Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from May, 2019
Russia: Kommersant staff walk out in protest of censorship, triggering journalism ethics debate
The entire politics desk of Kommersant, several dozen people in total, has since resigned out of solidarity with their colleagues.
North Macedonia to hold first-ever pride parade in June 2019
North Macedonia’s first pride parade is yet another testament to the country's recent political transition. Homophobic violence was markedly tolerated by the previous government.
Russian website attempts to impersonate established news outlet covering the Balkans
"The purpose of publishing under the name Balkanist in Russian is to confuse readers at home, in Russia and elsewhere into questioning our sincerity, what and who we support."
North Macedonia vows to remedy injustices against NGOs, closes legal loopholes abused by former government
"NGOs were penalized and unjustly fined for mistakes they had not made," said Deputy Prime Minister Radmilla Šekerinska.
Western Balkan countries look at the past and the future at the Venice Biennale 2019
Among the participants at the Venice Biennale are the Western Balkan countries, which see it as an excellent opportunity to showcase the art and promote their artists, beyond their borders.
Dear European Commission: Don't let political parties use our data to manipulate the vote
Rather than protecting individuals’ rights, exceptions to the GDPR in some countries are limiting freedom of expression, eroding privacy, and abetting the spread of disinformation.
Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina: ‘Even in Russia, social media is still an effective method for uniting people’
Masha Alyokhina talks art, activism, and feminism in Russia -- and why a new cold war is coming.
Looking back at Feral Tribune, Croatia's doomed but legendary satirical newspaper
Feral Tribune was known for its impartial coverage of war in the Balkans and caricatures that ridiculed the nationalist leaders in former Yugoslavia.
The road signs that stirred up Albania-Greece relations yet again
Authorities have stated that the signs violated legislation regulating the order, size, and font in which Albanian and minority languages should be displayed.
How the word ‘gender’ became a slur in Bulgaria
Homophobia and transphobia are widespread in Bulgaria, whose government has recently cozied up to the extreme right.
The police were the ‘surprise guests’ at a fundraiser at Budapest's Auróra community center
Community center managers say the local municipality has been trying to shut Auróra down for years.
New Russian documentary brings the horrors of the Gulag to the YouTube generation
Despite the best efforts of Yuri Dud, alongside those of countless other civic activists, Russia will probably remain deeply conflicted over Stalin’s legacy many years from now.
Too big to be anonymous? Russian journalists unmask a famous anti-Kremlin blogger, sparking ethical debate
StalinGulag’s posts are usually acerbic, profanity-laden critiques of Russia's political system, generating thousands of likes and retweets.
Ethnic Albanian votes will decide presidential elections in North Macedonia
North Macedonia will vote on the second round of the presidential elections on Sunday, May 5, amid uncertainties about the turnout and the outcome.
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