Stories about Albania
The youth is a critical voice in addressing security challenges, Western Balkans expert says
"What is important in my view when discussing disinformation is addressing the structural problems, such as media literacy, because Western Balkans have some of the lowest media literacy rates in Europe."
Youth in the Balkans should be able to recognize disinformation with malign intent, Slovenian expert says
"We need to be able to communicate with the youth as effectively and as attractively as the adversaries are doing," said Petra Balažič, project manager at the Centеr of European Perspectives from Slovenia.
Disinformation helps weaponize homophobia in the Balkans
After 2013, Moscow has emerged as major generator of homophobic narratives that exploit existing endemic intolerance in the Balkans region.
Pride marches challenge endemic homophobia in the Balkans
Pride marches in all Balkan capitals all came with similar demands: stopping hate speech and hate crimes fueled by widespread homophobia and transphobia.
Getting the Balkans wrong: The foreign coverage crisis
"Covering the Western Balkans requires more preparation than other parts of Europe. It’s not enough to know local politics. You need to appreciate the culture and society."
Zero benefits for Albania from China's Belt and Road Initiative
The prime minister, during a recent official visit in Japan, stated he saw no economic benefits from what is left of China's "17+1" economic cooperation bloc with Eastern European nations
‘The Balkans are Europe's Latin America in many beautiful ways,’ says Albanian writer
Cultural mediators between the Balkans and the Hispanic worlds are scarce. Elvi Sidheri is one of them. As an Albanian author and translator, he has traveled across countries and literary fields.
Albania's tourism industry is on the rise, increasing risk of child sexual exploitation, warns new report
Albania's first research on the exploitation of children in tourism identified a lack of awareness of the issue as a key concern. Albania received more than 5.6 million foreign visitors in 2021.
Digitization of public services in Albania has increased their quality, digital rights analyst claims
Albania’s digital "revolution" started in 2013 when government provided 14 electronic services online; today its government provides 1,225 e-services.
Repeated cyberattacks across the Western Balkans highlight need for an organized approach to security
Microsoft experts trace the Albanian attack, which took out public services websites to Iran, leading the Albanian government to take diplomatic action.
Will Ukraine walk through EU's doorstep as “slow as a tortoise” like Albania and North Macedonia?
Ukraine at war with Russia, is now an official candidate country to join the EU. But will it have to wait for a long time, like Albania and North Macedonia?
Illegal wildlife poisoning depletes Balkan biodiversity, yet only 1% of cases reach court
A recent study shows that the illegal use of poisoning to target "undesirable" animals continues to go unnoticed and unpunished in the Balkans, even though it depletes biodiversity and threatens public health.
The Western Balkans will need unity and cooperation across society to overcome press freedom challenges
Independent media in the Western Balkans face disinformation campaigns, hate speech, physical attacks, threats, low income, poor economic status, divisions, self-censorship and job insecurity.
Community support is vital to women athletes: Kosovo alpinist Uta Ibrahimi
Uta Ibrahimi, an alpinist from Kosovo, talks about her mountaineering adventures and the challenges she faces as an gender equality and environmental activist in this interview for Global Voices.
Austrian player Arnautović sparks racism controversy in Euro 2020 football game against North Macedonia
Twitter users pointed out that the perpetrator behind the anti-Albanian incident has a surname which might indicate ethnic Albanian roots in his family.
Illegal logging, poaching and waste dumping endanger nature in North Macedonia
North Macedonia's great and varied biological diversity is seriously endangered and was significantly impacted by COVID-19, as protected areas in the country, and national parks' income were impacted.
Why Macron’s tweet on the Serbian Patriarch's death angered so many people in the Balkans
Why would someone who claimed to defend secular, enlightened values invest France's institutional political capital with a figure who symbolized everything that is backward and racist about Serbian society?
The importance of ‘unlearning’ the past: Interview with Balkans expert Keith Brown
"Critical thinking [...] liberates us from the illusion that figures in the past imagined their own identity in terms of the nationalisms of their future."
This Polish travel blogger wants Poles to ‘fall in love’ with North Macedonia
"I am going to continue to convince Poles that the Balkans is not a powder keg. It is a barrel of wine."
Nationalists in North Macedonia use border closures to sow confusion and mistrust
Local media and politicians have distorted reopening policies in neighbouring countries for political gain.
Beach destinations in Albania face an unusual summer tourist season
Last month Global Voices looked at preparations for an unusual tourist season in Albania. Now it is underway, with mixed results.
