February 13: Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan’s president, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, wins a second term in office, gathering 97 percent of the vote. When Berdymukhamedov took over as president five years ago, he promised democratic reforms, which, however, have never materialized. His rule has resembled the autocratic rule of his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, who created a cult of personality of himself. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has decided not to send election observers.

March 5: Russia

Russian Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin wins presidential elections, which gives him a third presidential term. Thousands of opponents in many cities across the country take to the streets, claiming widespread fraud. Police arrests hundreds of protesters. International observers say that although various candidates were allowed to campaign freely, there were other serious problems.

March 16: Moldova

Parliament in Moldova elects Judge Nicolae Timofti the country’s president after a 3-year long deadlock. The opposition Communist Party had blocked the election in protest of the government’s pro-European policy.

May 21: Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin appoints former President Dmitry Miedvedev as prime minister, and forms his new government consisting mostly of his old allies and loyalists.

May 27: Georgia

Tens of thousands of protesters join an anti-government and anti-President Saakashvili rally in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. The gathering is organized by Bidzina Ivanishvili, billionaire businessman turned opposition leader, and his supporters ahead of parliamentary elections due to take place in October.

July 3: Ukraine

The Ukrainian parliament passes a controversial law drafted by President Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions that grants the Russian language the status of an official language in Ukraine. In the east of the country, with its large Russian-speaking population, Russian becomes the regional language. The move sparks protests that the decision dilutes Ukraine’s sovereignty.

August 22: Russia

After 18 years of negotiations, Russia joins the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is expected that both Russia and WTO members will benefit from Russia’s accession. Foreign companies will have a greater access to Russia’s vast market with the largest population in Europe, while Russia can expect easier access to international markets and greater foreign investment.

August 29: Ukraine

Ukraine’s Supreme Court rejects Former Prime Minister YuliaTymoshenko’s appeal to overturn her conviction. An opponent of current President Viktor Yanukovych, Tymoshenko was imprisoned for seven years over the gas deal signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a move seen by many as politically-motivated. The imprisonment has soured relations between Ukraine and the European Union.

September 23: Belarus

During the parliamentary elections in Belarus, boycotted by major opposition parties, the voters elect mostly supporters of President Alexander Lukashenko. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) say the election was neither free nor fair.

October 2: Georgia

Georgia’s opposition coalition Dream party wins parliamentary elections, defeating President Mikhail Saakashvili’s United National Movement, and marking the country’s first democratic transfer of power. Its leader and Saakashvili’s rival, billionaire tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, is set to become the country’s new prime minister. He campaigned on a platform designed not only to obtain NATO membership but also achieve stable relations with Russia.

October 29: Ukraine

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych’s governing Party of Regions wins a decisive victory in parliamentary elections. The European election observers criticize the election, saying that government resources were used to boost the chances of the governing party. Yulia Tymoshenko’s party comes second. The other parties with a significant percentage of votes are the Communists, who are allied with the Party of Regions, and the far-right Svoboda party with a surprising high 10 percent of the vote.