China’s influence in Serbia is growing. In its recent report, the European Parliament expressed concern about the lack of transparency and environmental and social impact assessment of Chinese investments and loans in Serbia and across the Western Balkans
As a result of more stringent standards, recycling of plastic packaging is set to fall in the EU. Without better industrial capacity, the EU will not reach its 50% target in five years' time. And illegal exports are likely to increase
Bulgarian entrepreneur Ruja Ignatova wanted to "bury BitCoin" and created a new cryptocurrency that was to change the world: "OneCoin". Behind her sparkling dream, however, there was a scam for four billion dollars, which disappeared along with Ignatova herself
Matteo Moretti, designer and founder of Sheldon.studio, explains his approach to journalism, with a special attention to visual journalism, interactive and responsive products, and informative experiences. He reflects upon the potential and challenges of data journalism in covering issues such as COVID-19 and the climate crisis.
Online advertising is based on the collection and sharing of user data, a system which rests mostly in a few powerful hands, including Google. Privacy and data protection are at issue, and Europe is debating what action should be taken
Croatia is expected to receive a good wealth of EU funds in the coming years. However, the strategic priorities doesn't appear very bold and clear, and the plan for the use of the Recovery Fund is not ready yet
Post-Soviet Russia has become an important trade and energy partner for Italy. After the Ukrainian crisis, (geo)political divergences have greatly affected bilateral relations
Following the protests and the dramatic repression by the regime in Belarus, many decide to leave the country – including many computer scientists who are leaving for neighbouring Ukraine
The most realistic date for the introduction of the Euro in Croatia is January 1st, 2024, but what does the introduction of the single currency entail? And what do Croatian economists think?
The COVID-19 pandemic may have opened a window of opportunity for the European Union to strengthen its fiscal cohesion and to put the climate transition on the right track
Due to the pandemic and the emergency measures, many couples in Kosovo have postponed the wedding or given up on the traditional grand celebrations, with a significant financial impact on the wedding industry and related businesses
Temperatures are rising, winds are blowing the humus away and extreme weather events are increasing: a problem for agriculture in Serbia. A video report
In Donbas, miners went on strike for unpaid wages. Local authorities responded with repression: isolation of strikers, telephone lines cut, arrests and fines. Meanwhile, the conflict continues, albeit in international silence
Despite the pompous statements by President Aleksandar Vučić on the economic solidity of Serbia after Covid-19, supported by the Minister of Finance, the situation presents more than one weakness
The COVID19 epidemic has seriously impacted on the Kosovar economy and is likely to heavily affect many sectors also in the future. Yet, some also see opportunities to be seized in the post-coronavirus world
A recently published study outlines the EU’s demographic future: in 2080, if current trends continue, the EU population will fall from the current 513 million people to 504 million, while flight from rural areas shows no sign of slowing. We take a look at south-eastern Europe, by way of the global context
Also Croatia is entering the so-called phase 2. While the health emergency seems to be under control, the economic situation is worrying. The lockdown could bring out the structural problems of an economy which is mainly tourism-based
Maria lives in northern Albania. She has not had an easy life, far from it. But to help her support her family and to accompany her on her journey she found thousands of small insects: bees
As the coronavirus epidemic came, Greece was initially distracted by other issues. Now, however, everything is blocked, and the country is dealing with a crippled healthcare system and a new economic crisis on the horizon
The number of foreign citizens migrating to Armenia is constantly growing, including Indian citizens. Thousands arrived in the first nine months of 2019
Usually, people tend to leave the Dalmatian islands to seek a more comfortable life on the continent. However, digital and foreign nomads are going against the trend
North Macedonia has enthusiastically welcomed the mini-Schengen initiative in the Western Balkans, wanted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. A deeper analysis, however, reveals many doubts and concerns
Many people, above all young and qualified, emigrate or dream of emigrating from the Balkans to other European countries. A phenomenon that puts entire sectors of the economy at risk, and that warrants urgent answers
FAO is negotiating a series of new measures to reduce the devastating impact of trawling and make fishing in the Adriatic Sea sustainable. The institution of the Mediterranean's largest protected reserve was part of the package, but the Italian government has blocked it
In the arms trafficking scandal recently exposed in Serbia, a state-owned company was allegedly damaged to the advantage of a private company that involved the father of the Minister of the Interior. The whistleblower ended up in jail
More than 11,000 retired Croatian are still working. Some of them seek a more active life, but the majority lives on the brink of poverty without any other option other than to keep working – a problem in common with many other European countries
While Croatia may be a paradise for tourism, actually living and working there is a lot more difficult. Croatian workers move abroad in large numbers: a phenomenon rooted in a combination of both long-term and short-term factors. An analysis
According to Sofia's Ministry of Tourism, the sector now represents as much as 12% of the country's gross domestic product, for a turnover of around 4 billion Euros in 2018. However, Bulgaria has not yet managed to go from "alternative solution" to "preferred destination"
Since 2007, the EU allows member states to reduce the so-called Tampon Tax. But half of the countries, including Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, continue to apply a general VAT rate on such products
