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The 'M' word: breaking the Bulgarian complex
In January 2009, Sofia’s then-mayor and current PM banned anti-government protests after citizen disillusion with the country’s corruption; Bulgaria is officially the poorest EU state, according to Transparency International. One year on, the remnants of a ‘protest culture’ lie in the urban, cultural and mediatic fragmentation of a society rooted in tradition, the past - and the mafia, to an extent
best of cafebabel.com, protest, urban space, communism, radio, violence, mafia
‘Many people in Bulgaria are left-wing - but don’t dare to say it’
With only 18% of the vote in the last legislative elections in September 2009, the Bulgarian socialist party (BSP) is nowadays a rather sluggish opposition. Its leaders, nostalgic former communists, are joined on the left of the political spectrum by youngsters with ideas and dreams. Part two in a five part 'EU crisis on the ground' city series
best of cafebabel.com, communism, extremism, bulgaria, youth, left-wing, politics
Sofia's directors and playwrights boom despite barebone budgets
In Bulgaria there are no cultural policy programmes and the crisis has consumed the ministry coffers. Filmmakers like Kamen Kalev, playwrights and other creative minds demand government transparency and methods to support their enterprising spirit. Part one of a five part 'EU crisis on the ground' city series
best of cafebabel.com, cinema, balkans, art, contemporary art, culture, youth
Slash your bonus wrists: what bankers want for christmas
Quite a remarkable christmas list found its way into my hands recently in France. 'Basically, Father Christmas, I just don’t know what more I can do to get decent payment for my hard work and the hard work of my brothers and sisters. That’s why I’m counting on you to change things.' At first glance, who would you assume these people were? Unemployed young people hit by the recession? Generation precarity? Underpaid interns?
best of cafebabel.com, money, bank, labour, christmas, london, financial crisis
‘If I had to choose between sex and performing live with The Whitest Boy Alive...’
One day it was just computers. The next day, god brought instruments. Over the past decade, the Berlin-based band’s polyphonic electronic sound has translated into pure deprogrammed happiness for live dance fans across Europe. We hear the boys from Bergen, Berlin and Toruń out
best of cafebabel.com, bands, norway, dance, berlin, poland, kim ki o
Cornershop: 'musicians might as well hand their credit cards over to the man on the street'
Northern English indie band Cornershop give us a talking to about Swiss minarets, metal music and releasing their comeback album - it's been seven years! - cheaply via their website
best of cafebabel.com, bands, referendum, sport, switzerland, religion, downloads
It's like talking to a Berlin wall
140 kilometres of wall crumbled in 1989 and hundreds of European expressions arose as it fell. The idiom of the week is flavoured by the 9 November event
best of cafebabel.com, tower of babel, germany, cold war, iron curtain, languages, berlin
Kasparas Pocius, not quite the father of Lithuanian anarchism in the millenium
The 27-year-old is too young to be fairly branded the 'father' of Lithuanian anarchism today. However, as one of the co-founders of anarchija.lt, the critical magazine Juodraštis ('Draft') and the Vilnius Free University, he is the most visible public figure when it comes to presenting Lithuania's anarchist ideas to the wider public
best of cafebabel.com, 1968 riots, university, protest, vilnius, world trade organisation, economic crisis
Le Corps Mince de Francoise: 'fuck off saying we’re trendy. We sing about what we are'
The trio hail from Helsinki, record in Berlin and are managed in the UK. We meet in Paris to dissect their pan-European wanderings and find out why exactly they diss boys and Finland so much in their screamy surface pop-experimental sound
best of cafebabel.com, industry, feminism, berlin, london, blogs, culture calendar
French citizens ‘Balkan-level’ skill at the English language
The nineteenth-century attitudes to language learning here are not just wasting people’s time, but wasting an extraordinary amount of their money, opines a young Irishman who teaches English in Paris, capital of a country which an 'archaic' education system
best of cafebabel.com, english, paris, languages, discrimination, exams, teachers
'Papigate': same debate about women and media in Berlusconi era
The salacious Italian scandal sustained newspapers worldwide for summer 2009. The uproar surrounds the personal, sexual, and not necessarily political activities of a prime minister who, in the word of his future ex-wife Veronica Lario, 'enjoys the company of the underaged'
best of cafebabel.com, feminism, silvio berlusconi, italy, women's rights, media, television
Haggis or crepes? European politicians and their favourite food
About cabbage, Angela Merkel has said 'it's robust and easy to freeze. You can always put it away and it will still be tasty after storing it.’ On 27 September the German elections will show whether Merkel is as endurant as her favourite vegetable
Italian far-right on Facebook: 'kill them all in Zingonia'
On Facebook, the group ‘Let’s invade Zingonia and kill them all’ has gathered 700 members. Volunteer teacher Miriam talks about how spiralling anti-immigrant rhetoric is making life difficult for Italy’s new arrivals
best of cafebabel.com, lega nord, silvio berlusconi, refugee, italy, right-wing, right wing extremism
Why Turkish band Kim Ki O can't break Europe
The Swedish pop elite love them, but EU bureaucracy is preventing Ekin Sanac and Berna Göl from breaking Europe. In Istanbul, music is an unstable bridge between east and west. Part one of a special feature
best of cafebabel.com, education, europop, member states, kim ki o, konzert, visa restrictions
Cheaper Ryanair seats for Lisbon yes votes
The battle for the second Lisbon referendum is heating up in Ireland; and now, the yes side have aircraft. CEO Michael O’Leary joins Seamus Heaney, U2 and Intel in throwing his weight behind a Lisbon yes
best of cafebabel.com, financial crisis, ireland, economy, euweek, low cost, ryanair
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