Politics

A new wave of protests is expected to mark the beginning of 2020 in Albania. With a fragmented opposition and a non-representative Parliament, civic protests may serve as a catalyst for further democratisation and freedom of speech

After the abolition of direct public funding of politics in 2013, Italy intended to increase private donations. However, the numbers tell a different story: little funding comes from “big donors”, while a lot comes from elected representatives. Meanwhile, the absence of direct public funding in Italy remains a European anomaly.

The 20-month long protests against the demolition of the National Theatre reflect not only the need to protect the country's common historical and cultural heritage, but also citizens’ demands for further democratisation of Albania

North Macedonia has enthusiastically welcomed the mini-Schengen initiative in the Western Balkans, wanted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. A deeper analysis, however, reveals many doubts and concerns

Today in Paris, within the framework of the "Normandy Group", Ukrainian President Zelensky and Russian President Putin will meet. A picture of the political situation in Ukraine and in the Donbas

After the victory in the last elections, New Democracy has given a new course to policies for migrants and refugees, which risks further weakening the protection mechanisms available to them

The elections for President of Croatia will be held on December 22^nd, with the likely runoff scheduled on January 5^th, 2020. The favourites are outgoing president Grabar-Kitarović and former prime minister and former leader of the Social Democrats Zoran Milanović

According to the World Health Organisation, the seven INSPIRE strategies are the most effective in reducing violence against children. ChildPact and its members surveyed 296 child focused organisations and institutions across South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus to find out who's working on the INSPIRE package

OBCT is among the founders of ECPMF, a media freedom centre based in Leipzig – just where the demonstrations that would lead to the collapse of the Wall started in October 1989. Thirty years later, one of the slogans of that revolutionary autumn has become an angry claim on the electoral posters of the far-right AfD party

Unlike in the past, the presidential campaign for November 10^th is particularly subdued. Outgoing president Klaus Iohannis, as the favourite, will probably take the most advantage from this state of affairs. An analysis

In Italy the abolition of direct public funding to parties gave a greater role to private financing, increasing the risk of undue influence on the democratic process. A dossier as a part of the ESVEI project

North Macedonia remains at the EU's door again, this time because of France's opposition. Disappointed with the "Macron" vote, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev tries to run for cover by calling for early elections

In the arms trafficking scandal recently exposed in Serbia, a state-owned company was allegedly damaged to the advantage of a private company that involved the father of the Minister of the Interior. The whistleblower ended up in jail

More than 11,000 retired Croatian are still working. Some of them seek a more active life, but the majority lives on the brink of poverty without any other option other than to keep working – a problem in common with many other European countries

The EU Summit is expected to take a final decision on the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, although France seems unwilling to change its position to postpone the decision-making process until the European negotiation format is re-arranged

After years of opposition and activism, Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti, winner of the October 6^th elections, is about to become the new prime minister of Kosovo. For the country, a political turnaround not without unknowns

In Azerbaijan, a pro-government website published a report evaluating the reforms introduced by President Aliyev at the beginning of the year. However, a careful analysis shows that behind the facade of reforms the country continues as usual: corruption and violation of human rights

The mayors elected in the ranks of pro-Kurdish HDP have been ousted by the Turkish government on charges of flanking terrorism, further reducing the space for a political solution to the Kurdish question

With the new season just around the corner, Albanian television schedules change, but the media landscape remains unchanged, with increasing hints of pressure and censorship cases

While Croatia may be a paradise for tourism, actually living and working there is a lot more difficult. Croatian workers move abroad in large numbers: a phenomenon rooted in a combination of both long-term and short-term factors. An analysis

A walk in the centre of Rijeka on the centenary of D'Annunzio's enterprise: politics, the work of historians, memory, and democracy

For most of Europe, 2018 was the hottest year since 1900, and 2019 could even be worse. But how are local authorities preparing to adapt and respond to the climate crisis? An investigation by the European Data Journalism Network

Every year, in Ptuj, Slovenia, a poet writes a "letter to Europe". This year it is signed by Ilija Trojanow, writer, translator and publisher

The Zagreb government is determined to soften the requirements for obtaining Croatian citizenship, with an eye on intercepting the diaspora. But there are those who feel discriminated against: the case of Milan Škorić and the 5,000 without nationality

Following the Russian occupation of Crimea, the Tatar community is under great pressure. An analysis of the situation through historical digressions and a meeting with the Tatar representatives recently elected in the Ukrainian parliament

Since 2007, the EU allows member states to reduce the so-called Tampon Tax. But half of the countries, including Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, continue to apply a general VAT rate on such products

Concerns persist over the approval of the new package of amendments aimed at modifying two important laws on the Albanian media, the so-called "anti-defamation package"

The party of new Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyj won also last Sunday's early political elections. "The servant of the people" got 43% of the votes and the absolute majority in parliament

In Italy the role of parties decreases, but the number of actors involved grows. A complex theme and picture, with laws still failing to intercept the new dynamics and a fragmentation of the subjects in the field.

The establishment of "llyrian Guard", a state-owned company offering private security services, can hardly resolve the complexity and challenges of the private security market in Albania. The Achille’s heel lies in licencing and quality control by state institutions