Latest Premium Articles from the Balkans
Car Pollution Checks Fall by the Wayside
The government still hasn’t followed through on the Prime Minister’s order to carry out mandatory exhaust checks.
Macedonia NGOs Blow Whistle on No-Bid Contracts
Macedonian institutions have spent 150 million euro on contracts without tenders over four years, raising corruption concerns.
Kosovo Prepares to Legalize Organ Transplants
Bill offers hope for patients who must go abroad for new organs – but concerns remain about granting licenses to private medical centres in the light of the Medicus case.
Scandals Dominate Ill-tempered Election in Bulgaria
A slew of official investigations, accusations and counter-accusations have dominated a campaign in which the former ruling GERB party has maintained its poll lead.
Prosecutors Renew Hunt for Kosovo Organ Traffickers
As the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo stages a new organ-trafficking investigation, prosecutor Jonathan Ratel discusses the recent Medicus clinic convictions and the suspects who remain at large.
Macedonia Refuses to Face Its Troubled Past
Macedonia has yet to face up to what happened in its 2001 conflict with Albanian rebels, says Biljana Vankovska, an advocate for Balkan reconciliation initiative RECOM.
Captive Brown Bears Gain Fresh Start in Kosovo
NGO wants to relocate animals living at restaurants and small zoos, but some owners aren’t sold on the idea.
Sharp Divisions Over Solutions to Gas Crisis
Plans to reorganise the indebted state-owned monopoly Srbijagas have become controversial, pitting the energy ministry against the management.
Foltin and the Art of Private Folklore
The band from Bitola describe their approach to music as an irrational process of creating a ‘private folklore’ out of their impressions and dreams, and their latest album as a tonic for apathy and depression.
Bad Loans Soar as Kosovo Economy Stumbles
A 30-per-cent spike in non-performing loans points to a decline in the country’s overall economic health.
Opposition Leader’s ‘Assault’ Turns Into Albania Poll Issue
The parliamentary probe into opposition leader Edi Rama’s alleged behavior in Vienna is adding to the tense pre-election climate in Albania.
Turks Bewitch The Balkans With Their Addictive Soaps
Turkish soaps have replaced Latin American shows as must-sees for many TV viewers in the Balkans - tapping into nostalgia for a system of family values that people in the region have lost, and lament.
Serbia Looks East as it Heads West
The call for Serbia to join the Russian-led military alliance opens up new possibilities for cooperation with the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Politics Blamed for Bosnia Federation President’s Arrest
The arrest of the president of Bosnia’s Federation entity amid a political crisis over the government’s reconstruction has raised suspicions that it has political connotations.
Serbs Face Phased Transition to Kosovo Rule
Kosovo's authority will be introduced to Serb-run northern Kosovo in three stages, BIRN can reveal, as Kosovo Serb leaders warn the EU-backed plan may prompt them to emigrate.
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