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Articles by Francesco Martino

Preparing ajvar - I.Danchev

Ajvar, son of the sun

Brestovac | Francesco Martino | 3 April 2013 ita

In the region of Leskovac, in Southern Serbia, growing peppers is an art refined over the centuries. The “ajvar” is a fragrant pepper paste that comes with soft cheeses and pork meat. Our report



Mustafa Akyol

Mustafa Akyol: the AKP is not too Islamic, but too Turkish

Sofia | Francesco Martino | 2 January 2013 ita

After ten years in power in Turkey, Erdoğan's AKP still has a reformist potential, but is becoming increasingly intolerant and confrontational. The issue, according to political commentator Mustafa Akyol, has more to do with the political tradition of authoritarian power in Turkey, than with the party's supposed “Islamic agenda”



Vanja Ćalović - fmartino/obc

Montenegro, a country to change

Podgorica | Francesco Martino | 6 November 2012 ita

Montenegro: a country that has not seen a change of government for 23 years, stifled by corruption and organized crime. This is what Vanja Ćalović, director of MANS (Network for the affirmation of the non-governmental sector), struggles to change. The elections of October 14th have opened up spaces for hope, but much more needs to be done, including by the EU. Our interview



The "Socar" logo (photo Francesco Martino/OBC)

Azerbaijan's oil dependence

Baku | Francesco Martino | 22 October 2012 ita

In Azerbaijan, the hydrocarbon, oil, and gas extraction industry continues to represent the lion's share of the economy. Yet, according to economist Vugar Bayramov, director of the Centre for Economic and Social Development, the mismanagement of profits and the lack of a development strategy for other sectors are likely to create imbalances in the country's economy. Our interview



La famiglia Donevski e la "kcana sol" - Ivo Danchev

The crushed salt of Macedonia

Kratovo | Francesco Martino | 11 October 2012 ita

The crushed salt of Kratovo comes directly from the sun and the wind that kiss the Osogovski mountains, in Macedonia. A journey into the secrets of a family that wants to open the country's first “slow hostel”, distant a three-day horse ride from the Aegean sea



On the Büyükada pier

Slow Food Turkey: Wheat Rites

Istanbul | Francesco Martino | 26 July 2012 ita

A few kilometres off the coast of Istanbul, in the Sea of Marmara, the Princes' Islands are the tourist destination for those who want to leave behind, at least for a few hours, the frenzy of the immense metropolis on the Bosporus. These islands have been for millennia a laboratory of cultural contamination, as testified by recipes, smells, tastes, and words – suspended between memory and oblivion



Memoriale, Distomo - F.Martino

Greece, Germany and the wounds of history

Distomo | Francesco Martino | 11 July 2012 ita

 The economic crisis in Europe is stirring up animosity and distrust, especially in places marked by the wounds of history. Like Distomo, a village in western Boeotia, where one of the worst massacres in Nazi-occupied Greece took place in 1944. Here, recriminations against Merkel's austerity pair up with claims – never met – for compensation. A report



Anti-austerity strike in Thessaloniki – 0neiros/flickr

Greece, much crisis for nothing

Francesco Martino | 18 June 2012 ita

Crises are painful, but they must be an opportunity for change. Yet in Greece, says economic analyst Janos Manolopoulos, this has not happened. Athens' political and economic leaders navigate at sight, unable to rethink the country's future



Cyprus - F.Martino

Cyprus, the peace process: stranded

Nicosia | Francesco Martino | 11 May 2012 ita

When UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon announced on the 21st of April that the eagerly awaited international conference would not take place, the last hopes were shattered of seeing Cyprus take its turn in the EU presidency as a reunited Country. Not a surprise, certainly. Indeed, there is just a crumb of hope of seeing any evolution in the negotiations. A report from the island



Ergenekon: Ahmet Şık e Nedim Şener's truth

Ergenekon: Ahmet Şık e Nedim Şener's truth

Nicosia | Francesco Martino | 26 April 2012 ita

Known in Turkey for their investigations on the "deep state", Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener have been arrested in 2011, accused of being part of the"Ergenekon" terrorist organization, the same they contributed to expose. A case that soon became a symbol untransparent sides of the investigation. OBC met them in Cyprus, a few weeks after their release



Cantina a Trebinje - Ivo Danchev

Bosnia, Slow Food. As humble and tenacious as a vine

Trebinje | Francesco Martino | 12 April 2012 ita

Trebinje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Along the banks of the Trebišnjica river, in the Petrovo and Popovo Polje plains, vines grow surrounded by stony and lunar mountains. These vines give life to žilavka and vranac, two wines that have made the history and success of enology in Eastern Herzegovina. An age-old and fragile treasure of tastes, now promoted and safeguarded by the local Slow Food convivium



Lüfer Protection Team, Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul and Slow Food. A soul of waves and salt

Istanbul | Francesco Martino | 29 December 2011 ita

In Istanbul, the lüfer ("bluefish" in English) is not just a species of fish. It symbolises the connection between the city, its sea and its history. Unfortunately, this symbol may now disappear because of unregulated fishing. Therefore, the Slow Food convivium Fikir Sahibi Damaklar responds with a ruler, asking for fishing to be limited to adult bluefish. 



Bulgaria, media and power

Bulgarian mass media's uncomfortable relationship with power

Sofia | Francesco Martino | 19 December 2011 ita

As a litmus test, the recent election campaign in Bulgaria brought to light the problematic relationship between media and power in the country. The Bulgarian information system shows serious and structural problems: lack of transparency on properties, centralisation of newspapers, economic and political pressure on journalists. In recent years the situation has been getting worse



Milking at Lazaropole, Western Macedonia

Slow food. On grass and transhumance in Western Macedonia

Mavrovo | Francesco Martino | 16 September 2011 ita

Mavrovo, Western Macedonia. On these mountains, the Balkans’ continental and Mediterranean climates meet, giving birth to incredibly rich and unique pastures. This is why, throughout the centuries, this region has specialised in transhumance sheep breeding and cheese production. A slow food presidium that will make its first international appearance today at the Cheese fair in Bra, Cuneo, Italy.



Macedonia (VodaBlatoKri, Flickr)

Time for a European Macedonia

Sofia | Francesco Martino | 2 August 2011 ita

The dispute with Greece on the constitutional name of the country has been keeping Macedonia outside the gates of the EU for too long. This situation is bound to create lasting negative effects not only for Skopje, but also for its European neighbors



Justice

EULEX, the delicate balance of justice

Sofia | Francesco Martino | 15 July 2011 ita

Without a common European position on the status of Kosovo, EULEX judges face many challenges and paradoxes: every single judge, for example, must choose whether or not to apply the laws passed in Pristina's parliament. We have spoken to Dragomir Yordanov, a Bulgarian judge, who worked for EULEX from the deployment of the mission till the spring of 2011



The mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk

Turkey: why the constitutional-reform process matters

Sofia | Francesco Martino | 28 June 2011 ita

After Erdogan's victory in the elections of 12 June, Turkey is entering a difficult and important constitutional-reform process. We talked with the analyst Dimitar Bechev of the European Council on Foreign Relations



Eulex, Kosovo

Kosovo, the contradictions of the European presence

Francesco Martino | 16 May 2011 ita

At the beginning of April, through the pages of the British daily 'The Guardian', he expressed very explicit criticism of the work of the European mission and the International Civilian Office in Kosovo. A point of view to be kept in mind, considering that Andrea Lorenzo Capussela worked in Kosovo, until Spring 2011 precisely for ICO. Our interview



Barriers - Tommy Weir/flickr

Schengen, prisoners of a fragile Europe

Francesco Martino | 12 May 2011 ita

Although Bulgaria and Romania have met the technical requirements, Bucharest and Sofia will indefinitely remain outside of the Schengen area. A long list of unresolved issues with the two Balkan countries provides substantial reasons for exclusion, but the main problem seems to lie in the increasing fragility of the European political project



Pirotski kačkavalj, Pirot, Southern Serbia - Ivo Danchev

Serbia, learning about cheeses

Pirot | Francesco Martino | 21 April 2011 ita

The "pirotski kačkavalj" is much more than a mere cheese, it is the symbol of ancient traditions and an integrated economy that has shaped the Pirot region, in South Serbia, for centuries. A symbol currently at risk, due to emigration from the area and economic difficulties, but one which the students of the local "Mlekarska Škola" are trying to preserve



In December 1989, 20 years ago, Timişoara citizens fought alone against the regime of Ceausescu. The memories of Ioan Savu, one of the leaders of that revolution, and professor Miodrag Milin, the first to collect the stories of those days. A videoreportage by Davide Sighele and Francesco Martino

Philosopher, dissident, politician. Zhelyu Zhelev has been the first Bulgarian president democratically elected after the fall of the Berlin Wall. A videointerview [Bulgaria, 2009]

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Fondazione Opera Campana dei Caduti Forum Trentino per la Pace e i Diritti Umani Provincia autonoma di Trento Comune di Rovereto