Politics

North Macedonia, the highway of discord

10/05/2023 -  Aleksandar Samardjiev Tetovo

The current Macedonian government wants to speed up the construction of road infrastructure: to do so, it is changing several laws and awarding the contract without a tender. Procedures which, according to the opposition, mainly damage the treasury in favor of private interests

Turkey, the elections and Gen-Z

05/05/2023 -  Kenan Behzat Sharpe Istanbul

The political elections in Turkey, scheduled for May 14, will be fundamental in defining the future of the country, dominated for over twenty years by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A key role will be played by younger voters, the so-called "Generation Z"

Media pluralism in a legal limbo in Serbia

02/05/2023 -  Massimo Moratti Belgrade

The allocation of national broadcasting frequencies in Serbia highlights the lack of transparency and pluralism in the sector. Frequencies are only awarded to government-friendly media. Concerns have been expressed by both the European Commission and the European Parliament

Bosnia and Herzegovina: a conference to discuss the Constitution and European integration

21/04/2023 - 

The international conference "Bosnia and Herzegovina: Constitution and EU Accession", which concluded the international project within the CEI Know-how Exchange Program, financed by the CEI Fund (EBRD), was held on April 12, 2023 in ceremonial hall of the University of Sarajevo

Presidential elections and politics in Turkey: an uncertain outcome

06/04/2023 -  Fazıla Mat

On May 14 Turkey will vote for political and presidential elections. A large part of the opposition managed to unite in the "Table of Six", with the aim of defeating current president Erdogan and blocking the authoritarian drift in the country

Serbia between Moscow and the West: in the name of opportunism

30/03/2023 -  Francesco Martino Belgrade

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has navigated a delicate and increasingly uncomfortable balance between West and East. However, according to analyst Vuk Vuksanovic (Belgrade Centre for Security Policy), Serbian elites are mainly driven by their opportunism

Republika Srpska, the criminalisation of defamation and the squeeze on media freedom

28/03/2023 -  Arman Fazlić Sarajevo

The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression

North Macedonia, a government in perpetual transformation

24/03/2023 -  Aleksandar Samardjiev Tetovo

In North Macedonia, the composition of the government has changed again. Social Democrat Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski's goal is to bring home the constitutional reforms necessary to revive the race for the EU by the next elections in 2024

Greece and Turkey, disaster diplomacy

13/03/2023 -  Mary Drosopoulos Thessaloniki

Relations between Greece and Turkey have deteriorated steadily in recent years, leading to fears of a clash between the two countries. The earthquake that devastated Turkey on February 6, however, has opened up new spaces for solidarity and dialogue

Georgian government withdraws controversial legislation amid protests

Following two nights of protests that saw riot police use tear gas and water cannon, the Georgian government announced that it has withdrawn controversial legislation that critics say would set back democratic development in the country and reverse the country’s stated policy of joining the European Union. Photos and text by Onnik James Krikorian, from Tbilisi

Greece, the limits of democracy

02/03/2023 -  Mary Drosopoulos Thessaloniki

With an amendment to an existing law, political parties with actual leaders convicted of crimes might soon be banned from running in Greek national elections. The decision started a heated debate over the boundaries of democratic political participation in the country

Turkey, earthquake fall out takes political turn

14/02/2023 -  Kenan Behzat Sharpe

The devastating earthquakes that shook Turkey on February 6 have uncovered a divided country, where many denounce the earthquakes as an announced tragedy. The government responds to the protests by tightening censorship

Serbia: toxic substances and dangerous railways

26/01/2023 -  Antonela Riha Belgrade

Little or nothing is known about the impact and responsibility of 20 tonnes of ammonia leaking from a tank on a freight train in southeast Serbia, an accident that also claimed two lives. In Serbia, it remains hard for citizens to obtain information about these environmental disasters

Turkey, Erdogan in search of lost consensus

12/01/2023 -  Chiara Maritato

Twenty-one years after the serious economic and financial crisis of 2001 that accompanied its rise, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) presents itself for the electoral appointment in June in a context of full economic and social turmoil

Croatia, the Euro and the treble

10/01/2023 -  Giovanni Vale Zagreb

For the Croatian government, 2022 was the year of the objectives achieved: entry into Schengen, the single currency, and the Peljesac bridge. But if the Croatian authorities celebrate the treble, the population looks with concern at the arrival of the single currency

Serbia, algorithmic discrimination rehearsals

14/12/2022 -  Federico Caruso

A new law on social services in Serbia provides for the collection of a large amount of personal data of beneficiaries, to be analysed with an algorithm that evaluates their socio-economic condition. The declared goal is to improve the distribution of resources, but over 22,000 people have already lost the subsidy, without knowing why

Turkey, bombs and censorship

02/12/2022 -  Kenan Behzat Sharpe Istanbul

The recent attack in the heart of Istanbul brought the issue of political violence in Turkey back to the fore, but also dramatically exposed the limitations on access to free information in the country

Bulgarian far-right party’s ‘foreign agent’ bill sparks media freedom concerns

29/11/2022

Press freedom groups raise alarm that law appears intended to target critical media in Bulgaria

“Predatorgate”, dozens of Greek ministers and journalists under surveillance

09/11/2022 -  Alessio Giussani Athens

New revelations reopen the surveillance scandal in Greece: dozens of journalists, politicians, and entrepreneurs were targeted by secret services and spyware. Who gave the orders?

EU Monitoring Capacity deploys on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border

08/11/2022 -  Onnik James Krikorian

The European Monitoring Capacity (EUMCAP) is the short-term EU mission deployed on the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan with the aim of reducing tensions between the two states and strengthening their mutual trust

Romania: the interference of parties in the media

03/11/2022 -  Mihaela Iordache

A recent report by the Council of Europe exposes the flow of money that goes from political parties to the media in Romania, and the consequent subordination

Albania: the government closes the Turkish boarding school

11/10/2022 -  Gentiola Madhi

One week after the start of the lessons, on 22 September, the Albanian government suddenly closed the 'Mehmet Akif' Turkish women's boarding school in Tirana. A drastic decision with unclear reasons. The interference of the Turkish authorities is in the shadows

Bulgaria: Borisov wins elections, but forming a government remains a puzzle

03/10/2022 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

In the early elections on Sunday 2 October in Bulgaria, GERB, the party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, is back as the leading political force in the country with 25% of the votes. However, the difficulties remain and it is not certain that parliament will be able to express a solid majority

Bosnia and Herzegovina, experiments in deliberative democracy

01/10/2022 -  Serena Epis

An assembly of citizens in BiH has proposed a way out of the age-old problem of constitutional reform, pending for years after the Sejdic-Finci ruling of 2009. An interview with Nenad Stojanovic

"Novi Sad on water", concrete and protests along the Danube

22/09/2022 -  Marco Ranocchiari

After Belgrade, Novi Sad. The new urban plan threatens the banks of the Danube and a natural area that "lets the river breathe", essential in case of flooding. The city administration continues at full speed along the concrete road

Europride in Belgrade, 10,000 in march

23/09/2022 -  Giovanni Vale

Despite government bans aimed at limiting the LGBT demonstration in Belgrade, over ten thousand people marched through the streets of the capital on Saturday 17 September. Can we therefore speak of a success? Yes and no, as explained by Goran Miletic, director of the Europe and MENA Office at Civil Rights Defenders and one of the Europride organisers

Albania– Iran: broken relations and cyberwarfare

28/09/2022 -  Gjergji Kajana

Following a cyberattack on its IT system, Albania accused Iran and cut all diplomatic ties. In the background, the conflict over the hosting of anti-ayatollah Iranian movement MEK

Azerbaijani political refugees in a limbo

29/08/2022 -  Fatima Karimova

Many asylum seekers face arrest if they return to Azerbaijan

Why the "Greek Watergate" earthquake has only just begun

24/08/2022 -  Alessio Giussani Athens

A digital surveillance scandal targeting PASOK-KINAL leader Nikos Androulakis and investigative journalist Thanasis Koukakis, via Predator spyware. The so-called "Greek Watergate" is shaking the Mitsotakis government

North Macedonia: EU membership remains a never-ending challenge

11/08/2022 -  Aleksandar Samardjiev Tetovo

After accepting the compromise proposed by France, North Macedonia has opened EU accession negotiations. To make progress, however, it will be necessary to change the constitution and overcome the opposition of neighbouring Bulgaria