One in six Romanians is not connected to the water or sewage network. In Bulgaria and the Baltic states the figures are also worrying – but the situation is finally improving, also thanks to European funds
The story of Suren, 42, who moved from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia a year ago, after the military attack by Azerbaijan. The difficult life of a man who has already seen four wars, the everyday challenge to take care of his family
After a brief decline, labour exploitation in the Western Balkans is on the rise again, threatening the already fragile economic and social fabric of the region
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
The case of Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, a Saudi human rights activist, held in the Busmantsi detention center in the Bulgarian capital since October 2021, highlights state inaction and human rights violations when it comes to refugees and migrants
Despite some impediments provided by law, the phenomenon of early marriages exists in Armenia. So much so that a new bill intends to set the minimum age for marriage at 18, without exception, and to repeal all the rules referring to early marriages and underage spouses
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
Ilija Jovanović grew up without parents: an experience that affected him deeply, but also pushed him to commit himself, through the association “Building the future”, to improve the lives of those facing the same situation
The Italian-Albanian activist Arbër Agalliu has been advocating for more than a decade for a reform of the obsolete Italian citizenship law, which not only makes life impossible for aspiring Italian citizens, but also makes many young people feel like foreigners in their own country. Our interview
Tens of thousands of people fled to Armenia last year from Nagorno Karabakh, reconquered by arms from Azerbaijan: many are now asking for Armenian citizenship, to be able to start rebuilding their lives again
Violence against older people is a real and little-studied problem globally, but also felt in countries like Armenia and the Caucasus in general. Also because the elderly tend to live isolated, and struggle to find help
Despite the inconsistencies and uncertainties around the agreement signed between Rome and Tirana for the reception of migrants on Albanian soil, and while awaiting the judgment of the European Court, work on the two centres has already begun in Gjadër and Shëngjin. We went to see how they were progressing
In 2021, then opposition leader Giorgia Meloni sued Roberto Saviano for defamation. Last October, the Rome Criminal Court issued a sentence against the Italian writer. A ruling that alarmed Italian and European civil society. We had a conversation about it with Antonio Nobile, Saviano's lawyer
Writer, translator from Bosnian to Italian, Elvira Mujčić arrived in Italy when she was 14 years old, escaping the war. Today she is an Italian and Bosnian citizen: a long, almost Kafkaesque journey of dual citizenship that only the support of the community of the country that welcomed her has made more bearable
In Kosovo, thousands of people suffered sexual violence during the war: today institutions recognise them as civilian victims of the conflict, but for many talking about the trauma they suffered remains an insurmountable obstacle
In the controversial trial for the disastrous fire that destroyed the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesvos, which ended with a conviction, the defence used new scientific data on the fragility of ecosystems to the threat of fire
The recent angry attack by the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama against a journalist has brought the constant pressure and intimidation that the power in Albania exerts on the media and media professionals back under the spotlight
the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights calls the European states to end the repression of human rights defenders assisting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Europe, following the recently published Recommendation on the topic
The webinar examines aspects that are crucial for the prospects of European democracy, namely labour politics and the role of labour movements in the advancement of democracy and social welfare at EU level.
Greece has made history by becoming the first Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage. A step that comes after a long journey, marked by strong opposition from the Church and conservative forces in the country
On January 24, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted 76 in favor and ten against not ratifying the Azerbaijan delegation's credentials at the Assembly
Last in the Western Balkans, from the beginning of 2024 Kosovar citizens can travel without a visa in the Schengen area. A long-awaited opportunity already used by thousands of people, and viewed with extreme interest by Kosovar business
Trieste, a border city, is the last stop on the Balkan route. In 2023 the data recorded an increase in the arrivals of unaccompanied minors. What does it mean to grow up along the Balkan route? What happens once in Trieste? An analysis
Recently a series of arrests in Azerbaijan, targeting independent media and their few journalists, has brought to mind the repression of civil society and bloggers 10-15 years ago. But has the persecution of Azerbaijan's civil society ever stopped?
The Croatian government has announced its intention to recognise feminicide as a distinct type of crime. An important novelty - but a much broader social change is needed, warn those fighting for women's rights
“The failure to fully deal with wartime atrocities and the root causes of conflicts in the 1990s continues to have devastating consequences on respect for human rights, the rule of law and social cohesion in the region”, said Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, while releasing a report on the state of play of transitional justice efforts in the countries of the former Yugoslavia
While the international community is facing the challenge of getting humanitarian aid to Gaza amid restrictions in place, Cyprus has proposed the creation of a maritime corridor to reach civilians in need. Despite the technical challenges lying in its implementation, EU leaders seem to be supportive of this plan
With the blitzkrieg of last September, Armenian Nagorno Karabakh ceased to exist, and tens of thousands of people hastily abandoned it to move to Armenia, where a future full of uncertainty awaits them
