for five years;
  • knowledge of Russian language;
  • knowledge of the history and fundamentals of the country's legislation.
  • For citizens of Kazakhstan and Moldova, the requirement to speak Russian remains mandatory. Therefore, in addition to a residence permit and a document proving identity and citizenship, they must provide proof of language knowledge.










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