Trends and society

The recent tragedy of the fire in the Kočani nightclub in North Macedonia has caused a wave of solidarity: among the first to respond was neighbouring Greece, sadly familiar with the dynamics of disasters caused by corruption and lack of political accountability

Last week, the ethnic Azerbaijani community of Georgia celebrated the annual Novruz festival, the coming of Spring. Photos and texts by Onnik James Krikorian

The cityscape of Bulgaria's capital has changed dramatically since 1989. But the building boom has paid scant regard to either regulations or the city's distinctive architectural heritage. And upcoming projects might well disfigure the city forever, as is shown on a 3D map created by Boyan Yurukov, an open-data activist

By combining investigative rigour with creative storytelling, local journalists in Thessaloniki have kept the public informed, but also ensured that the metro remains a shared civic concern, a story owned by the people as much as by the trains themselves

Conceived by Dionis Pashlakov, the project of a museum of vintage cars in Negotino is carried on by his sons and wife. An idea that, for the Pashlakov family, combines passion for the past and a vision of the future

Balkan Orthodox monasteries like Bukovo and Tvrdoš preserve centuries-old winemaking traditions, producing high-quality wines while supporting local communities and maintaining their cultural heritage

The way it is represented in formal education tells a lot about the condition of a people. Even when it is present in textbooks in South Eastern Europe, the history of the Roma is often ignored or represented in a way that perpetuates stereotypes and misconceptions

In the last five years, the average speed of Internet access has quadrupled in Italy, in line with improvements that have occurred throughout Europe. However, some territories risk being left out: public investments in broadband supported by the EU are essential

Pesaro is a city balancing between the Adriatic and the Apennines, people-friendly and bycicle-friendly. Our Fabio Fiori invites us to discover it on pedals, moving beyond its squares to venture into the streets and paths that descend to the sea

Zadar, Croatia. For some it was once “the Venice on the other shore”. The history of Zadar sums up that of many other European cities, in the intertwining of different people and cultures, of thousand-years-old arts and architecture

Anthropologist Anca Danilă is the creator of the project Caiete de rețete (Recipe Notebooks), launched in Bucharest two years ago, which aims to collect family recipe books, archive them in a digital database and thus protect a precious heritage

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

Since 1979, Tbilisi has held the Tbilisoba Festival, an autumn celebration that has become a long-standing tradition. A joyful carnival, with street performances, music and dance, culinary specialties and much more. This year, Tbilisoba offered family fun despite the decline in attendance and size. Photo and text by Onnik James Krikorian, from the Festival held on October 5-6, 2024

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

The analysis between the two countries shows similar trends, with a rather low number of readers. In both cases, reading habits reflect existing inequalities at the socio-economic level

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

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

From being criticised for his unconventional wines to finding them in the cellars of top Michelin-starred restaurants, Oskar Maurer is a reference for natural wine production in Serbia. We spoke to him about his winemaking philosophy and much more

Climate change is affecting wine production around the world. Adaptation and resilience are the only answers to this ever-changing situation. Radovan Đorđević, owner of Vinarija Čokot, is facing this situation in the Serbian region of Župa

The Facebook group "RoOmenia" connects tens of thousands of Romanian citizens scattered across Europe, providing concrete help – from housing to medication – and contrasting the loneliness of many expats. An initiative launched by a group of lorry drivers

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

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

Twenty-five years have passed since the end of the armed conflict in Kosovo: an entire generation, born during the 1999 war, is approaching adulthood with a heavy legacy, but also strong hopes for the future. Will it be a generation of peace?

One year ahead of the next general election, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has embarked on a tour across Europe to make citizens living outside the country “Proud of Albania”. But the issue remains the electoral code, which currently does not allow people to vote from abroad

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

Betting and gambling companies have gained enormous influence in Bulgaria and Romania. Not only on the people who slip into gambling addiction, but also on the media, which suffer from their economic power. New laws seek to contain this influence, but their impact is unclear

In Herzegovina, native grape varieties like Blatina, Trnjak, and Žilavka lead a resurgence in the vinicultural landscape. Historical depth merges with the innovation of new producers, crafting a distinctive terroir and driving global ambitions in Herzegovina's evolving wine industry

With dedication and passion, Simeon Zlatev has created a true ethnographic museum by collecting traditional Macedonian objects, now mostly disappeared, for over three decades

In recent decades, Turkish television series have experienced astonishing success, becoming one of the country's most significant economic and cultural exports. If they sell abroad, however, TV series are subjected to ever-increasing government pressure