Human Rights Watch urges EU to intervene in countries seeking membership Journalists in several Balkan countries work in hostile environments that affect their ability to carry out their work, says a report issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report, A difficult profession: media freedom under attack, documents attacks and threats against journalists in Bosnia […]

Romania’s tax authorities say they will investigate the country’s big earners, including celebrities, moneylenders and pop stars, to verify the sources of their incomes. The head of Romania’s tax authority, Stefan Diaconu, said Thursday authorities were intensifying the fight against tax evasion, having identified 7,800 people to investigate, and were actively pursuing more than 300 […]

Two private firms have illegally used up wheat from the entity stockholding agency worth 1.8 million KM. The FBiH Stockholding Agency could stop such theft if it were more diligent about litigation. Wheat worth 1.8 million KM has gone missing from the FBiH Stockholding Agency which keeps it on hand in case of war or […]

Bulgaria’s government has tasked a working group with proposing legislative and administrative solutions to 10 administrative barriers to investment by January. The obstacles, as cited by the press office of the government, include: – Connection to the technical infrastructure networks (electricity, gas, water), including deadlines for the steps, number of procedures, and expenses; – Construction […]

No business as usual in the Western Balkans The Western Balkans remain Europe’s unfinished business, not only for the continuing stalemate in Bosnia or tensions in Macedonia and Northern Kosovo, but also because broader geopolitical developments shaping the EU’s neighbourhood are materialising in this region too – and in ways that could be detrimental to […]

Bulgaria’s traffic police are again being allowed to issue fines without being subject to video and audio recording, with the backtrack coming just a few months after the anti-corruption measure was introduced. Photo: Klearchos Kapoutsis/flickr.com   The rule requiring video and audio monitoring of traffic police was brought in by Vesselin Vuchkov, who was Interior […]

The Parliament of Moldova has voted in a new pro-European prime minister to tackle financial crisis and corruption in the small ex-Soviet nation. Anti-corruption protests in Moldova Valeriu Strelet, head of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDP), won the election by a hair’s breadth. A three-party alliance of pro-Europe MPs provided the 52 votes needed to […]

The Serbian government has announced a new law on establishing the origins of people’s property in order to tackle graft, but anti-corruption campaigners said it might not provide spectacular results. Vladimir Goati of Transparency Serbia | Photo by Beta The Serbian government believes that the new law will not only boost the fight against crime […]

Transylvanian churches, castles and fortresses in central Romania being stripped of original features in €100 million “renovation” plan funded by European taxpayers Maria Radna Franciscan Monastery in Romania Photo: Alamy   The imposing Franciscan monastery of Maria Radna in Romania is nearing the end of a costly makeover that should have restored it to full Baroque […]

Whistleblower commissioner Vesna Balenović dismissed by the Croatian President. Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović hs dismissed her whistleblower commissioner Vesna Balenović after it was confirmed that Whistleblower Association, in which Balenović serves as the chairwoman, received a donation of 500.000 kuna from INA, Balenović’s former employer, according to a report in Novilist on July 30, 2015. […]