Global Voices Online

TOL Georgia reports on the latest developments in the run-up to next month's parliamentary election in Georgia. In the first of three posts, the blog comments on news that the country's parliamentary speaker, Nino Burjanadze, appears to have temporarily retired from active politics ahead of the vote. Meanwhile, the president's former defense minister and now outspoken critic, Irakli Okruashvili, has applied for and received political asylum in France. In the final post so far, the blog says that it is likely that the Georgian president's National Movement party will gain the majority of votes in the crucial parliamentary vote. However, the blog says that such an outcome is not necessarily because the authorities have popular support. Indeed, following the disputed January presidential election, it concludes that the prerequisites for a free and fair vote are missing.

Shcd from 163.com wrote a boycott action report against Carrefour in Beijing [zh]. The action is a reaction against France's failure in guarding the Olympic torch relay in Paris.

Greater Surbiton writes about NATO's relations with Russia: “If the NATO powers lack the will to stand up to Russia, it raises the question of what precise purpose NATO serves.” And about NATO and the Greek-Macedonian relations: “Greece has been a very poor member of NATO; it has only about 130 troops in Afghanistan - the same number as Macedonia, a non-member with one-fifth its population.”

Masares of equinoXio writes, “Íngrid's (Betancourt) release is not on the FARC's agenda,” and analyzes the French's role in the efforts to get her medical treatment and her eventual release.

The Water Law Blog examines the situation of Armenia's domestic water supply and sewer services following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. In particular, the blog looks at privatization of water facilities in the country which it concludes simply means handing over control to the French. However, the blog says, there are public concerns about the cost to the consumer as a result.

A roundup on Ukraine and NATO: A Fistful of Euros reads Yushchenko's address and isn't surprised “other NATO countries are balking”; Mark MacKinnon writes that granting membership to Ukraine might lead to “further internal strife”; Eternal Remont highlights the Communists' “sophisticated and highly nuanced policy position”; Ukrainiana posts a video of another Ukrainian political group greeting Bush; Orange Ukraine posts a note on the four years of NATO's words and deeds regarding Ukraine's membership, writes about the “craven capitulation of Germany and France to Russia,” and reports on this year's pathetic April Fool's Day in Odesa, followed by an anti-NATO rally: “Since Odesa has been dragged down into the leaden stupidity of politics, the citizens can't muster the light wittiness that made the city so unique.”

Cédric Kalonji writes about the mixed blessings [Fr] of life in Europe for Africans: “I ask myself what's better, living in an African hell or all of the less-than-positive looks and judgments [Africans get] in paradise.”

harinjaka writes about a new Malagasy night club [Fr] in Marseille: “I know from personal experience that it's not easy to enter a club here (in France), especially if you are black or berber…It's not the Queen but it's a club where Malagasy people are VIP.”