Once enjoying extensive powers and considered Azerbaijan's eminence grise, Ramiz Mehdiyev has recently fallen out of favor, accused of plotting a coup and placed under house arrest. A case in point of how power works in Azerbaijan
Elections in Armenia are still several months away, yet several players are already positioning themselves. The arrest last June of one of current Prime Minister Pashinyan's main rivals has strongly mobilised public opinion
There is a group of people in Sarajevo. Some have been friends for many years, while others met only recently, but today they are united by the same idea and the same sense of responsibility. Since February 2024, every Tuesday evening, they gather by the Eternal Flame, a symbol of antifascism and resistance in the very heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital, to read aloud the names of Gaza’s murdered children.
Citizens of North Macedonia are called to renew municipal councils and elect new mayors: this election is marked by the high number of candidates and controversy over the integrity of the electoral lists
With national politics still at an impasse since last February's elections, Kosovo citizens will return to the polls for local elections on October 12, with significant implications also at the central level
OBCT joins today's strike, to support the humanitarian and nonviolent mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla and denounce the genocide we are witnessing in Gaza
After meetings between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye, optimism is growing for a peace treaty by 2026. Yerevan hopes to reopen its border with Ankara. Pashinyan is aiming for concrete results to strengthen his fragile political position
Doctors at the Skopje Oncology Clinic allegedly subjected their patients to palliative care in order to resell their medications illegally: these are the horrific allegations in two controversial trials underway in North Macedonia
While President Putin’s conditions for achieving peace with Ukraine stay unshakable amid further peace talks, civilians in occupied territories are fighting against Russification. Although rarely talked about in Western media, Ukrainians are engaging in various forms of resistance, both peaceful and violent.
Trump's recent meeting with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Aliyev and Pashinyan, in Washington raises hopes for a peace agreement. However, there's a paradox: while leaders shake hands abroad, those who practice reconciliation are being criminalized at home
In what has been described as a historic event, Yerevan and Baku moved closer towards peace this month at a trilateral meeting hosted and facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump. His counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan, Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev, said they would nominate him for the coveted Nobel Peace Prize
The SafeJournalists Network and the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) platform express deep concern and solidarity with over 200 journalists and media workers affected by the sudden announcement of the closure of Al Jazeera Balkans after 14 years of continuous operation
There is an open conflict between the government and the Armenian Church. The government speaks of a coup and arrests two archbishops and a prominent businessman, while the opposition cries foul denouncing political repression. In the background, the geopolitical balance and negotiation with Azerbaijan
In Armenia, a full-blown political and ideological war is underway between the post-revolutionary leadership and a deep-rooted religious establishment, expressed by the two leading figures: Prime Minister Pashinyan and Karekin II, head of the centuries-old Armenian Apostolic Church
In Serbia, the Commission for Electronic Media (REM) plays a key role in regulating the sector and freedom of expression, but is tightly controlled by the government. Students are protesting to demand for its members to be super partes and elected transparently
The debate on how the communist dictatorship should be remembered has been rekindled by the ongoing conservation and restoration work at the former prison and forced labour camp of Spaç. Although public policies and interventions for the memory of this difficult part of the past have long been called for in the country
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Armenia last week, signalling a potential thaw in ties after years of some strain. Prime Minister Pashinyan now appears to be pursuing a pragmatic foreign policy, balancing relations with both Russia and the West ahead of the 2026 elections
An analysis of the current situation in Armenia, between attempts to distance itself from Russia and preparations for the 2026 elections, in which the current Prime Minister Pashinyan will try to renew his mandate. For the moment the polls do not play in his favor
With parliamentary elections on the horizon in 2026, tensions are increasing in Armenia where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan still hopes to normalise the country’s relations with neighbouring Azerbaijan, Turkiye, or both. The opposition now intends to use both issues to oust Pashinyan either before next year’s vote or during it
The parents of the dozens of children who died in the tragic fire at the “Pulse” disco in Kočani continue to take to the streets in search of justice. The fire, they denounce, is the result of corruption and lack of accountability
In Greece, the Chinese chatbot DeepSeek is under investigation for possible violations of user privacy. A move that puts the country at the forefront of the global challenge between personal data, energy dominance and technological sovereignty
In recent months in Georgia, pressure on the media and information workers has turned into actual repression. A case in point is that of journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli, who has been in prison for over a hundred days on charges of assaulting a police officer
Last Sunday, local elections were held in Gyumri, Armenia's second city. With a voter turnout of 42.68%, no candidate obtained an absolute majority to govern.These elections have national importance in view of the 2026 parliamentary elections
The recent tragedy of the fire in the Kočani nightclub in North Macedonia has caused a wave of solidarity: among the first to respond was neighbouring Greece, sadly familiar with the dynamics of disasters caused by corruption and lack of political accountability
Every year, dozens of pedestrians are hit on roads in North Macedonia. The recent death of a student in Skopje has sparked strong street protests, demanding regulations to make the country's roads safer
The oceanic demonstration on Saturday, March 15 in Belgrade was repeatedly obstructed, with buses and trains cancelled and groups of fake students "wanting to return to class" supported by veterans of the infamous Red Berets
Surprise comments made last week by the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister revealed that the text of peace treaty with Armenia has been finalised. The move was widely welcomed internationally, though questions remain as to where and when the landmark agreement will be signed
The Albanian government has imposed a one-year ban on TikTok, citing concerns over the platform’s influence on young people. The decision has been criticized for its lack of transparency and its potential impact on freedom of expression, particularly in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections on May 11
The fire at the "Pulse" nightclub in Kočani, North Macedonia, turned into a huge tragedy on Sunday, with at least 59 victims. Initial investigations speak of very serious irregularities in the security systems and the license of the club. The country is in mourning
Having made a fortune in Russia, Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan moved to the then disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh where he became de facto State Minister. Arrested by Azerbaijan in 2023, he is now on trial in Baku. After going on hunger strike last month, Vardanyan issued an audio statement last week, creating further headaches for the Pashinyan government in Armenia
