Two towns in a mirror image, one in Turkey and the other in Greece. Birgi and Dimitsana are “The other town” - the prize-winning documentary by the Turkish film director Nefin Dinc
After a recent wave of incidents, Serbian authorities have promised draconian measures against hooligans, but seem unable to effectively tackle the problem
The recent census of the population, the electoral system and the country's Constitution favour the reinforcement of divisions, sealing the borders between different religious and national groups. The analysis of Nenad Stojanović
The recent presidential elections in Azerbaijan, regarded by the OSCE as probably among the worst ever seen in the history of this institution, were deemed free and transparent by MEPs led by Italian Pino Arlacchi. Our analysis
The resources invested by the EU in Kosovo have not affected the power of organized crime and the level of corruption within local institutions. The recent turnover in Eulex's top management and the pressure from Berlin could, however, improve the effectiveness of the European mission
Kosovo is preparing for the local elections of November 3 after the shocking murder of EULEX officer Audrius Šenavičius. A test on the recent Belgrade-Pristina agreements
Azerbaijani people have made their choice. Or so the government claims. On 9 October, Ilham Aliyev was re-elected for a third term with an overwhelming majority of 84.6%. Some celebrated outside, wishing each other happy holidays. Others were in a less celebratory mood
The first Bosnian census since the fall of Yugoslavia has begun in a pre election climate. The survey will show, 20 years after the war and ethnic cleansing, what the new Bosnia is
A Customs Union with Russia, Belorus and Kazakhstan turns Yerevan away from signing an Association Agreement with Brussels. While the Armenian public opinion is divided, civil society activists have been intimdated
The Presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place on October 9th. Nine candidates will challenge the current President, Ilham Aliyev. Polls show a will for change, but few believe it will be possible
Last July, the wife of a judge from Osijek was subjected to forced hospitalization, for no apparent reason. The dramatic case has raised the attention of the public and the media on the abuse of psychiatry in Croatia
The state in Azerbaijan seems to be strictly in control of religious structures. Yet, many are turning to clerics deluded by social injustice and lack of acceptable forms of opposition
Jakob Finci, president of the Jewish community of Sarajevo, has been expecting for four years for the application of the judgment by the European Court of Human Rights that bears his name. An interview
The “Gezi Park” protests enabled many to experience, often for the first time, the value of direct action and participation. A process that will have lasting consequences on the relationship between citizens and power. Our interview to professor Kerem Öktem
A month after the beginning of the protests, the 'bebolucija' already seems to have betrayed its original intentions. Low interest of citizenship, confusion of the protesters, weaknesses of the organization: the Bosnian spring is postponed to a date to be determined
During more than a decade in power, prime minister Recep Tayyp Erdoğan has implemented important reforms, yet he hasn't done enough to tackle the deepest flaw rooted in Turkey’s republican legacy: the authoritarian reflex built into the system of governance. "Turkey after Taksim", in Dimitar Bechev's comment for OBC
On July 1st, Croatia becomes the 28th member of the EU. According to Professor Dejan Jović, adviser to president Ivo Josipović, while the country's political and economic elite celebrates, the public opinion shows indifference and does not hide some fear
In Belgrade, the building that housed one of the first Nazi concentration camps in Eastern Europe will be razed to the ground. Its place will be taken by a shopping centre. The protests of the citizens
The EU should be unambiguous about the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Albania, taking a joint position spelling out concretely what are the red lines that must not be crossed. An inteview with ESI chairman Gerald Knaus
Tensions remain high in Armenia following clashes during the presidential inauguration of April 9. The opposition hopes are for a turning point at the May 5 municipal elections in Yerevan, home to one third of the country's population
The Kosovo-Serbia deal is a victory for the civic notion of statehood and citizenship, avoiding further risks of ethnic partitions. Also, it is a remarkable success for the EU, and a reason to be optimistic about its future
Kosovo just appointed the new governor of its central bank. But Bedri Hamza is too close to the current government to guarantee the necessary independence. An analysis
Thanks to the mediation of Štefan Füle, EU Commissioner for the Enlargement, the Social Democratic Macedonian opposition declined to boycott the local elections, scheduled for March 24. The institutional crisis is over, but the problems of democratic functioning of the institutions remain
Opposition refuses to accept the official results of the Presidential election, as former Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian announces the “Revolution of Hello”
In 2010, Turkey and Israel froze bilateral ties following the attack to the Mavi Marmara ship. The dialogue between the two Countries, however, has never stopped
The law introducing double signs in Latin and Cyrillic on the streets of Vukovar has triggered strong protests. But how much is the city really divided?
In recent years, Turkey's interest in the African continent has been growing rapidly. Africa's expectations towards Ankara are also extremely high, as the Somalia case shows
