Balkan cities are among those with the most polluted air in Europe. The issue is aggravated by the slow reaction of the institutions. A dossier by OBCT

News and interviews

Sarajevo (Photo © Aldin033/Shutterstock)
Alfredo Sasso | Sarajevo
16 January 2019

Last December, Sarajevo was the most polluted capital in the world. What are the main causes of pollution in the Bosnian capital? An interview with Anes Podić, coordinator of Eko Akcija

Traffick in Sofia - Anastei6a/Shutterstock
Francesco Martino | Sofia
15 January 2019

Despite some timid positive signals, Sofia remains one of Europe's most polluted capitals – a problem made worse only by the slow reaction of the city's institutions

jpreat - Shutterstock
Ilcho Cvetanoski | Skopje
28 December 2018

Macedonia's capital has been declared the most polluted in Europe – a sad record, consequence of bad policies and a chronic lack of long-term vision

Sarajevo (photo by A. Sasso)
Alfredo Sasso | Sarajevo
9 January 2019

Between 2 and 4 December, Sarajevo was the most polluted capital in the world, at least according to data provided by US embassies, that constantly monitor the environmental situation of the cities where they are based

The European Data Journalism Network, data-driven journalism network which includes OBCT, published the report "One degree warmer ”, which analyses 100 million meteorological data related to 558 European cities, including the Balkan cities cited in this dossier.


It is one of the most polluted cities in Europe. Home to a large industrial district during socialist Yugoslavia, it then suffered the devastating consequences of the NATO bombing in 1999. From our archives, a video-reportage from the Serbian town of Pančevo.