In Early June, the EU Commission had to remind the Macedonian government that freedom of expression and of the media are fundamental rights and the basis of democratic societies. The reaction followed that of the European Federation of Journalists, which condemned the “scandalous neglect” of the safety of journalists in the country
Panic reportedly began to spread last week in Yerevan as news of the worst major skirmish between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces on the line of contact in two years was reported by the local media. Ironically, the ceasefire violation occurred just one day after the Armenian president and his Azerbaijani counterpart met in St. Petersburg for talks convened by Russia
Bosnia Herzegovina is rich in waters and has huge energy potential. The Bosnian Federation alone is planning the construction of 12 hydro-electric, thermal plants and wind mills during the next 10 years. Until now, the tenders carried out in this sector, however, have not been transparent
The Kremlin's new regional approach to the northern Caucasus, based on competition and economic development, includes young people as key actors. The strategy blends Soviet experiences with capitalist values
Italian regions, south-eastern European local authorities, and Italian civil society organisations will combine their experiences in a three-year programme. SeeNet II – South-East Europe Network is the widest partnership of decentralised cooperation between Italy and the Balkans
The confirmation of a sentence. For having labelled “Our Taliban” those writers who, with their pens, waited on the Balkan wars. Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso expresses his solidarity to Predrag Matvejević and supports an appeal in his favour
Bosnian director Danis Tanović, winner of an Academy Award for his movie No man's land, is getting ready for the October elections with Naša Stranka, the party he founded only two years ago. To defeat the rubbish of history. Our interview
In the Caucasus, social networking and new media help build bridges among communities divided by long conflicts. More initiatives now work in this direction
Although it was the first country in the region to sign a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, Macedonia seems to have slid backward in the accession queue, and will probably be stuck in a waiting room for a long time
Despite changes - from the emigration waves of the sixties to internal migrations - Istanbul remains open to Europe and to the world. Writer Murat Belge talks about Turkey, Europe, and the re-emerging past
Stanislav Lakoba is a well-known Abkhaz historian and politician. Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso met him in Sukhumi where he talked about Abkhazia's sense of belonging to Europe, the current situation in this self-proclaimed state, and its relations with Brussels
The EU - Western Balkans international conference held in Sarajevo ended without dramatic news. An emphasis on the region’s EU accession prospects with no discussion of specific dates or accelerated access. A comment
An attack by war veterans on a federal government office reflects the serious problems in the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The unsustainable cost of public administration; the war-related welfare expenses; the consequences of the global crisis. An analysis by economist Drazen Simic
In the five years since the establishment of the European Neighbourhood Policy, mobility, commercial trade, and assistance to countries not yet eligible to join the Union have increased. But civil and political rights still need improvement
Milosevic, war, the Kosovo issue: Strongly negative images associated with Serbia since the 1990s. Now, an unavoidable task is (re)branding the country. Sport and culture slowly change some things, but institutions still struggle to elaborate a consistent strategy
Lula is an actress to the bone, “flirtatious, fond of cosmetics, she pays attention to her gait and the tone of her voice”. A true life story from Chechnya, told by Mainat Kourbanova for the readers of Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso
The Romanian government wants to impose Europe’s most severe, IMF-approved austerity program. Next Monday, trade unions have called for the first general strike since Ceausescu's rule. This will test not only budget austerity plans but, most importantly, state-society relations in Romania’s version of liberal-democracy
9 May, the Day of Europe. Europe scared by the severe Greek crisis threatening to spill over to other countries in the Eurozone. Today, more than ever, we must rediscover the ultimate values of staying together and rework a political agreement grounded in EU institutions. A comment
Internationally renowned philosopher Slavoj Žižek recently gave a series of lectures in Montenegro. The speeches focused on the relationship between Europe and the Balkans, the need for EU integration and the situation in Kosovo. Our interview
