Estonia
The media are convinced that Putin's decision to become the United Russia Party's top candidate in the parliamentary elections, and his intention to seek the position of prime minister under certain conditions show that Russia is increasingly becoming an autocracy and moving away from democratic principles. "If Putin is worried about Russia, he should give up his tsarist interpretation of power and leave all top positions, if not politics altogether. As other democratic leaders, he could consider working in the private sector as Gerhard Schroeder or, even better, write books and help tsunami victims as Bill Clinton, or protect the environment as Mikhail Gorbachev. But probably we are expecting too much from the former KGB spook, who does not see the difference between the loss of power and elegant departure from it" (Eesti Paevaleht, October 6).
"One more page has been turned in the history of Russia's democratic development. It has been obviously turned back... One gets the impression that Putin's potential appointment as the prime minister has not been well considered - it would be more logical to suggest it after the Duma elections. Now the development of democracy, which the Kremlin has promised all the time, is being called into question" (SL Ohtuleht, October 8).
Latvia
National publications are suspecting the Latvian government of conspiracy with the Kremlin, as a result of which Russia will receive additional preferences in exchange for smooth ratification of the border treaty. "Work is underway on a number of bilateral treaties, for instance on education (to continue teaching school subjects in Russian) and in the social field. The Latvian Foreign Ministry keeps silence about these treaties, which suggests that they may be payment for Russian Parliament's smooth ratification of the [border] treaty three months before the elections" (Diena, October 4).
Lithuania
While acknowledging Russia's political and energy pressure on the Baltic nations, some publications are urging the government to tone down their criticism of Moscow because an aggressive approach may cause economic losses. Some experts maintain that Lithuanian-Russian relations should be based on pragmatic considerations. "Russian public opinion polls show the Baltic nations all but the worst enemies... But lashing out at Putin, we are not doing much for our future business contacts because we will have to discuss common economic problems with the head of the Russian government" (Verslo zinios, October 8). "If that country [Russia] harms our interests, we must take adequate measures rather than develop anti-Russian instincts. Otherwise, our policy will only aggravate anti-Lithuanian attitudes. Some time later we will understand that our problems are linked not with Vladimir Putin or [President] Valdas Adamkus, but with the dislike of the [Lithuanian] people. Alas, such conduct on our part suits the Russian hawks. We must decide the issues of the past in an appropriate manner... The project to build a gas pipeline on the Baltic seabed is not a Russian-German conspiracy" (Penki.lt, October 3).
Belarus
Non-government publications believe that formation of a joint customs space by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will finally cut the republic from the West. "Assuming new economic commitments to Russia and Kazakhstan, official Minsk is making even more remote the prospect of Belarus's economic integration with the EU. The Belarusian opposition's hopes that Lukashenko will turn his face to Europe have failed to materialize" (Belorussky partisan, October 6).
The media have displayed much interest in the Minsk visit of Chuckotka Governor Roman Abramovich. Experts are talking about the negative influence of his potential interstate projects on the economic and political situation in Belarus and the advantages of the Belarusian workforce as compared with the Russian manpower. "Abramovich will help russify Belarus and turn it into a Russian colony, which it has already almost become... Russia's workers are illiterate and lack discipline... Belarus is more European and Abramovich is quite a modern oligarch. Both in Russia and abroad he is investing in what may bring him solid profits or make him famous, like the purchase of the popular football club or Chukotka. For a figure like him, Belarus is a kind of Chukotka, but with highly qualified and low-paid workforce" (Zavtra tvoyei strany, October 4).
Ukraine
Commentators are unanimous in qualifying Gazprom's surprise statement about Kiev's debt for supplied gas as a political move. They are emphasizing that in this way the Kremlin wanted to remind its partners who is playing the first fiddle in the formation of the Ukrainian government. "Russia was suspiciously silent through our election campaign and now it thinks it's the time to act... We are getting ready to announce the Orange coalition, while Russia congratulates it and asks it to pay... a check for the banquet, so to speak" (UNIAN, October 5). "When it became clear that the administrative resource in eastern Ukraine would not be able to draw Socialists [potential partners of Viktor Yanykovich's Party of Regions] into the parliament, Gazprom came up with its notorious notification" (Podrobnosti, October 5).
Some media are writing that Russia is short of gas and dealing a pre-emptive strike at Ukraine, it wants to protect itself from the EU's future grievances and to support its reputation of a reliable partner. Gazprom is trying hard to prove to the EU that supplying it with gas is no problem - the only problem is the transit countries. But in reality, it is trying to present Ukraine as one more future transit headache. Russia is creating this artificial problem because it is difficult to find fault with Ukraine now" (LigaBiznesInform, October 3).
Moldova
Analysts are dubious about the Russian president's consent to become the prime minister because this may provoke dangerous dual power. "New surprises are likely to come after the December elections. Putin may temporarily exchange positions with Zubkov in order to be legally entitled to take part in the presidential race as the head of government. Be it as it may. But Russia will remain Putin's plutocracy" (Jurnal de Chisinau, October 5).
Pro-Rumanian newspapers are positive about Chisinau's intention to plan economic contacts with Transdnestr. They see it as an effective settlement of the Transdnestr conflict without Russia's participation. "Separate talks with the Kremlin behind closed doors have not produced any effect. At any rate, they have not achieved results, which might suit Moldova. At the same time, Moscow and Tiraspol have led the 5+2 international talks into a blind alley. The only remaining option is to seek dialogue with some groups in Transdnestr, without Russia's participation. Nobody guarantees success of this approach but it is very important for Moldova to take the initiative in its own hands" (Flux, October 9).
Armenia
Experts are sarcastic about statements by Russian and Armenian policymakers on the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. "The prime minister has given a very interesting instruction to his government members - to work vigorously with their Russian colleagues towards surpassing the trade level of one billion dollars (right now it stands at $426 million)... This statement by the prime minister means that market relations are a thing of the past... If the Russian government also decides how many goods should be imported from Armenia, we have two countries with the planned economy. In the same way, the U.S.S.R. could decide with Mongolia what level their trade should reach in the would-be five-year plan period" (Aikakan Zhamanak, October 3).
Georgia
Experts hoped that NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer came to Georgia to negotiate with Tbilisi U.S. ABM deployment. In this case, Georgia would receive reliable protection against Russia and could easily return conflict regions under its jurisdiction. "The NATO Secretary General is not a tourist and came here not to watch rtveli [vintage]. His arrival means future deployment of global anti-missile systems in Georgia and America will spend $15 billion for the purpose. Implementation of this project will deal a blow at Russia... If the Pentagon deploys ABM systems in Georgia, we will return the lost territories [Abkhazia and South Ossetia] without any problem and Russia won't even stir a finger. The arrival in Georgia of 17 American generals and the NATO Secretary General already means immediate settlement of the issue" (Alia, October 4).
Scheffer's reserved statements about prospects of Georgia's admission to NATO have caused disappointment in the country. "The majority of the population support Georgia's NATO entry in the hope that NATO will prevent Russian aggression. But if NATO is waiting for us to settle our relations with Russia and become a rich, stable and advanced country, we may question the need for NATO's membership in that future" (Versiya+dos'ye, October 5).
Azerbaijan
The press is viewing Putin's decision to sell weapons and special equipment for Russian domestic prices to the members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the context of long-standing Azeri-Armenian confrontation. "CSTO General Secretary Nikolai Bordyuzha spoke about the potential threats to the bloc's members from the growing military budgets of Azerbaijan and Georgia. The recipients of Russian weapons at domestic prices will include Armenia, a country which has committed aggression against Azerbaijan and continues occupying foreign territories. Armenia did not hide its concern over the increase of the Azeri defense budget - the Diaspora could not afford to purchase new arms systems. Now Moscow will act as a financial donor for Armenia, and this looks as a calculated move rather than the ‘failure to fully evaluate the consequences'" (Echo, October 9).
The media have qualified Putin's decision to head United Russia's election list as a sign of final defeat of democracy in Russia. "The battle for democratization in that country has stopped without having even been started. Russia has made another step back into the Soviet past...Putin's Russia is politically cynical. The hopes of Russia becoming a democracy have been crushed and its current president is encouraging his own personality cult, turning live into a bronze statue" (Day.Az, October 4).
Kazakhstan
Observers believe that stronger cooperation between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the CSTO may aggravate relations with NATO and the West as a whole. "The first steps towards militarization of the integration processes have already been made. Thus, under the documents signed in Dyushanbe, all CSTO members will now buy Russian weapons at Russian domestic prices. Before long, Russia will flood the post-Soviet space with latest weapons. Nevertheless, Russian politicians keep saying that neither the SCO, nor the CSTO counterbalance NATO, but the configuration of their members points to the contrary. The SCO already occupies almost a third of inhabited land, not counting that India, Pakistan and Iran have repeatedly voiced their desire to enter the SCO" (Liter.kz, October 9).
Many analysts see the Russian leader's decision to be United Russia's top candidate as an undisguised bid to keep in power. "Vladimir Putin has made the first visible step towards remaining afloat after the elections. Russia is again facing a prospect of a change in the political system or a precedent whereby the head of state ‘rules but not reigns'" (Liter.kz, October 3).
Kyrgyzstan
Commentators are surprised at Putin's decision to head United Russia's party list at the parliamentary elections. "Quite recently we have seen a manifestation of the true ‘sample of sovereign democracy' in Russia. As a real KGB spook, Vladimir Putin made a stunning step by agreeing to be United Russia's top nominee at the State Duma elections and de facto voicing his readiness to head the Russian government. It only remains to exclaim: Bravo Putin! Whether some people like it or not, but the Russian president had prevailed over his political opponents" (Agym, October 5).
Turkmenistan
The opposition press has paid attention to the fact that together with his Georgian counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov refused to sign a document on the concept of the CIS further development at the CIS summit in Dyushanbe. "While referring to the neutral status a-la Niyazov and verbally supporting the multi-vector foreign policy, the new Turkmen leadership is dodging participation in major international projects, such as the CIS reform" (Gundogar, October 3).
Tajikistan
Some experts are critical about Tajikistan's entry into the customs union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, which is being established in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC). "A customs union is good for states with a big industrial potential, for instance, Russia. If countries with less developed economies join the proposed union, they may inflict on themselves high inflation and, hence, a reduction in the living standards of the man-in-the-street... This is true of Tajikistan, where the economic development rates leave much to be desired" (Avesta, October 7).
