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09.07.2009 Russian Society Culture, Demographics, Politics June-July, 2009 The following resource is meant to quickly introduce the reader to everyday life in Russia: how Russians live, study, relax, and worship. This news review is part of SRAS's monthly "obzor" publications. For more reviews, see the newsletter for this corresponding month. To receive the free monthly newsletter and obzori by email, simply sign up.    Arts Amsterdam's $55.6 Million Hermitage Challenges Sex, Drugs Image Russia's President and the Dutch Queen today open Amsterdam's 40-million-euro ($55.6 million) branch of the State Hermitage Museum that has taken more than a decade to complete. Propaganda or Just Good Business? Soviet films were weapons of propaganda, but the pressures on a new blockbuster film like Vladimir Bortko's "Taras Bulba" are rather more from Hollywood. Giant Spoon Created for Russian President A Russian souvenir factory crafted a giant wooden spoon for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to help him during the financial crisis. Russian Artists Start Hunger Strike In Chelyabinsk Fourteen artists in the southwestern Russian city of Chelyabinsk have begun a hunger strike to protest the confiscation of their studios and the revision of new regulations on renting the studios.   Culture Nostalgia for a Soviet Treat Soviet homemade cuisine is making a comeback at Moscow's fancy restaurants. All That Dill Paying a social visit in Russia can result in a serious case of indigestion. Russian Officials Face Fines For Poor Language Use Russian officials and politicians will face fines for mispronouncing words or using coarse language in interviews under a new law being drafted by the mass communications ministry. Garlic, Mustard and Herbs: Russian Folk Remedies Like most other countries, Russia has a wide range of so-called traditional folk remedies, and Russians rely to a large extent on medicinal herbs and a number of other centuries-old healing procedures. A Cultural Awakening in Russia A year after Dmitry A. Medvedev succeeded Vladimir V. Putin as president, most liberal Russians have cast aside hopes of a real political thaw from above. Speech at Reception Celebrating Day of Russia This holiday we are celebrating is connected to events that were a turning point in our country's recent history. It is connected to fundamental political and economic transformations, radical changes to our society's spiritual life, and changes in our value system…"   Civil Society Dmitri Medvedev : Opening Address Meeting with Chairwoman of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Ella Pamfilova and Members of the Public Chamber Civic Groups Wary as Russia May Ease Curbs President Dmitri A. Medvedev introduced legislation this week that he said would partly relax restrictions on civic organizations. Amendments To NGO Law Do Not Apply To Foreign NGO Amendments to the law on non-governmental organizations submitted by President Dmitry Medvedev to the State Duma on Wednesday will apply only to Russian NGOs and will not affect foreign ones, a high-ranking official said. Summer in Saratov Summer brings a holiday air, and seasonal jobs, to the Volga city of Saratov, but the underlying economic problems remain and the autumn promises to be hard. Russia Sees No Wide-Scale Unrest From Crisis Russia on Tuesday dismissed concerns that the economic crisis could provoke any widespread domestic unrest and said companies and local officials were working to prevent tensions rising over unemployment. Civil Society Leaders Gather in Moscow During Presidential Summit Eurasia Foundation, New Eurasia Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies are hosting a Civil Society Summit in Moscow on July 6 and 7, 2009, to coincide with presidential meetings there between President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama. Russia's NGOs To Get Over 1 Bln Rbls From Govt Despite Crisis The Russian Public Chamber has declared a grants distribution contest for Russian non-commercial organizations, involved in efforts to develop civil society. Under the Russian government's resolution 1.2 billion rubles has been reserved in the federal budget this year. No democracy needed for Russia, says ruling party think-tank Russia does not need to move toward greater democracy because the financial crisis requires strong leadership.   Crime and Corruption Politkovskaya Case To Be Retried Russia's Supreme Court has overturned the acquittal of three men accused of involvement in the 2006 killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Western Eye on Russia's Prisons Laura Piacentini is the first Western criminologist to undertake sustained research into Russia's contemporary penal system. Corruption six feet under The number of people living in Moscow has increased by 50% in the last twenty years. The number of cemeteries has not kept up with the dying population, which has turned plots into valuable commodities. Expensive Law Enforcement. Police Business And The Case Of Major Yevsyukov Experts know what the problem is: people never join the police force in order to defend society or promote its interests. Whoever joins it is either hungry for power or seeks financial prosperity. On Implementing National Anti-Corruption Plan Measures The Executive Office of the President of the Russian Federation is monitoring the implementation of National Anti-Corruption Plan measures. An analysis showed that as of April 20, 2009, measures are being implemented according to the planned guidelines. Crisis To Cleanse Russian Society Current economic and financial crisis will cleanse Russian society and will help create "an economy of happiness." Alternative Punishment Of Convicts Highly Topical For Russia The use of alternative ways of punishment is highly topical for Russia, Director of the Federal Service for Prisons and Penitentiaries Yuri Kalinin told Itar-Tass. Medvedev Signs Law Raising Penalty For Drivers Who Do Not Stop At Zebra President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a law amending the Code of Administrative Offences, adopted by the State Duma on April 22 and approved by the Federation Council on April 29, which increases the penalty from 100 to 1,000 roubles for drivers who do not stop at zebra crossings. Former Judge Slams Medvedev's Plans To Appoint Constitutional Court Head Presidential amendments to legislation concerning the procedure of appointing the Constitutional Court chairmen and their deputies have put an end to one of the most democratic procedures, the election of the Constitutional Court chairman. Penal colonies are still holding thousands of prisoners in the Kirov Oblast Today in Vyatlag there are about 5,000 prisoners and 13 penal colonies of different types: minimum, high and maximum security. There may also be sub-divisions of these categories in at each colony. Court reform crucial for Russia Ridding Russia's court system of corruption and political pressure is crucial to the country's future and must take precedence over other reforms. Ultranationalists Arrested In Southern Russia A group of ultranationalists has been detained in the city of Georgiyevsk in Russia's southwestern Stavropol Krai. Russian Constitutional Court's 'Unconstitutional' Decision A new Russian Constitutional Court decision represents the opening round of a new Moscow campaign against the Russian Federation's so-called ethnic republics, and thus is certain to provoke new tensions between the central government and the peoples and governments of these republics. Postcommunist Societies Remain Acutely Susceptible To Racism None of these countries ever experienced democracy and, by extension, tolerance," he says. "Tolerance doesn't only apply to ethnic minorities. Tolerance comes with an understanding that all others.   Demographics Russian Population Decline Slows To 47,000 In Q1 2009 Russia's population was an estimated 141.9 million on April 1, down by 46,900 from the beginning of 2009. Russia's top doctor seeks to calm swine flu pandemic fears Russia's chief doctor said swine flu could be treated as normal seasonal influenza despite the WHO's classification of the outbreak as a global pandemic, but advised Russians to protect themselves with masks.   Education Half of Russian University Students 'Regularly' Bribe Instructors Up to 50 percent of the students in Russian universities pay bribes to their instructors on a regular basis, and as many as a third of all instructors systematically take them.   Environment Russia Offers Climate Goal With No Real Bite Russia plans to release 30 percent more greenhouse gases by 2020 under an emissions target scheme announced on Friday by President Dmitry Medvedev. Talking Green Interview Oleg Mitvol is a controversial character. Formerly the deputy head of Russia's Natural Resources watchdog, he was known as the "Kremlin pitbull" for his altercations with foreign oil companies.   Health Study: Alcohol Kills Over Half of Russians in Prime Cheap and illicit alcohol kills more than half of Russian men and women in their most productive years and the government must act urgently to reverse the trend. Life Expectancy Remains Low It appears that in some respects, Russians are far more concerned with their health than Westerners; unfortunately, their efforts do not translate into longer life expectancy. Gorbachev Urges New Anti-Drinking Campaign In Russia Former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the architect of sweeping reforms in the late 1980s including measures to fight alcoholism, said Russia needs an extensive new campaign to cut drinking. Putin Takes Aim at Alcohol Addiction Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin put the emphasis on alcohol addiction and smoking Friday as key targets to achieve a healthy nation. Flood of Afghan Heroin Fuels Drug Plague in Russia Drugs have become yet another scourge of post-communist Russia, with millions addicted to heroin and an annual death toll reportedly in the tens of thousands from overdoses and other drug-related causes. Russians' Alcoholism Worse Than Decade Ago Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday called for a tougher fight against alcoholism in Russia, voicing concern that Russian drinking was worse than in the bleak 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.   History Angry Russia 'Forgotten At D-Day Ceremony' Russia has protested that its role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II went unrecognized at this month's D-Day ceremonies, reopening old wartime tensions. Russia Commemorates Start of Great Patriotic War Russia remembers on Monday the start of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, the term used in Russia and other ex-Soviet states to describe WWII. Manipulating Russia's Manipulation of History This is a summary of Anatoli Karlin's views on the controversy surrounding the "Stalinist" Russian history textbooks. Members of Russia's Royal family 'rehabilitated The 'rehabilitation' means the six who were murdered by the Bolsheviks are now considered to be victims of repression. The Motherland…Falls Even by the typically monumental standards of Soviet-era memorials, "The Motherland Calls" is an impressive sight.   Media An Uncivil Approach to Civil Society Reporting: A Response to Human Rights Watch Press This press release was designed to draw attention to the HRW report "An Uncivil Approach to Civil Society: Continuing State Curbs on Independent NGOs and Activists in Russia." Moscow Crime Reporter, Facing His Obituary Daily After the most recent attack on Sergei Kanev — attempted strangulation with a wire, in his apartment's stairwell here — his editor visited him and delicately suggested that he take a six-month sabbatical from crime reporting. Samizdat in the 21st Century: Russia's New Literature of Crisis Russia's failure, and Putin's role in it, is the subject of an increasingly loud, surprisingly vigorous debate playing out on the Russian-language Internet and in the pages of the struggling but still influential Moscow liberal press. Russian TV Channel Launches New Economic Program for Middle Class In September, RBC TV marked its first anniversary - the business television channel has been broadcasting its programs in a principally new TV format in Russia for exactly one year.   Public Opinion Over Half of Russians Favour EU Membership Attitudes towards the EU and Europeans are largely positive amongst citizens of the largest former Soviet Republics. Russians Proud of Culture, Not Democracy The majority of people in Russia take pride in their country's history and culture, according to a poll by Bashkirova & Partners. Russian Children Say USA 'Enemy' But Want to Live in Beverly Hills Russian schoolchildren regard the USA as an enemy but still want to live in Beverly Hills on the Pacific coast and work for Coca-Cola, according to the results of an opinion poll. Poll: Russians View US More Positively After Obama Russians' attitudes towards the United States have improved significantly since the election of US President Barack Obama, according to a poll released on Friday, ahead of Obama's trip to Moscow next week. Poll: Only 5% of Russians Believe Relations With U.S. Friendly Only 5% of Russians polled in a recent survey believe U.S.-Russian relations are friendly, a pollster said on Friday.   Science Russia May Help U.S. Search For Water On Moon Russian scientific equipment will help the U.S. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to find water on the moon. Kremlin may tighten up internet use in Russia There have been signs recently that the Russian government is reconsidering its laissez-    faire attitude towards the internet, especially in the wake of Iran's web-driven "green revolution." Fedor Konyukhov Expedition Halfway Through Mongolian Route An international expedition along the Silk Road, headed by Russian traveller Fedor Konyukhov, has covered half of its route across Mongolia (1,500 kilometers) now.   Study Politics in Russia The Library: Politics in Russia SRAS Resources for Teachers   Find out more! SRAS Travel Services More Study Abroad Programs Internships in Russia Heath and Safety in Russia The SRAS Newsletter Journal for Students More Free Resources!  Questions or comments? Contact the editor « back to News archive print this page email this page