In the spotlight: these men and women who move the Balkans
In 2021, hundreds of environmental demonstrators mobilized in Belgrade, and in several cities of Serbia, to protest against a mining project that wants to exploit lithium in this Balkan country.
© AFP / Andrej Isakovic
Text by: Jean-Arnault Dérens Follow |
Courrier des Balkans Follow
3 min
Advertising
Read more
A former clandestine who becomes archbishop, sportswomen and actresses who launch the #MeToo movement in their countries, victories against homophobia ... Men and women who fight for the reception of exiles or the defense of the environment. From Slovenia to Moldova and Turkey, via Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania or Serbia,
The Balkan courier
has selected its thirteen “heroes and heroines of the year 2021”
.
Thousands of smart cameras based on a facial recognition system have been installed in Belgrade.
Based on Chinese technology, the “safe city” program has been developing for two years without any legal framework and could extend to all of Serbia.
Vladan Joler, of the Share Foundation, details
the threats to public freedoms
.
In Albania,
the personal data of 637,138 people
were made public just before Christmas.
The opposition is screaming scandal, but who is responsible for this huge cybersecurity breach and who is benefiting?
Bulgaria finally has a government
, but which brings together political orientations that are not necessarily always compatible, in particular between
a very Atlanticist Prime Minister and a Minister of Defense
who does not want NATO military reinforcements in the Black Sea ... The revival of tension between Westerners and Russia over
Ukraine
reveals fault lines within Bulgaria's new executive.
Clientelism, an “unnatural” government coalition, the rise of the far right ... In 2021, Romania experienced
a year of political recomposition
, but the struggle for control of public resources still outweighs ideological differences, as political scientist Alina Mungiu-Pippidi explains.
China is always more present in the Balkans
. Thus,
three hydroelectric power stations
are under construction in Republika Srpska. 100%
made in China
projects
for a value of more than 100 million euros. The Serbian entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina wants to position itself as a “regional energy leader”, despite
the strong mobilizations of the defenders of wild rivers
.
Is this the end of
domaća rakija,
the house brandy that everyone distils in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina? According to a new law studied by the government of the entity, all households producing more than 50 liters per year
should report to the authorities
... These threats to home production had already been mentioned when Bulgaria entered, Romania then Croatia in the European Union. In reality, nothing has changed, but
fines are raining on the borders of the latter country with Bosnia-Herzegovina or Serbia
: 680 euros for two bags of cabbage, 400 euros for ten boxes of pâté. In question, the nit-picking and often absurd customs regulations which have multiplied since Zagreb joined the Union in 2013.
In 2021, Balkan cinema shone at major festivals, while
Jasmila Žbanić
received the prestigious title of best European film.
From Bulgaria to Croatia and Serbia, via Greece, Turkey and Romania,
a selection of ten films that marked the year
.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Serbia
Albania
Bulgaria
Romania
China
Bosnia and herzegovina
Movie theater
Environment
Energies
On the same subject
BALKAN PRESS REVIEW
In the spotlight: in the Balkans, investments and pollution made in China
BALKAN PRESS REVIEW
Headlines: in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian nationalists want to enshrine ethnic division in constitution
BALKAN PRESS REVIEW
Headlines: Bosnia and Herzegovina, one more step towards secession from Republika Srspka?