communism
Communist-themed film reviews: Kawasaki's Rose vs Portrait Of The Fighter As A Young Man
Having buried the past, it is almost impossible to hear a public discussion on communism in either the Czech Republic or Romania. The Berlin film festival screened a film from both countries in the hope of raising public awareness of their vigilante secret police services
communism, cinema, romania, history, stasi, culture, berlinale
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
communism, protest, urban space, radio, mafia, journalism, art
‘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
communism, extremism, left-wing, best of cafebabel.com, bulgaria, politics, youth
Kinda green: five myths about sustainable development in Bulgaria
Ah, the Bulgarians. They're relatively apathetic. Most companies are interested in either doing only the legally required minimum for the environment or in using their ‘green’ activities as marketing tools. But counterintuitive though it may seem, the financial crisis actually promotes sustainability
communism, copenhagen, environment, technology, myth, ecology, start-up company
European bloggers describe their Berlin walls
Monday is 9 November, the day when the Berlin wall was brought down. To reflect on this iconic modern historical event for the eurogeneration, citizen journalists from five cafebabel.com local teams - Sofia, Budapest, Turin, Strasbourg and Istanbul - simultaneously blogged one day about the walls they see in their cities
communism, germany, event, architecture, budapest, history, blogs
2 days in Warsaw: Solidarnosc, cult Polish documentaries and Berlusconi
For two days at the end of April 2009, the Polish capital becomes the 'centre of Europe' as the EU's largest centre-right party descend on the city. Quality time spent between British, Spanish and Polish colleagues raises an understanding of what the last twenty years mean, and the gap between east and west. Opinion
communism, cinema, protest, warsaw, director, divorce, european popular party
20 years: fly on the Berlin wall
9 November 1989. The Berlin wall comes down, freeing the democratic motorways between the countries of the former Warsaw pact. Two decades on, many of these countries are in the European Union, tested in the climate of east-west precarity brought on by the economic crisis. In this edition: focus on those who were born after history was made, those who escaped that history and those who are staging it today on the floorboards in London and Berlin
Seville's spangled glory
Who do you meet when you hit the epicentre of southern Spain, slap bang in the middle of its easter orgy of tradition, the Semana Santa? Parking attendants reinserted into society, immigrants despite Spain's hand in the EU return directive, Cuba's 'friends' and a far-left youth questioning the crisis which is crippling the nation. In video and images below this edition, the glory days of the Expo '92 site have faded into urban decay in one part of the city, and are translated into the phallic novelties of the new Cajasol tower and the city's first ever metro line. Three journalists, a video maker and a photographer from the cafebabel.com network feature in this month's 'cities' mission, named 'EUdebate on the Ground'
Czech Republic: EU equals protectionism equals communism?
With different visions of the market, politics and the EU, this is a country which is torn between its new role as the centre of Europe and the rejection of any type of communism
communism, international trade, proteccionismo, nicolas sarkozy, economical crisis, eudebate2009, economy
Moldova: violent disturbances in Europe’s poorest country
20, 000 demonstrators storm the parliament following the communists’ re-election
communism, manifestation, european union, riots, moldova republic of, chisinau, elections
Bulgaria: energy in transition
Bulgaria was the member state most affected by the gas crisis of January 2009. It is currently dealing with problems of corruption, the old dependence on Russia for energy, questions of national pride and 'the stupid decisions' in Brussels - not forgetting ecology
communism, renewable energies, energy, balkans, past enlargements, nuclear energy, energía nuclear
Neo-communism 2009: communists 2.0
The neo-communist era appeared to have vanished. Today, the economic crisis seems to be sending waves into Europe's leftist movement. Is it back? How do communists and leftists organise themselves beyond social democracy - especially with the European elections on the horizon in June 2009?
Politicians work 65 hours - so why don't you?
The fight over the length of the work week begins on 16 - 17 December in the European parliament. Socialists and liberals will face off in the chambers, in spite of some internal divisions in the political groups
communism, pes, european council, conservadores, liberls, european parliament, socialism
Photos: Prague Spring, forty years on
On 21 August Prague commemorated forty years of it’s famous democratic ‘spring’, which ended revolt in the capital this past century. The spontaneous protest caught the world by surprise, before it was reprimanded by the Soviet regime. Images
communism, photogallery, photo, photography, violence, soviet, peter uhl
Bronislaw Geremek: death of a former communist dissident
Tribute to the former Polish foreign minister, adviser to Lech Walesa and EU parliamentarian. The convinced European was killed in a car accident in Poland on 13 July. Obituary/ archive
Petr Uhl: ‘I prefer to call it the Czechoslovak spring’
He stood on the barricades of Paris and Prague in 1968 and later produced the Charter 77 civic initiative. The man who once smoked cigarettes in prison with former president Václav Havel looks back over his sixty-six years, but also to Europe and the future
communism, 1968 riots, journalist, pravo, human rights, prague spring, 1968
Drinking trademark Budweiser beer in Bohemia
Czech beer came to the world’s attention again in April after a century-old dispute with the US over the naming rights to its Budweiser beer was settled in a Luxembourg court
communism, beer, bohemia, copyright, consumption society, budweiser, health
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