Administrative Reform
We welcome Zhanna, our new contributor on Kazakhstan neweurasia, who in her first post wonders whether the administrative reform will help increase the effectiveness of the state apparatus (RUS).

We welcome Zhanna, our new contributor on Kazakhstan neweurasia, who in her first post wonders whether the administrative reform will help increase the effectiveness of the state apparatus (RUS).
Kazakhstan, which aspires to be among 50 most competitive countries in the world, is five points down in World Economic Forum (WEF) rating, reports Adam Kesher.
Adam Kesher tells how former Communist and current Otan member Vladimir Kim increased his share in Kazakhmys from 39.9% to 46,52%, which is worth almost 6 billion US dollars.

An Easy Guide to Blogging by Nathan Hamm
This introductory guide acts as a very good starter for newcomers to the world of blogging. Sections include: ‘What is a Blog?’, ‘The Blogosphere’, ‘Why Blog?’, ‘Building a Successful Blog’, ‘Writing a Successful Post’ and ‘Ethics’.
Available in English | Russian | Uzbek

Safe Blogging & Online Privacy Made Easy
There are already a few freely available guides to online privacy and safe blogging, but we at neweurasia and Transitions Online seek to provide a succinct, easy-to-understand summary for those who wish to blog anonymously.
Available in: English | Russian | Uzbek
Our new resource section is here, and it also features a growing list of external documents.
Marat analyses Kazakhstan investments in other countries and draws its future zones of influence (RUS).
In his first contribution to Russian-language neweurasia Kazakhstan, Marat gives his reasons for deteriorating education in Kazakhstan and discusses the implications of it (RUS).
The train “Dushanbe-Moscow” is a breadwinner for Tajikistan and a headache for Russia.
The incumbent president of Tajikistan has no opponents in the upcoming elections except on paper. (ENG)
Rumil finds a conservative video blogger who thinks the US should have bribed their way into basing rights in Uzbekistan prior to 9/11.
What features below is a translation of an article that appeared recently on a Russian political website, Politicheski Zhurnal. Although it makes some broad points about the use (and abuse) made of referenda generally across the world, the article focuses primarily on Central Asia. It is of particular interest in view of the fact that the recent past and near future has been and will be a test of how far democratic values have rooted themselves in the region’s political systems. It may a readily accepted fact that the picture is largely a grim one, but Russian political analyst Viktor Rudenko’s piece nonetheless offers some additional nuance to this generally dismal scenario:
HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT FOR LIFE
Victor RudenkoThe current usage of the “voice of God”
In many countries the referendum is by no means a democratic institution. The authorities use it to manipulate the voters and thereby give their arbitrary edicts the appearance of popular support.
It is nowadays customary to assume that the referendum is one of the most important institutes of a functional democracy. However, in many countries it is not a democratic institution at all. By means of referenda, authorities manipulate voters and thereby give their arbitrary edicts the appearance of popular support.




maciula writes about problems with the pre-Caspian gas pipeline project (ENG).
Libertad writes about new Uzbek people added to the UN consolidated list of suspects affiliated with Al Qaeda and Taliban (ENG).
Musafirbek congratulates everyone with Victory Remembrance Day (RUS).
Alisher Taksanov writes a fiction story about a president, whose hobby was to make coffins for opposition members whom he later killed (RUS).
Abdulgamid reports on Turkmen government’s promises that denomination of the national currency will be “soft” (RUS).
Elena posted some pictures from the last soccer game between Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan during the AFC Challenge Cup Group C qualifier (ENG)
Abdulgamid writes about four times rise in prices for air tickets in Turkmenistan (RUS).
maciula reports on president Berdymukhammedov’s efforts to undo his predecessor’s personality cult (ENG).
Elena congratulates all on the Victory Day and presents some pictures from the celebration of the Victory Day in Kyrgyzstan (ENG, RUS)
Were the Kyrgyz people always nomadic and had they ever beautiful towns? Yes they had, and it is proved in a podcast related to historical place of Burana, made by Mirsulzhan (KYR).
Restec posts photos of Medeo, the mountaneous resort near Almaty, which is currently undergoing radical transformation into a world class touristic attraction (ENG, RUS).
Elena presents some pictures from the soccer game between Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan during the AFC Challenge Cup Group C qualifier and grieves for Kyrgyzstan’s loss (ENG).
Gulsali announces about the contest “The Future Kyrgyz Parliament” held for high school and undergraduate students (KYR).
Mirsulzhan uploads photos of Hydropower stations of Kyrgyzstan (KYR).
Gulsali publishes a list of the Kyrgyz famous people who officially got married after coming to the Power (KYR).
Melisbek links to Aziza Abdirasulova’s interview and gives an update on the humiliation of human rights in an energy sector (KYR).
Abdulgamid reports that in Ashgabat was organized a meeting of the World War II veterans and widows of soldiers who died in the war (RUS).
Adam analyzes some developments in the Kazakhstani banking sector, including negative references from the rating agency, released data on banks’ losses in 2007 and proposed introduction of criminal responsibility for the bankers’ actions that led to bankruptcy (ENG).
Adam posts some figures showing the rise of costs that are spent for maintenance of state bodies in Kazakhstan over the past years amidst ongoing campiagns on reduction of these expenditures (RUS).
Firuz thinks that the increase in price for electricity will have even more negative influences than it is expected by the elecity monopolist Barki Tojik (TAJ).
Ravshan reports that president Rahmon suggested to put a ban on regular inspections of small and medium enterprises by various governmetal agencies but experts claim that it will not work (RUS).
Vadim reports that electricity in Tajikistan becomes more expensive for the empoverished population (ENG).
maciula writes about one of president Berdymukhammedov’s closest associates Turkmen Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov (ENG).
Adam reports that the Kazakh government will seek investors to build or maintain 1,000 kilometers of roads at a projected cost of $4.5 billion in exchange for operating concessions (ENG, RUS).
Elena presents photographs from the soccer game between Afghanistan and Bangladesh during the AFC Challenge Cup Group C qualifier (ENG).
The minimum cost of education at Kyrgyzstan’s Universities will be 15000 soms, i.e. 420 U.S. dollars, before there weren’t any such restrictions, says Gulsali.
Nurgeldy writes that a monument to Charlie Chaplin has appeared in Kostanai last week, which is a pretty ironic sign, as the only movie theatre in the city was demolished in 2007 (RUS, ENG)
Askhat writes that weak intelligentsia in Kazakhstan fails to give new impetus to Kazakh language (KAZ)
Askhat writes that the Uzbek authorities made a big mistake by closing the Kazakh culture centre in Tashkent (KAZ)
Abdulgamid reports on the Turkmen government’s decision to relocate the Neutrality Arch to the southern area of Ashgabat (RUS).