A new EU law, and the battle to protect Europe’s journalists
Sofia Mandilara really likes her job. As a reporter for the Greek news agency Amna, she is “often at the forefront of important events”, she says. “Through us, people find out what is going on in our country”.But not all that goes on in Greece is reported. Published by: euobserver.com
President of North Macedonia expects NATO membership ‘this year’
North Macedonia expects to become a member of NATO by the end of this year and hopes to get a date for the start of European Union (EU) accession talks in October, President Stevo Pendarovski said on July 15.“We expect that the European Union will in October accept its decision about the date for (the…
The Macedonian church symbolic of the nation’s cultural narrative
Up a winding dirt road from the remote village of Kurbinovo lies an 800 year old church that represents the crossroads between North Macedonia’s past and present.Situated on the western mountainside of lake Prespa which covers the intersecting border region of Albania, Greece and North Macedonia, the church is an enigmatic masterpiece of 12th century…
Gearing up for investment: Doing business in North Macedonia
North Macedonia is the only country in the Western Balkans to make the Top 10 of the World Bank’s Doing Business Index. The country, which continues to aspire to Euro-Atlantic integration, is heavily dependent on foreign investors, and how it presents itself on the international stage is crucial.North Macedonia has been at the centre of…
Investing in the Macedonian economy
World Bank Country Manager Marco Mantovanelli and Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Georgina Baker speak to Emerging Europe’s Andrew Wrobel about North Macedonia’s investment outlook as the country seeks to reap what has become known as the Prespa Dividend.The Prespa Agreement, which ended a three decade-long dispute with Greece over the use…
Kosovo: Solid growth despite a ‘trade war’ unwelcome in Brussels
The economy of Kosovo has shown solid and stable real GDP growth of about 4.1 per cent year-on-year on average from 2015-2018, being one of the economies with the highest growth level in the region of Southeastern Europe. However, even an average growth of 4.1 per cent has not been enough to lower the elevated…
Survey: Record turnout at European elections driven by young people
The high turnout in May’s European elections was driven by a surge in participation by young people, according to a Eurobarometer survey commissioned by the European Parliament.The results of the post-electoral Eurobarometer survey, one of the most comprehensive quantitative surveys on the last European elections publicly available, show that the turnout increase was powered mostly…
We need a strong and more unified European Union
In recent years I have been asked a lot why I chose to stay in Hungary, why I entered politics and why I did not pursue a career abroad like many of my compatriots. Indeed, I could have a more comfortable life full of opportunities far away from the poisonous political climate of Hungary. I…
Poland’s ruling party likely set for victory in parliamentary election
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) looks set for a comfortable victory in the country’s parliamentary election, which takes place on October 13. Final opinion polls see the party winning around 47 per cent of the vote, 18 per cent more than the main opposition grouping, Civic Coalition.“I do not expect any surprises, and…
North Macedonia’s PM calls early election after EU delays membership talks
The prime minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, has called a snap parliamentary election following the decision by EU leaders to once again delay opening membership talks with his country and neighbouring Albania.Mr Zaev had previously said that he would resign after EU member states failed to endorse the recommendation of the European Commission to…