All the news

Domestic violence: slow progress in Croatia

26/08/2011 -  OWPSEE/OBC

Despite the legislative framework being up to standars, Croatia lags far behind in terms of actual protection of women victims of violence in the home. Our analysis

The New Baku: demolition and “beautification”

23/08/2011 -  Arzu Geybullayeva Baku

The city centre of Baku, Azerbaijan's capital city, has seen plenty of resident evictions and demolitions of old buildings lately, as developers clear paths for luxury real estate projects and fancy new boulevards. Although the demolition of the premises of several local NGOs raised criticism from international observers, it does not appear city authorities have any will to change their approach to urban planning

Save Budva from building speculation

22/08/2011 -  Luka Zanoni Budva

Despite the tragic experience of the 1979 earthquake and a signature on the Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea by a country which defines itself an “Ecological State”, the Montenegro town of Budva risks being buried under cement. One after another planning regulations are leading to the model of Vancouver, “the city of towers”. Citizens' petitions are of no avail against rampant corruption

LGBT in Moldova: life's not easy

18/08/2011 -  Natalia Ghilaşcu Chişinău

The LGBT community in Moldova faces discrimination in hospitals and in the workplace. According to a survey, only 2% of Moldovans would welcome having a gay or lesbian as a family member, colleague or friend. Transsexuals have problems obtaining new ID cards and have to struggle to overcome discrimination. A feature story

Neighbour or Friend? EU aspirations of the ENP countries

17/08/2011 -  Nelli Babayan*

Countries included in the European Neighbourhood Policy, like the three republics of the South Caucasus and Moldova, are unlikely to join the EU any time soon. Still, according to different rankings, their performance is not so different from that of current candidate countries Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) at the time those countries were granted candidate status (2004-2005)

Balkan SMEs: lagging behind in EU eco-innovation opportunities

11/08/2011 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

It's not a question of great inventions. What is required is the capacity to use existing technologies in an innovative and environmentally-friendly way. EU funds are now also available for SMEs in the Balkans, but proposals are not yet flooding in

Agricultural policies in South East Europe: which ones?

09/08/2011 -  Matteo Vittuari

A step by step analysis of the agricultural development policies in South East Europe: from the process of collectivisation in the 40s, to the much reduced production capacity during the conflicts of the 90s, up to the agricultural models linked to the European Union

Imagine track II diplomacy for Karabakh

05/08/2011 -  Arzu Geybullayeva Bakuriani

Each year since 2007, the Imagine Center brings two groups of selected participants from Armenia and Azerbaijan together in a third country to discuss the two communities' histories, perceptions, and attitudes. The intention is to contribute to transforming negative perceptions and attitudes by reaching out to the younger generations

The northern Kosovo barricades

02/08/2011 -  Tatjana Lazarević Mitrovica

After the torching of checkpoint Jarinje, KFOR troops have only partially restored passage between Kosovo and Central Serbia, with the Kosovo Serbs facing the risk of a humanitarian crisis. From our correspondent

Time for a European Macedonia

02/08/2011 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

The dispute with Greece on the constitutional name of the country has been keeping Macedonia outside the gates of the EU for too long. This situation is bound to create lasting negative effects not only for Skopje, but also for its European neighbors

The northern Kosovo crisis

29/07/2011 -  Tatjana Lazarević Mitrovica

The tension is still high in the North of Kosovo, after the Pristina government's attempt to take control of the border crossings with central Serbia. From our correspondent

Big Mac vs. ćevapi

29/07/2011 -  Massimo Moratti

After a long series of attempts, the first McDonald’s of Bosnia and Herzegovina opens in Sarajevo. What follows are the declarations from the American Ambassador, the reactions from Sarajevans and the welcome by the ćevapčići chain “Mrkva

Media in Macedonia: in crisis

28/07/2011 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

A serious crisis hitting the Skopje media. Many are closing down. The opposition media are penalised and they label the Law adopted by the Parliament as partisan. What is most worrying is the absence of a critical and objective voice.

Sexist advertisement in Chişinău

25/07/2011 -  Natalia Ghilaşcu Chişinău

Sexist advertisements are invading Chişinău, the capital of Moldova. The image of the woman depicted is clear: sexy and beautiful, a good servant for men, a hardworking housewife. Two companies using such advertisement have already been sued. But people still bump into billboards with sexy women all over. A feature story

Belgrade, the lost carshija

21/07/2011 -  Marjola Rukaj Belgrade

Belgrade is a city which has changed radically over the last two centuries. But, behind the town's façade, which mixes Mittel European and Socialist styles, it has not completely lost its Ottoman elements. There are no more bazaars but their spirit lives on.

Srebrenica undefended

19/07/2011 -  Piero Del Giudice

In the first anniversary of the massacre, celebrated with Karadžić and Mladić finally at The Hague, a commentary about the uncomfortable questions about the behavior of the defenders of the enclave and the responsibilities for its fall. The pages of Emir Suljagić, the role of Naser Orić and Alija Iztbegović, the judgment of Abdulah Sidran

A language in danger, or, what is the Chechen word for “table”?

18/07/2011 -  Majnat Kurbanova

Chechnya recently openly celebrated Chechen Language Day, but Russian is still the country's official language and fewer and fewer Chechens are fluent in their own mother-tongue

EULEX, the delicate balance of justice

15/07/2011 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

Without a common European position on the status of Kosovo, EULEX judges face many challenges and paradoxes: every single judge, for example, must choose whether or not to apply the laws passed in Pristina's parliament. We have spoken to Dragomir Yordanov, a Bulgarian judge, who worked for EULEX from the deployment of the mission till the spring of 2011

Agriculture and rural areas in the Western Balkans: status update

14/07/2011 -  Matteo Vittuari

It’s a crutial sector of the Western Balkans economy. Just as much as it’s important it’s also been neglected during the transitional years. A broad review of the agriculture and rural areas on this side of Southeastern Europe

The Sharipov case and inadequate safeguards for the right to asylum

13/07/2011 -  Giorgio Comai

Anvar Sharipov, a Russian citizen from Daghestan, has recently obtained refugee status in Italy. His story should have proceeded smoothly, but unfortunately it did not. On the contrary, the Sharipov affair shows up major shortcomings in safeguarding rights to asylum in Italy