What are the main framings used in pro-Kremlin public discourse in Russia to characterise its invasion of Ukraine? How do different actors and sources adapt their narratives through time? How do they refer to Ukrainian territories that Russia controls or claims?
This project approaches these questions through the structured analysis of on-line sources, including official publications, media, as well as other digital spaces used in this context.
Cohesion policy is the main instrument used by the European Union in order to promote social and economic growth, foster convergence between the different regions, and improve the quality of life on the ground. Since 2021 we have been reporting on the challenges faced by the regions of South-Eastern Europe and on initiatives which were promoted thanks to cohesion funds, first with the Work4Future projects and then with Energy4Future. The ‘Cohesion for Climate’ project continues to look at cohesion policy and related challenges, focusing in particular on interventions in the field of environment: prevention of natural disasters, land management, conservation of protected areas and species, and so on.
The MOST – Media Organisations for Stronger Transnational Journalism - project aims to drive innovation within the foreign reporting sector and strengthen the resilience of non-profit and independent media in their coverage of European issues. By bringing together six specialised non-profit media outlets and one human rights-focused organisation, the project will establish a collaborative platform for the exchange of knowledge, resources, and content among the participating partners and other media outlets focused on foreign reporting or European topics.
The project explores how Communities of Practice born out of the implementation of Interreg projects and participation in EUSAIR policy fora can further the European integration of the Western Balkans. EU enlargement has returned to the center of the European political agenda as a geostrategic project for the security of the continent, but without active involvement of the territories it is unlikely to come to fruition.
In addition to the already earmarked IPAIII funds, in early 2024 the EU introduced the Western Balkans Growth Investment Plan, allocating six billion euros to support the candidates' internal reform processes. At the same time, the European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) also provide resources for innovation and sustainable development, actively involving the territories.
PULSE – Europe beyond the beat is a cross-border journalistic initiative embracing a ‘collaborative by design’ approach to editorial production. It brings together 10 prominent national media outlets and 3 transnational media organisations (OBCT, n-ost, Voxeurop) united in a mission to foster a vibrant European public sphere. In two years, over 2,000 stories will be delivered in at least 12 European languages, covering European affairs from new and multiple perspectives. Special attention is paid to underreported countries, regions, and social groups, including rural areas and small-to-medium EU countries.
The Collaborative and Investigative Journalism Initiative (CIJI) supports independent media and freelance journalists in Europe through training, mentoring, funding and the exchange of knowledge and best practices. It also provides structured networking opportunities to strengthen collaborative and investigative journalism in Europe.
"MigraVoice: Migrant Voices Matter in the European Media"is a project co-funded by the European Union, in collaboration with six prominent European media organisations. The project aims to amplify the voices and perspectives of migrants in Europe within the European media and information space, by promoting active participation of individuals with migration backgrounds in the creation of high-quality media content for European audiences in both traditional and social media formats. Migravoice represents a crucial step towards fostering inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in journalism and the media content that Europeans consume. By empowering those with a migration background to share their perspectives, MigraVoice not only enriches the media landscape but also contributes to a more vibrant and inclusive European society.
Media freedom, independence, and pluralism are fundamental pillars of European democracies. Freedom of speech and journalists' safety is crucial for countries such as Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia that aspire to join the EU. Thanks to the cooperation with local partners, this project intends to contribute to creating a network of Balkan, Italian, and European actors engaged in effective advocacy to protect media freedom in the EU and the countries involved in the integration process.
Transnistria is the longest-lasting ongoing protracted conflict in continental Europe. For more than thirty years after the violent events of 1992, this region internationally recognised as part of Moldova has been ruled by de facto authorities in Tiraspol without attracting much international attention. From the socio-economic point of view, stability in Transnistria has largely been enabled by considerable assistance offered by the Russian Federation through different means, including a scheme known as the “gas subsidy” which relies on Gazprom providing gas to the region effectively free of charge. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, may well end up shaking irremediably some of the foundations that gave remarkable stability to the current arrangement. On 31 December 2024, the five-year deal that covers the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine towards Europe is due to end, and, in all likelihood, it won’t be renewed. An abrupt end to the Russia-sponsored gas supply would disrupt the prevalent socio-economic arrangements in Transnistria virtually overnight.
This project reports on conflict dynamics and offers context and scenario analyses in order to favour policies able to prevent crises, or at least mitigate their consequences.
The EU and the Western Balkans are in the process of preparing for new EU enlargements. To this end, the EU has just adopted a New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, that is supposed to increase their participation in the European Single Market. This intermediate step towards EU membership should open new opportunities of economic cooperation for both public and private actors, sustain Western Balkans’ internal reforms, as well as accelerate their path towards full integration in the EU. At the same time, the Western Balkans are expected to start contributing more substantially to the economic and geopolitical security of the EU, to deal with increasingly complex regional and global environments. Nonetheless, progresses of the EU enlargement will also remain conditional to the success of EU internal reforms, to make its policies, budget and institutions fit for an enlarged Union.
