Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from February, 2023
Charity treason: The legal practice of persecuting Russians who donate to Ukraine
Despite the authorities agreeing that sponsoring the Ukrainian army constitutes treason, in a year, there has not been a single reported criminal case instigated for such donations.
Bangladesh reassesses its Belt and Road Initiative strategy with China as the US offers a new alternative
After big promises made in 2015, China's belt and Road Initiative is taking a much slower pace in Bangladesh as a result of pushback from communities and the Bangladeshi government.
Georgia debates a foreign agent law, which critics say sets a dangerous precedent
The bill was tabled by a group of parliament members, formally from the ruling Georgian Dream who quit the party ranks last year and formed their own political party called People's Power.
Members of the Russian diaspora join global protests marking the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
As the world marks the first anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, exiled Russians opposing Putin organize and join public demonstrations around the world, including in Berlin and Prague.
Latin America walks a fine line between East and West amidst Ukrainian conflict and China-U.S. tensions
At the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and in the midst of growing tensions between superpowers, our region maintains an ambiguous role.
‘You'd better not wake up!': How Twitter users remember the day of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Global Voices translated some of the responses about the memories of the day of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 24th 2022
Belarusian Westernizers: Their debacle and perpetual bewilderment
Grigory Ioffe writes about the growing rupture between the new Belarusian diaspora and those who remain in the country, as well as the hopeless plight of Belarusian political prisoners.
Those who are in these coffins will no longer hear Putin's chatter about ‘everything is going according to plan’
Global Voices gathered some of the social media commentary in Russian with reactions to Putin's speech.
Interview with Romanian anti-disinformation activist reveals disinformation campaigns often target refugees from Ukraine
The position of Romania regarding the war in Ukraine remains in line with the EU and NATO, despite pro-Russian destabilizing efforts. However, at general level, disinformation had become part of political discourse.
Can China act as a peace broker in the Russian-Ukraine war?
China is attempting to rebuild ties with the EU and is blaming the US for taking advantage of the Russia-Ukraine War ahead of a meeting between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
Why have nurses in Bulgaria been protesting again?
In the beginning of November, a director of a hospital in the Bulgarian city of Dobrich sued 136 medical workers, after they announced intent to protest low salaries with a strike.
Malian government expels UN Representatives in targeted move
Malian authorities expel UN representatives, underlining their refusal to accept any national and international criticism of their human rights record
Not forgotten: The 450th anniversary of the ‘Great Peasant Revolt’ in Croatia and Slovenia
The memories of the failed Peasant Revolt of 1573 continued to serve as a beacon of hope, inspiring numerous pro-freedom actions in the Balkans and beyond.
Man accused of setting fire to military draft office in Transnistria faces 30 years in jail
Unlike many other similar human rights violations in Transnistria, the incident with the arrest of Alexander Dimov and his alleged record prison term did not cause a wide public reaction
Explaining ‘Ukrainian antisemitism’ and Holocaust diplomacy
Ukrainian officials used International Holocaust Remembrance Day to remind the world about the historic and current suffering of their compatriots.
Every Friday, Russia labels new citizens and organizations as ‘Foreign Agents’
Labeling people and organizations as 'foreign agents' resembles Stalin's repressive regime. It is now being used to push dissenting voices out of the country.
The future of mass surveillance in Serbia
Serbian government withdraws – for the second time – draft law governing the work of police with provisions enabling invasions of privacy, after civil society outcry and international pressure.
Queering the internet: anonymous online spaces for LGBTQ+ people
The threat of persecution, violence, and judgement is why many queer people turn to anonymous online spaces to build community and relationships, seek support, and share their experiences.
The main effort of Russian propaganda language is to give the impression that there is still no war
What does Russian propaganda do? It replaces the associations of words so that we perceive the world as better and safer, as a world in which there is no war
Slovenia law enables full equality for same-sex marriages, including allowing LGBTQ+ people to adopt children
“From today, all same-sex marriages enjoy the same rights as everyone else. There are no losers, rather a minority that was oppressed throughout history is now a winner.”
Czech Roma need political representation: Interview with journalist Patrik Banga
To understand how Roma people assess their situation in the Czech Republic, Global Voices interviewed Patrik Banga, a Roma journalist who recently published his autobiography.
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