cafebabel.com

2Cellos: Slovenian-Croatian duo who were 'playing Bach in churches for grannies'

('Ja\xc5\xa1a Pipan',) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:55:13 -0000

Once upon a time Stjepan Hauser and Luka Šulić were rivals. It wasn't long before the EU-Balkan duo decided to unlock horns. Meet the happy, handsome cello players from Pula and Maribor, most famous for playing a stand-off, stunning version of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal, touring with Elton John and making it to the US

Croatia EU vote: Swiss, Italian, Slovenian, Czech media react

('euro topics',) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:13:56 -0000

A clear majority of Croatians voted in favour of EU accession in a referendum on 22 January. However, if they want to join the EU it's above all for economic reasons, European commentators write and prophesy that the EU's eastern enlargement is over for the time being

Slovenian journalist: death threats after arms trade trilogy

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:18:09 -0000

In Slovenia, a trilogy published between summer 2011 and spring 2012 has exposed the secrets of the arms trade during the Balkans war and the role of the country's politicians in it. It's been an ache in the sides of those in power and with money and interests whom the book denounces. Co-writer Blaz Zgaga, 38, may be in hiding but he won't stay down

I like Mostar: are there really no tourists who want to go to Bosnia?

('Monica Mircescu',) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:37:19 -0000

Mostar and I go back a long way. Ours is the story of a missed encounter – in 1998. Fast forward to September 2011: cafebabel.com organises the annual network meeting in Dubrovnik. On learning that the city is only 150 kilometres away from Mostar, I decide to revisit the city I never reached

ABV guide to learning your Serbian (from your Croatian, Montenegrin and Bosnian)

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:38:35 -0000

To hail the European day of languages on 26 September, cafebabel.com tries to learn Serbian. The short rocket takes us past planet Cyrillic alphabet and planet Latin alphabet, before speeding through planet lexical history and firing off into next-door neighbour space

Croatian writer Olja Savicevic: 'We have never lived in a normal society'

Tue, 31 May 2011 12:21:40 -0000

The writer from Split, 36, recently published her debut novel 'Goodbye Cowboys' in German. Her award-winning short stories and poetry have been translated in over ten languages. We talk war, youth and why she one day hopes to speak about the 'tragedy' of her family 'more openly'

My Zagreb Vitriol: remembering Croatia’s anti-government protests

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:15:00 -0000

As France, the UK and the Netherlands keep the country at arm’s length, the fact is that its almost six-year candidacy to the European union is almost complete in 2011. Anti-government protests against corruption and political incompetence marked the Croatian capital in February, and cafebabel.com sampled the ongoing street passions in March

Croatia’s writers and playwrights: no post-war no-hopers

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:00:00 -0000

It’s impossible for the moment to imagine a literature and theatre scene in Croatia which does not blend in the story of Yugoslavia’s collapse. The wounds are too fresh, holding back the development of a certain maturity. One young generation of playwrights and writers between Zagreb and Split literally put the streets on their stages and pages, as they move between the daily quest for an identity and the desire for renewal

Zagreb’s Miss Independents

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:32:58 -0000

The higher educated woman in Zagreb is close to the 'western model' of female independence. In the Croatian capital a Serbian journalist meet feminists, students, musicians and actresses who she says are moving away from the ‘traditional’ – at least from a Balkan perspective

Is gay OK in catholic Croatia?

('bistra andreeva',) — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:15:55 -0000

The Balkan cliché of a traditional patriarchal society of machos is stable. We have all heard what happens every time the Serbs decide to have a Gay pride parade. But we are in Croatia now – a country that does not even count itself Balkan anymore, and which adopted a same sex partnerships bill in 2003

'Free', 'partly free', 'not free': press freedom in Europe

('Andrew Burgess',) — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:30:00 -0000

American NGO Freedom House uses three categories to rank the degree of press freedom in countries across the world. On 3 May 2010, world press freedom day, each region of Europe learnt its category: the press in western Europe is 'free', central Europe is 'partly free' and in eastern Europe the press is 'not free'. But there are signs that the trend could change

Three Croatian journalists to remember on world press freedom day

('Josipa Pavli\xc4\x87',) — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:45:35 -0000

When renowned sports journalist Zarko Susic died a natural death aged 95 on 26 April, it was almost a shock that his passing wasn't suspicious. The US-based watchdog Freedom House ranks Croatia 85th in the world for its lack of press freedom

European theatre tips of the summer

('Helen Swain',) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:56:16 -0000

Sam Mendes subtitled in Greek, Oscar Wilde in the open air in Regent's Park and the British Shakespeare company with Czech director Jiri Menzel in a castle in Prague - the best music, dance and theatre doses in July and August

Meanwhile, Obama Hallowe’en masks outsell McCain

('Anna Patton',) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:46:34 -0000

The moment of truth from the US elections, bickering Polish politicians and the return of the Euromed – weekly newsbites from Brussels

Reporters Without Borders: Bulgaria ‘worrying’

('Fiona Herdman Smith',) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:46:43 -0000

Luxembourg, Iceland and Norway rank joint first in the 2008 worldwide press freedom index - but why is Bulgaria lagging behind the rest of Europe? Interviews

Exclusive: Barroso on the Lisbon treaty, Croatia and Brussels

('Adriano Farano',) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:27:54 -0000

In response to questions from the cafebabel.com network from Berlin to Istanbul, the president of the European commission on the Irish ‘no’ vote, future EU candidates and why ‘Europe is not Brussels’

NATO summit in Bucharest: Albania and Croatia to join

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

On 2 April NATO invited the two candidates to join the defence alliance, but leave Macedonia waiting

An Oscar for Geert Wilders please

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:31:00 -0000

'Fitna' the film means evil, European parliament has a fake birthday and ousted gay Iranians - it's your latest news from Brussels

Are the winds of change blowing for Hungarian football?

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Next April, UEFA’s Executive Committee will choose the host nation for Euro 2012. Hungary and Croatia are candidates in the race

Bosnia: elections in a divided country

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 05:17:00 -0000

A new parliament has been elected in Bosnia, but the conflict between Croats, Muslims and Serbs is far from over