Freedom Without Discipline
A 75-year-old Japanese book helps explain the pitfalls of Bulgarian democracy.
War in Ukraine
Exhibition Reflects on the Lost Lives of Ukrainian Students
“Unissued Diplomas” reveals the ambitions and dreams of young Ukrainians whose studies were cut short by war.
20 Days in Mariupol: Beyond the Oscar
“The fact that this documentary is about a war, about Ukraine itself, is huge news, a huge victory.”
‘My Childhood Ended When I Left Luhansk’
The story of a small girl who feared she would be shot – one of countless Ukrainian children whose lives were uprooted years before the full-scale Russian invasion.
The Elite Ukrainian Brigade Everyone Wants to Join
Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is a recruitment success story, with more than 900 volunteers a month seeking to join. Can this be replicated across the armed forces? From CEPA.
Two Years On, Ukrainian Journalists Still Pay a Heavy Price for the War
While Russian authorities are responsible for the majority of safety threats facing Ukrainian journalists, some are also being increasingly harassed for their “lack of patriotism.” From IPI.
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Solutions Journalism
Krakow Can Breathe Again
… thanks to a ban on heating with coal and wood. Will Czechia’s smoggiest city find inspiration in Poland? From Okraj.
Centers of Excellence
A network of publicly funded facilities helps Montenegrin kids get the treatment and education they urgently need.
The Grandmas and Grandpas Brewing Beer in Vienna
What started as an off-the-cuff idea at a senior home has become a successful microbrewery – and a way for residents to stay social and engaged. From Reasons to be Cheerful.
The Smart Way Forward
Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh are learning tech skills and soon will move into new eco-friendly homes thanks to a team of go-getter volunteers.
A Strategy for Success
In the public sphere and the courtroom, a Moldovan activist group has brought the issues facing queer people out of the shadows and won milestone victories.
Commentary
Business as Usual?
The cognitive dissonance of Russian sanctions where everyone is apparently expecting someone else to do something about all the evasion.
The EU’s New Media Freedom Act Needs More Teeth
Drawing on recent research in Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and elsewhere, the authors argue that more needs to be done to detect changes in media ownership that threaten media pluralism. From the EUROPP LSE blog.
The Bulgarian Factor in North Macedonia’s Elections
The 8 May elections will be crucial for North Macedonia’s EU membership negotiations, with the campaign dominated by complicated relations with Bulgaria and a pro-Russia party leading in the polls. From the GMF.
Is Georgian Dream Digging Its Own Grave?
The country’s entrenched ruling party no longer makes any pretense of adhering to democratic principles.
Latest News
Armenian Archbishop Leads Protests Against Concessions to Azerbaijan
Protesters demand Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation over border delimitation deal. From OC Media.
Beyond Borders: Assessing the Significance of EU Elections for Eastern Europe
Could a right-shifted European Parliament downgrade democracy promotion initiatives – and would that be such a bad thing?
How Finland Became a Champion Fake News Fighter
A report on the search for the “Holy Grail” of education in the internet era. From Respekt.
North Macedonia Voters Express Frustration Ahead of Elections
A laggard economy, corruption concerns, and the freeze on EU accession talks are the overriding issues going into this week’s vote.
A Time of Cosic
He was a giant of Serbian literature and an intellectual lodestone for the nation. Is he also responsible for the crimes of Milosevic?
Poland Pulls Up A Chair at the Top Table
Despite a slow start and tussles over the rule of law, a war next door, and a newly formed liberal-democratic government are encouraging Polish ambitions of a leadership role in the bloc. From Reporting Democracy/BIRN.
