Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from September, 2022
The great escape from Russia: Live on Russian Twitter
An estimated 260,000 Russians, mostly men, have left their country since September 21 when President Putin declared a "partial mobilization," Most of the ones fleeing cross land borders to Georgia and Kazakhstan.
‘The Art of the Steal?': Russia’s online voting problem
Online voting in an increasingly autocratic Russia means election results should be treated with increased scepticism, not presented as regime approval.
Croatia’s push for controversial electoral reform undermines democratic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croat extremists also scored what at first appeared to be another diplomatic victory in early August, as the Israeli embassy in Tirana, Albania (which is also responsible for BiH) came out in favor of “electoral reforms.”
My journey to learning Ukrainian and the online language tools that took me there
"For me, languages are an important way of making sense of the world and creating connections."
The wolf is being targeted and killed in North Macedonia
North Macedonia is among the last countries in Europe where the wolf is considered a pest and is freely killed, although it's categorized as "near threatened" (NT).
Macedonian mountains are full of abandoned dogs which are threatening the endangered lynx
In North Macedonia, abandoned dogs are taken off city streets and dumped by municipal dog catchers in the mountains where they join wolves and hybridize.
Gender equality in Ukrainian language: Feminine forms of professions now given full recognition
Ukrainian feminitives appeared in dictionaries about two centuries ago, acknowledging the growing social equality of women. Today they have been sanctioned by Ukrainian authorities and are widely used.
The European Union continues to stall visa liberalization for Kosovo
Kosovo is the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens still need visa to travel to the Schengen area.
Organizers refuse to cancel the 2022 Belgrade EuroPride claiming the government's ban is unconstitutional
Involvement of Kremlin proxies in homophobic protests against EuroPride in Belgrade could indicate Russian malign influence undermining Serbia's strategic orientation of joining the European Union.
Hate speech and disinformation surface in Serbia ahead of the 2022 Belgrade EuroPride
Disinformation and hate speech toward the LGBTQ+ community and human rights supporters have been noticeably on the rise as the Serbian capital Belgrade is preparing to host the 2022 EuroPride during this week.
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.
LIVE on September 15: Can citizens of democracies still trust the law?
As digital authoritarianism spreads globally, is the law, one of the pillars of democracy, being used to undermine people's rights?
Azerbaijan, Armenia, and tenuous prospects for peace
The European Council president urged the two leaders to work with their respective populations, preparing them "for a long-term, sustainable peace."
Ukraine war hits Azerbaijani labor migrants
Millions of Azerbaijanis working in Russia and Ukraine are finding themselves forced to choose between their jobs and safety as Russia’s war continues to disrupt the economy on both sides.
Tunnel of Hope: A means of survival during the Sarajevo Siege
In an effort to survive and communicate with the outside world during the nearly four-year long siege (1992–1996), Sarajevo residents dug a tunnel in the yard of the Kolar family.
North Macedonia journalist organizations condemn verbal attack against female journalist
Garbage collectors in Skopje threatened a journalist who documented their lack of work by implying harm to herself, her family and even her dog, demanding that she delete incriminating photos.
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