Meanwhile, a bit further east...

Don't think that Russia and Ukraine are the only former Soviet Republics with democracy issues. Uzbekistan also held elections today, luckily there shouldn't be the same cries of election fraud as there were in Ukraine. They avoided that trouble by doing away with opposition groups. But it's not what you're thinking, it's just that, according to President Karimov, there is no real opposition in Uzbekistan.

"OSCE observers don't like the calm situation in which the elections are held and they are surprised why there's no fierce competition," Karimov said, defending the inactive campaigns of the candidates, all of whom represent the five parties loyal to Karimov.

It's nice when a whole country agrees like that, no?

Can I ask why the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe was even there monitoring the election? Does somebody need to certify that it was a farce?