cafebabel.com

Dario Ivkovic: 'people don’t seem interested in roots of Balkan music'

('Ili Pusk\xc3\xa1s',) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:06:49 -0000

Best-known as a member of both the German touring group Shantel & The Bucovina Club Orkestar and French band Les Yeux Noirs, the Serbian accordionist is an electrifying personality onstage. We talk music legends, Balkan beats and why 'girls like guitarists better'

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

Rock band Turbo: ‘absence of taste’ an ‘incurable disease’ in Hungary

('Ili Pusk\xc3\xa1s',) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:12:31 -0000

When it comes to psychedelic-progressive rock music, Turbo is Hungary’s number one. Bass guitarist Jero and singer Balázs Tanka on genres, role models and taking different viewpoints on music tastes and truths in general

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

Book trade faces bust in Balkans

('Ruth Halkon',) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:21:44 -0000

‘Remaining indifferent to books means recklessly impoverishing your life,’ said Yugoslavia’s best known author, Ivo Andric. Fifty years after he won his Nobel prize, people across the former Yugoslavia are in danger of ignoring this health warning

Concert hype review: Amy Winehouse in Belgrade vs Die Antwoord in La Coruna

('Fernando Garcia',) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:54:09 -0000

As the weekend drew to a close we’ve been hearing polar concert success stories. Between one Grammy-award winning British former drug addict’s Balkan comeback and more outrageous non-European sounds in Spain, is it off the continent where we need to be experiencing the best music live?

Serb general and 'Bosnia defect' Jovan Divjak under arrest since March

('AdeleK',) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:11:45 -0000

As Bosnia commemorates the Srebrenica massacre of 8, 000 Bosniaks in 1995, the former Serbian general Jovan Divjak is being held in Austria for crimes that he undoubtedly did not commit. He defected to the Bosnian army at the beginning of the 1992-1995 war. The president of the French association Confrontations Europe is convinced that European democracy is being tested in the Balkans right now

Expats: from London to Srebrenica this July

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:45:42 -0000

The difference between summer in the UK and summer in Bosnia-Herzegovina is much more apparent around the date of the anniversary of the massacre in July 1995, when 8, 000 Bosniak men were killed. Notes from an expat abroad on cafebabel.com's official Sarajevo blog

Albanophobia: land for Harry Potter villains?

('shadow',) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:34:14 -0000

Pop culture won’t cease to derive from stereotypes and prejudice. One Serbian journalist, who tentatively packed her bags for Tirana, finds out whether this is a revealing sign of ever-present albanophobia or anti-albanianism

Under EU status pressure? Ratko Mladic arrested in Serbia: live from Belgrade and Sarajevo

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:03:55 -0000

The alleged war criminal and genocide suspect, 69, will answer international charges of genocide, extermination and murder after his arrest and extradition to the UN war crimes tribunal. As the EU parliament’s president Jerzy Buzek welcomes this ‘good news for Serbia, for the stability of the region’ and for ‘Serbia's EU accession process’, two Serbian and Bosnian twentysomethings react with relief

Canvas, Otpor, Pora: Serbia's brand is non-violent revolution

('shadow',) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:35:39 -0000

Israa Abdel Fattah, Mohamed Adel and Asmaa Mahfouz will be remembered as the ones who largely contributed to dismantling Hosni Mubarak's 30 year rule over Egypt, and one of them revealed this year that he trained with similar youth organisations in Belgrade

Aleksandar Radivojevic of ‘A Serbian Film’: it’s catharsis more than ‘torture porn’

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:00:00 -0000

In Belgrade artistic culture and creativity seem to be menaced by the muzzle of conformism and the dictatorship of political correctness. Many believe that Serbia’s entry into the 27-nation European union could make the situation worse. We meet the co-writer of a controversial 2010 horror film, which he says is the perfect 'plastic metaphor' onscreen of the indignant cry of an art which wants to break free

Belgrade's youth explain homophobia and violence

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:00:36 -0000

In a city where more than two-thirds of students harbour dreams of going abroad after graduating, the empty discourses of corrupt politicians can be an efficient detonator for discontent. It’s a capital whose people’s hearts are irremediable divided between Russia and the EU, where violence raids its stadiums and streets

Nikola Tesla: unknown inventor, national hero in Balkans

('Carol Howard',) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:48:22 -0000

His dream was free electricity for the world with no cables involved. David Bowie has incarnated him in Hollywood and Serbia's biggest airport is named after him. Why is it that we have barely heard of this scientist in western Europe?

Selling Serbia, a PR nightmare

('Rose Kelleher',) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:04:40 -0000

Serbia has bombed out buildings, the world's friendliest people, a kick-ass music festival and some big fat mysteries like Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic. Is the Balkan country just a population of war-weary conspiracy theorists who like to party? How would you brand that?

View from Belgrade's historical museum: Serbia, Europe and obsessions with history

('Aaron Rowlands',) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:36 -0000

The EU is not a compromise on the dream of a proud, independent Serbia, but rather the affirmation of it. The extremists behind such events as the nationalist riots at the gay pride march in October are merely the Serbian answer to a fringe movement in every country that gets louder when the uncertain future requires change. In other countries, radicals might cite immigration or the economy as their cause. In Serbia, they use history

Bridges in Belgrade: why citizens should have a 26-hour-day

('Hades',) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:31:22 -0000

If we don’t have enough bridges, we should at least have enough time to cross the three over Sava river that we do have. Because, it really does require a lot of time... and nerves! Extract from cafebabel.com's latest city blog, Belgrade citypulse

Cinema horror in Europe: happy yucky Halloween

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:00:00 -0000

In light of the ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ upcoming Halloween on 31 October, we propose three of Europe’s best horror movies at the moment from Serbia, France and Holland, with a running commentary from Franco Calandrini, director of the Ravenna nightmare film festival

Serbia and EU, sitting in a tree…

('euro topics',) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:26:52 -0000

Yes! The EU foreign ministers resolved to formally initiate the accession process for Serbia on 25 October in Luxembourg. But! It must first hand over war criminal Ratko Mladić, write the German, Danish and Italian press

Serbia: football violence, gay pride violence, anti-west violence?

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:30:21 -0000

‘The Serbs are experts at shooting themselves in the foot,’ said interior minister Ivica Dacic, after the world watched Serbs riot in the streets of Belgrade and later, Italy. Is it all down to an extreme right burgeoning fear of the west?

Are Balkan women more promiscuous?

('Milena Stosic',) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:45:08 -0000

It's official: more women are approaching men in the dating stakes and a recent book in Serbia reveals a more liberal attitude. So is the Balkan woman moving towards a western, less conservative European model? We hear from Balkan guys and girls

No, Kosovo's 2008 independence wasn't illegal

('euro topics',) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:36:27 -0000

Over two years since the 'world's smallest country' declared independence from Serbia, the international court of justice in The Hague pronounced the action 'legitimate' on 22 July. The Swiss, Slovenian, Swedish, Czech and Spanish press – the latter is one of five EU states not to recognise Kosovo - on other separatist movements and Serbia in the EU

Porn, drugs and Domenech: a Eurovision of World Cup songs

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:29:04 -0000

As the World Cup moves into the next phase – sixteen of the best battle it out for the second round from 26 June – we follow the 2010-featuring European teams in song. Spain, Holland and Germany are EU favourites as runners-up on 11 July, with Brazil or Argentina to win, according to betting agencies

'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

Dismantled: five myths about Kosovo

('Martin W\xc3\xa4hlisch',) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:46:31 -0000

On 17 February, Europe’s youngest country celebrates its second anniversary. Presumably, most still wouldn't find Kosovo on a map. We regularly read about its soldiers, organised crime and demand for visas. Two roommates in Prishtina – a Kosovar and a German – share their most striking and basic common observations

Vjollca Dibra on being a young poetess in pre-war Kosovo

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:38:08 -0000

The thirtysomething works at OSCE logistics in Pristina when I meet her in late 2007, four months before Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. Who you might brand your average blonde, bespectacled working mother-of-two is also one of Kosovo's youngest recognised female poets

Sali Berisha: 'We are going to win the elections because Albanians are smart people'

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:59:09 -0000

The Albanian prime minister, 64, announced his country's official EU membership bid to the Czech presidency of the council on 28 April 2009. In Warsaw, the lively PM talk elections, internet and the EU at the two-day congress of the European people's party (EPP). Albania is one of its six non-EU members*

Kosovo declared independence one year ago. Is the region really destabilised?

('Mira Galanova',) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:39:48 -0000

As the authority of the world’s newest country moved to the EU, Belgrade asks the international community for a role in shaping Kosovo's future. But there are signs that the government would like to put the issue aside

Bosnia and Herzegovina: no gas makes for cold homes in Sarajevo

('Andrew Christie',) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:48:42 -0000

The countries of the former Yugoslavia are being hit especially hard by the dispute over gas between Russia and Ukraine. Above all, residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia are having to wrap up warm: both countries are running short of gas supplies. Many homes in Sarajevo are still cold; electric heaters have sold out

War criminal Karadzic wants a 'fair trial' at the Hague

('Mira Galanova',) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:35:03 -0000

During Serb war criminal Radovan Karadzic's last appearance before the Hague at the end of August, judge Iain Bonomy resisted attempts to challenge the validity of the trial. Karadzic is to report ‘irregularities’ at a special hearing on 17 September

Serbia farmers markets in the new Brussels system

('Media Consulta',) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:42:35 -0000

Rather than freezing to death in the markets, farmers from Serbia will sell the greater part of their produce in supermarkets, and homemade cheese, kajmak, ajvar, tursija, bacon, honey and slatko will be wrapped up in appealing packages labelled ‘when we join the EU’

Kosovo discontent in Serbia

('Sarah Gray',) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:00:00 -0000

Feeling that they are nothing more than a transition generation, young Serbs are losing interest in politics. But the lively debate goes on in bars and restaurants. Final diary from a three-part travel series

Serbia in the EU: at what cost?

('jonathan mellor',) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:00:00 -0000

On 30 July captured war criminal Radovan Karadzic was extradited to the Hague. It’s just one sign of Serbia’s desire to be in the European Union, in the hope of better times to come for its wounded pride

‘I didn’t see the war’ – Serb travel diary, part II

('Sarah Gray',) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:47:53 -0000

Between a war of information and the disinformation of war – how to judge the effects of the war in the former Yugoslavia. Second in our three-part series

Serbia’s Radovan Karadzic, prisoner bus line number 73

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0000

How the war criminal was arrested in Belgrade on 21 July, and happens in Serbia now

Vesna Goldsworthy: 'Radovan Karadzic is related to me'

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000

The Belgrade-born journalist and author of ‘Chernobyl’s Strawberries’, 47, on fighting cancer, the traumas of war, her eccentric grandmother and her war criminal cousin

Fiesta: French graduates on the road in Belgrade

('Sarah Gray',) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:15:00 -0000

After finishing their studies and work placements, three French friends head to Serbia to meet their Balkan counterparts. What is it like to embark on your adult life at the other end of Europe? Partying - the first in a series of three of our Serbian travel diary

Manu Chao, Sex Pistols at Serbia's EXIT (Miloševic) festival

('Francesca Reinhardt',) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0000

As various legends take to the stage from 10-13 July, a local fan on how the ancient city of Novi Sad plays host to the most remarkable musical event in Europe

Eurovision song contest: chamber of horrors

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:28:40 -0000

Dear readers – it’s not easy, but I have to tell you the truth. You surf cafebabel.com, amazed by the variety of themes the online magazine covers and the quality of the analyses it publishes. You’ve no idea of the unhuman conditions which are imposed on its journalists! Recently the editorial team asked me to write an article about the participants of the 2008 Eurovision song contest. Great! So enthusiatic .... I am such a poor baboon

Serbia: rising nationalism imperils Mladic, Karadzic hunt

Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 -0000

Where will the ballot results place Serbia in its snap election on 11 May, and what consequences will it have for the hunt for the Bosnian Serb fugitives?

The future is death metal-inspired art in Kosovo

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Contemporary art is just one bright face of the Kosovo prism, from which the works of the likes of 29-year-old visual artist Artan Balaj refract

Kosovo independence: your reactions

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:00:00 -0000

On 17 February, the state declared independence from Serbia, amidst a split EU outlook. Kosovar, Serb and Russian youth sound out their reactions on the day

Serb elections: blackmail Europe

('Alison Matthews',) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Serb incumbent Boris Tadic needs every vote he can get in the second round of presidential elections on 3 February. PM Kostunica supports his pro-European coalition partner - but on his own terms only

Jeta Xharra: ‘Kosovo's status is not a solution to everything’

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Playwright, journalist and Kosovo's answer to Jeremy Paxman - the ‘pushy, irritating’ TV presenter as she describes herself, 29, exposes local politicians in a society she vouches is 'fed-up'

Branco Stoysin: 'You can learn anything on your own'

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:00:00 -0000

The self-taught guitarist is coy about his age and anti-internet-overload. The Yugoslav 'ghost' has lived his dream in London since the early nineties, his folk and jazz music celebrating the sun and the Balkans

Kosovo elections: waiting for a prime minister

('Flora Loshi',) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0000

'With our victory today begins the new century.' Pro-independence opposition leader Hashim Thaçi won 17 November elections, but you won't find details in Kosovar newspapers yet - the people await a final result on 3 December

Cocaine Spain

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0000

plus the never-ending story of Kosovo

Belgrade: Barcelona of the Balkans

('Andrew Burgess',) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:00:00 -0000

With its throngs of bars and canal boat clubs portrayed in an Emir Kusturica film, the Serbian capital is still the alternative tourist destination

Impending independence?

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Independent from or autonomous within Serbia? Negotiations on Kosovo’s future status wound up in March

UNMIKistan

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Independent or not, today the people of Kosovo want only one thing: the end of the United Nations’ ‘occupation’ of their territory