A complex geopolitical web has entangled Georgia in another wave of protests. Following controversial elections held in October, thousands have taken to the streets in response to what many see as the government turning away from the European Union and moving closer to Russia
The new EU budget is starting to take shape. Cohesion funds could flow into a single National Plan, and the disbursement of funding could be tied to the implementation of specific reforms
With the growing popularity of hiking and mountaineering, mountain accidents have increased significantly. The pressure falls on volunteers from rescue groups, who often work in collaboration with their colleagues across the border
Former Slovenian diplomat Marta Kos is set to take charge of relations between the European Commission and the countries that seek to join the EU. An overview at her priorities, and at the first reactions from Brussels and the Western Balkans
Amid a systematic erosion of editorial independence by the government, stronger international support is needed to uphold media freedom in the country. An interview with Igor Božić, news director of the independent N1 TV
Chapter 22 on cohesion policy is one of the most complex negotiating chapters Serbia has to deal with for EU accession. In this interview, Dragana Djurica provides crucial insights into the critical role of civil society, the importance of regional development, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead
To contribute to the European Commission’s Rule of Law monitoring, OBCT, in partnership with SCiDEV and IJAS, produced two Shadow Reports outlining the challenges and gaps in media freedom in Albania and Serbia. The main findings were presented during a webinar
Rijeka has a new modern city library, the “Gradska knjižnica Rijeka”, in a former industrial area redeveloped and transformed into an authentic cultural hub. Our reportage
An innovative library, created with EU cohesion funds, in the former industrial area of Rijeka, now redeveloped and transformed into an authentic artistic district. We met the director of Rijeka City Library Niko Cvjetković
On 21 December 2023, the new Rijeka City Library was inaugurated in the so-called "T-Palace" in the former Benčić industrial complex. The modern structure, co-financed with European funds, is an integral part of a district that has become an important cultural hub.
Italian Raffaele Fitto is expected to become vice-president in the next European Commission led by von der Leyen. Fitto will be entrusted with the delegation for Cohesion and Reforms, a key role at the European level in terms of political influence and budget management
For over two years, activist Jon Worth has documented the state of rail connections between different European countries by taking hundreds of trains in every corner of the continent. We interviewed him
OBCT joins 59 other organizations in condemning Israeli authorities’ killings of Palestinian journalists, and calling for the suspension of EU-Israel Association Agreement and further EU targeted sanctions
While the European Union has made a strong effort to create a recovery plan that incorporates sustainability targets, some member states are falling behind in their duty to implement such reforms
Conceived as an alternative to EU cooperation, the Open Balkan initiative, promoted by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, aimed to create a regional common market to allow the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The reasons for its failure
In many European countries people increasingly use trains for their travel, preferring them to cars. This is not happening in Romania and Bulgaria, because of the poor state of rail service. Something is starting to change however
Rural areas have a key role in ensuring the success of the energy transition. Installing new ground-mounted photovoltaic systems in the countryside of Spain, Romania and France would cover a large part of the European Union's energy needs
"We must go beyond the idea that the Western Balkans are a sort of ghetto made up of non-EU countries. This would contribute not only to the Europeanisation of the Western Balkans, but also to overcoming some disagreements between candidate countries and EU member states". Ana Krstinovska, founder and president of the think tank Estima based in Bitola, in North Macedonia and research fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
While cohesion policy to support economic development across Europe has not fully lived up to expectations, new research suggests various reforms for how the EU can more efficiently support its poorest regions before the next budgetary cycle
Media outlets in the country are increasingly exposed to cyber attacks, online threats and manipulations. We talked about digital security and its impact on independent journalism in Serbia with Bojan Perkov, digital policy coordinator at SHARE Foundation
Russia’s gas subsidy – a key ingredient enabling Transnistria’s political economy – may remain in place for a couple more years, but its existence is based on increasingly shaky grounds. Chișinău is ensuring its own energy security, but long term stability in Moldova requires solid arrangements also for Tiraspol
Despite various reports of migration mismanagement and human rights abuses in Serbia, the European Commission at the end of June signed an agreement with Belgrade to strengthen cooperation on migration control
A new project, with the contribution of European cohesion funds, will integrate Crete's electricity system with mainland Greece. The project represents the first phase of the "Great Sea Interconnector", a larger Mediterranean grid connection
Driven by economic difficulties, European public opinions have taken increasingly skeptical positions on migrants and asylum seekers in recent years, an extremely visible phenomenon in "front line" countries such as Greece and Cyprus
From Slovenia to France, passing through Trentino: the AMETHyST project promotes the production and use of green hydrogen in the Alpine regions. An experience of transnational cooperation oriented towards energy transition and innovation
Also thanks to European cohesion funds, Bulgaria has recently equipped itself with an innovative research centre for clean technologies, to connect the Bulgarian scientific world and help citizens and institutions comply with the new ecological standards
A new Slovenian research centre is operational in the capital Ljubljana. It is the Biotechnology Hub of the National Institute of Biology (NIB), created thanks to European funds and inaugurated last February, which seeks to study and provide answers to the environmental challenges that await us
A new research centre has recently become operational in Ljubljana. It is the biotechnology hub of the National Institute of Biology (NIB), created thanks to European funds and inaugurated last February, which seeks to study and provide answers to the environmental challenges that await us. We talked about it here.
Are the Western Balkans becoming a mine of raw materials needed for the upcoming “green revolution”? Civil society organisations and many citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia answer resolutely: NO! The battle to protect the environment and health continues
Despite joining the European Union more than a decade ago, Croatia has struggled to meet European Union standards for environmental protection, especially in water and waste collection, management and treatment
