Civil society

After a controversial and divisive referendum, what is the outlook for Hungary and the region on the subject of refugees? We interviewed Gábor Gyulai, of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee

From 31 August to 2 September, an international delegation of civil society organisations visited Istanbul to demonstrate solidarity with writers, journalists, and media outlets in Turkey

How can art react to the serious political crisis in Turkey? An interview with Semih Çelenk, theatre professor at the Dokuz Eylül University in Izmir

The fourth edition of "Terra Madre Balkans", held in early June in Tirana, focused on challenges and hopes of small farmers in the region

What are the prospects for the civil society in the Balkans? Talk Real, a transnational talk show engaging civil society actors worldwide, discussed the topic

In Georgia there are many care services for beneficiaries below the age of 18, but problems really emerge once they become adults. Georgia’s ChildPact members address this issue, working with the authorities to find long-term solutions

Is there a way to develop a country where there is virtually no trust for the state? If someone thinks so, please let us know

Izolyatsia promotes artistic and cultural events. Its headquarters were in Donbass before war broke out, now they are in Kiev. However, their values have remained the same: to guarantee freedom of opinion

Some political prisoners have been released by the Azerbaijani authorities in the past few months. But many are still behind bars, held as hostages

War in the Ukraine has caused about 1,5 million internally displaced persons. The living conditions of those who have fled the war zone in the east of the country are often very difficult. Report

Since April 13, tens of thousands of people go out on the street in Macedonia to protest against the political regime with a colourful, peaceful fight

In Azerbaijan and in the rest of Europe there was satisfaction for the amnesty that allowed 15 journalists, opposition politicians and human rights activists, to return to freedom. In the Caucasian country, however, there are still too many political prisoners

Bulgaria is the EU country with the highest rate of elderly people at risk of poverty, isolation and social exclusion. Our report

In the Seventies, a group of young hipsters leave Yugoslavia looking for the Buddhist monk Čedomil Veljačič, ending up in Morocco

Armenian citizens continue to show great vitality, now directed against constitutional reform projects. The story behind the "VOCH" protest movement

The NGO Legis is one of the few organizations working with migrants and refugees in Macedonia. An interview with Mersiha Smailovikj, one of the founders of Legis, provides a complex picture of the situation

Pavle Kilibarda, researcher at the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, explains the situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia. Interview

What is the weight of the Gezi Park movement in the electoral success of the HDP at the political elections held in Turkey last June 7^th? A comment

The first Women's Tribunal in Europe took place in Sarajevo between May 7^th and 10^th. The participants came from all the countries of the former Yugoslavia

A recent investigation by investigative team OCCRP and NGO MANS revealed a secret Swiss account with $ 3.8 million payable to the wife of Svetozar Marović, one of the leaders of the ruling party. Interview with Vanja Ćalović, director of MANS

The latest updates on the struggle for a regional commission for investigating the war crimes of the 1990s in the Balkans

Kosovo celebrated its seventh anniversary since the proclamation of independence, amidst news of thousands of its citizens trying to leave the country for better economic conditions in the EU

Pope Francis' visit to Sarajevo could help putting an end to the limbo blocking Bosnia's society since over 20 years. Much will depend on his words, and actions

The arrest on spurious charges of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova is being met by a disturbing silence of the international community, and shows there are no more boundaries for the Aliyev regime

The Caviar diplomacy continues to be successful. The alarm messages arriving form Azerbaijan on systematic violations of human rights in the country are constantly dropping into the void

A Pristina magazine has started a campaign to end Kosovo's international isolation in sports. The shining judo star Majlinda Kelmendi has joined in

Seven months after the February protests, a political alternative to the forthcoming general elections is not in sight. However, activists believe the movement is sowing seeds

Since the beginning of its presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organisation, Azerbaijan has been placing more and more people behind bars. A jarring contrast no one seems to notice

Svetlana Lukić, editor of "Peščanik": the long rule of the Democratic Party, Boris Tadić, and his court set up a mechanism of media control. Vučić - once Milošević's minister of Information- inherited it and added his own, Šešelj-style, "charm"

The Serbian government is facing increasingly frequent accusations of web censorship. The interventions by the OSCE and the European Commission, the reactions of prime minister Vučić