Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Kalningradians picketing European Parliament and European Commission in Brussels.



At this moment in Brussels Kalningradians picketing European Parliament and European Commission in Brussels in the frame of campaign "Kaliningrad - Prisoner of Europe". 31 participants of the picketing, in particular, the publisher of the newspaper "Dvornik" Arseny Mahlov, the leaders of NGO "Spravedlivost" Konstantin Doroshok and Vitaly Lavrinovic, local MP from Chernyakhovsk Vera Safonova, head of the independent non-profit organization "New World" Alexander Shatsky and other activists from Kaliningrad region.
Arseny Mahlov passes from the scene.

15-06: We start picketing European Parliament and European Commission.
15-10: The Europeans are interested, waiting for the police to come .
15-35: No police and we still picketing without police permission. . Attention is big, especially when NATO generals are passed by. Our girls rushed to give them a leaflet about the Kaliningrad region, but the policeman stopped the unauthorized distribution, despite the fact that NATO generals willing to take! Journalists and officials European Commission joined to us.
15-37: Police commissioners arrived.
15-46: Police allowed us to move to the entrance to the European Commission with the distribution of leaflets.
16-00: Konstantin Doroshok went to Jose Manuel Barroso to hand over 4,500 signatures of Kaliningradians.
16-17: Signature handed over to personal assistant of Mr. Barroso. Our proposals for issuing multiple-entry visas will be considered at the next meeting of the International Affairs Commission and Mr. Barroso will send a reply.
16-23: Lars Gronbjerg ( an expert on relations with Russia) came to us. We made a suggestions on multiple visas. He expects an official document from the public in Kaliningrad with specific actions on facilitation of visa regime.
16-32: Commissioner Cecilia Malmström will be directly in charge of Kaliningrad. The protesters chanting: "We'll be back!"

16-48: Due to expected arriving any minute now of the Queen of Belgium to the building of the European Commission, followed an urgent request from the police to finish our picketing.

After the rally, I received a message from Brussels: "The picket was a success, Kostya handed signatures to the European Commission. We're going back with victory. Lvovich"
P.S. I`m sending picketers to the Brussels.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Picketing the Latvian conculate in Kaliningrad.


On October 11 from 13 till 14 was a picketing of the Latvian consulate in Kaliningrad. I`m an organazer, Vitaly Lavrinovich from NGO "Spravedlivost" the manager of picketing. The purpose of the picketing - a request to the institutions of the European authorities for the simplification of visa regime for residents of Kaliningrad region. There were 25 participants of the picketing. The picketing was civil, participated in the picketing residents of the Kaliningrad region. We gathered signatures from passers-by. The picket was supported by the activists of political parties and public organizations. In particular - "the Baltic Republican Party", party "Patriots of Russia," party "Yabloko", NGO "Spravedlivost", NGO "Nash Gorod" and the NGO "New World ".

Our posters were - "Europe is our common home", "Kaliningrad - Prisoner of Europe."
The picketing was peaceful, without shouting slogans towards the consulate. We do not interfere with the work of the Latvian Consulate, our picketing located across the street on the sidewalk.
We did not protest against Latvians. We used consulate as one of the structure of the European authority. We see Latvians and other Europeans as our friends and neighbours.

After the picketing I handed over to the Head of Chancery of Latvian Consulate Mrs Dzidra LIEPINA a petition with copies of the signatures of 550 residents of the Kaliningrad region.
The rest 2000 original signatures sent by post to the President of European Commission Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso.
The fourth and final, picketing will be held on October 18 from 13 till 14 of local time near the Consulate of Germany, in Kaliningrad, Leningradskaya street 4.
My phone 8 909 7755 395
Will accept any assistance in organizing pickets.
Our petition in Russian and English you could download here.
http://www.2shared.com/document/bBxYfYCH/kaliningrad_prisoner_of_europe.html

Monday, October 4, 2010

Picketing the Polish Consulate in Kaliningrad.


On October 4 from 13 till 14 was a picketing of the Polish consulate in Kaliningrad. I`m an organazer, Vitaly Lavrinovich from NGO "Spravedlivost"manager of picketing. The purpose of the picket - a request to the institutions of the European authorities for the simplification of visa regime for residents of Kaliningrad region. There were 20 participants of the picketing. The picket was civil, participated in the picket residents of the Kaliningrad region. We gathered signatures from passers-by. The picket was supported by the activists of political parties and public organizations. In particular - the Baltic Republican Party, "Party of Patriots of Russia," NGO "Spravedlivost", the United Democratic Movement" Solidarity "and the NGO "New World ". There were journalists from "Reuters" , newspaper "Kaliningradskaya pravda", a cable TV channel "Pervi gorodskoi", etc. Our posters were - "Europe is our common home", "Kaliningrad - Prisoner of Europe."
The picketing was peaceful, without shouting slogans towards the consulate. We do not interfere with the work of the Polish Consulate, our picketing located across the street on the sidewalk.During the picketing, the Polish consulate has been closed down and they stopped issuing visas for Kaliningraders. About 30 persons was helplessly trying to get a Polish visa, but they see just a closed gates of Polish consulate.

The staff of the Polish consulate did not accepted our petition with signatures of Kaliningradians. I consider it as an indicator, what actually the real attitude towards to Kaliningraders, behind mask of empty words and smiles of the European diplomats. Can they do that towards Americans or British? I doubt it. Remind you my dear readers, that the Lithuanian Consulate does not stopped working during our picketing on 27 October. As the organizer of the picketing I did apologize to Kaliningraders for the inconvenience.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Picketing number 2, the Polish consulate.

On October 4 we are picketing Polish Consulate in Kaliningrad from 13 till 14, Kashtanovaya Alley 51. I'm an organizer, Vitaly Lavrinovic from NGO "Spravedlivost" managing the picketing.
The purpose of picketing - to achieve simplification of visa regime for residents of Kaliningrad region.
On picketing we will gather signatures. More then 500 copies of signatures with the petition will be passed to Polish consul, this is the part of 2000 original signatures that we did post to the President of European Commission .
Our slogans - "We're not prisoners, we are not hostages!", "Europe is our common home!"
, "Kaliningrad the prisoner of Europe!"
We invite all parties and organizations to join us on picketing. We are planning that the picketing will attend more than 30 people. This is our second picketing, first picketing near Lithuanian Consulate gathered more than 20 people.