Ukraine’s “Migraine Award” for creating Europe’s biggest political headache

In the Wi(l)der Europe" column at the Economist Group’s Brussels-based weekly,  European Voice,  the columnist has been dishing out his lighthearted bouquets and brickbats for the past year.

Not only light-hearted, in fact, although certainly hilarious.

“The Sleeping Beauty award goes to the protestors in Russia, who finally woke to the corruption and incompetence of their leaders in the demonstrations following the rigged Duma elections in December. …”

“The Migraine award goes to the government in Ukraine for creating Europe’s biggest political headache. … The jailing of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko marked a particularly flagrant example of politicised justice.

The Evil Eye award for malignant incompetence goes jointly to the authorities in Poland and Lithuania, for handing over banking data that enabled the regime in Minsk to jail the heroic human-rights activist Ales Bialiatski on bogus charges of tax evasion. For that, and for the jailing of other political prisoners, such as Andrei Sannikov (Sannikau) the Belarusian authorities gain the dread Mordor Dark Star. May retribution for them, and freedom for their captives, follow swiftly in 2012.”

The text can be read and thoroughly enjoyed at: http://economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/01/2011-heroes-and-villains-eastern-europe