Latest Premium Articles from the Balkans
Hague Prosecutor: Our Work Isn’t Over Yet
The Hague Tribunal has been successful in bringing wartime commanders to justice but hasn’t met expectations on reconciliation, chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz told BIRN.
Bosnia’s ‘Awakening’ is Brussels’ Opportunity
The protests in Sarajevo are a window of opportunity for the EU to regain the initiative on the stalled reform process in Bosnia.
Kosovo Media Struggle Against Interference
An overcrowded market and lack of legal safeguards leaves the media in Kosovo vulnerable to a variety of political pressures.
Serbia Backtracks on Media Reform Pledges
Optimism about reform under the new government fades as the new team delays enacting the promised media strategy and takes effective control of the media through the familiar tactics of targeted advertising and hidden ownership.
EU Averts Gaze From Macedonian Media’s Plight
Of all the region’s journalists, those from Macedonia feel among the most disappointed with the role the EU has played, as freedom of the media has declined markedly in the country since then.
Croatian Media Split Over Value of EU Role
While the EU accession process has not affected the media’s existential struggle for survival one way or the other, they have made respect for human and minority rights more mainstream.
Bosnia Journalists Feel Squeeze of Mounting Pressures
Between the struggle for financial sustainability and political pressures, Bosnia’s journalists find it hard to keep objective reporting alive.
Disunity and Poverty Erode Albanian Media Freedoms
The media’s failure to oppose a decision obliging TV stations to transmit pre-packaged tapes of election campaign events underlines its fractured, weak position.
Speak Up Opens Amid Hope and Scepticism
As the EU organizes a second media freedom conference on June 20, the jury is out on whether Brussels has positively affected a generally deteriorating situation for the media in the region.
Serbia’s Half-Hearted Cuts Fail to Convince
Planned package of savings, which won’t affect salaries or pensions, may not be nearly radical enough to tackle the growing budget deficit.
Bosnia ID Card Protests Raise Hopes for Change
When protesters blockaded parliament demanding MPs solve an ID number problem that stopped a baby getting hospital treatment, some dreamed of a new era of inter-ethnic unity – but others remain doubtful.
Storm over Women-Hating Mufti Shakes Kosovo
Row over mufti who called women ‘sluts’ continues to reverberate in Kosovo, embarrassing secularists and raising fears of spread of Islamic fundamentalism.
German Parties Mull Line on Serbia-EU Talks
While the Bundestag is likely to back offering Serbia a start date for EU talks in June, some differences remain between the ruling and opposition parties on the issue.
Kosovo Muslim Embraces ‘Jihad’ in Syrian War
A Kosovar who has fought twice in Syria’s civil war, says belief in Islamic holy war has drawn him and many other Albanians into the Middle Eastern cauldron.
Romania’s Tough Line on Kosovo Starts to Crumble
It’s increasingly no longer a question of whether Romania will recognise Kosovo’s independence but when, analysts say.
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