Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from May, 2014
Russian Internet Users, Putin is After Your Digital Wallets
The offices of Yandex.Money, the popular online payments system associated with Russia's largest search engine, were searched by Russia's Investigative Committee.
Police in Macedonia Strong-Arm Journalists Into Erasing Riot Arrest Footage
The riots, sparked by the murder of a 19-year-old, created tension between ethnic Albanian and Macedonian populations of the capital city Skopje.
Information Hub for Humanitarian Aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina Floods
POINT, the international conference on political accountability and new technologies in Sarajevo, has used its skills to aid in relief of the ongoing disaster affecting three Balkan countries – Bosnia, Serbia, and Croatia. BosniaFloods.org, the first tool developed by the participants, specifically targets Bosnia, because the situation in this country...
Now Russia Wants to Tighten the Noose Around News-Aggregation Sites
Russian lawmakers are taking steps to classify news-aggregating websites as mass media, which would require companies like Yandex to register with the government and face stricter regulations.
Ukraine War in Real Time
Last Friday Ukrainian violence became even more viscerally evident on the Facebook account of one of the cyber-punk, post-state, viral-citizen-armies operating in the region.
Serbian Bloggers Censored for Criticizing Flood Relief Efforts
Bloggers, journalists and rights-conscious Internet users have flooded the Serbian web with republications of a blog post condemning the government for stifling free expression during the country's state of emergency.
Russia's Hashtag Activism in Ukraine
Russian activists are capitalizing on #BringBackOurGirls by framing in analogous terms Ukraine's capture of two Russian journalists, hoping for a similar groundswell of awareness and public outrage.
Russian Special Forces Blogger Throws in the Towel
The anonymous LiveJournal blog hardingush, run by a member of Russia's Ministry of the Interior special forces operating in Ingushetia, is now closed.
Russian Digital Sovereignty Is Here and, Yes, It Includes Schoolgirls
No sooner than Basov announced the search engine's moral superiority did Russian bloggers begin posting screen captures of curious search queries conducted using Sputnik.ru.
GV Face: People Powered Flood Relief in Serbia
This week we talk to friends in Serbia involved in relief efforts. What are next steps for citizens and government? And why is social media under threat?
Euromaidan Six Months Later, Remembering What Was Won
Whatever happens next, participants of Euromaidan events will forever preserve memories of these months, both the good and the bad.
Escape from Ukraine, or Return of the Tomato Terrorist
After coming in contact with separatists, Morozov was arrested and accused of being a spy: "I don't hold it against the militia who tortured me in Antracite" he later wrote.
In Eastern Ukraine Conspiracies Believe in You
Several Russian journalists made connections between Eastern Ukraine separatist leaders and Russian billionaire Konstantin Malofeev.
Persecuting Russian Bloggers Doesn't End with Censorship
Pro-Kremlin Internet activists are now targeting tech volunteers working for Russia's top blogger, who is already blocked online and under house arrest.
Tens of Thousands Stranded, Serbians Take Flood Relief Into Their Own Hands
As Serbia and Bosnia live through the worst floods the region has seen in 120 years, relief and aid efforts are mostly being led by civilians and civic movements.
Sultan Suleimanov on the RuNet's Last Chance
Suleimanov attended an invitation-only meeting at Roscomnadzor, the Russian government's chief censorship agency, which is tasked with enforcing a series of recent laws that limit the freedom of information online.
Countdown to the End of Twitter in Russia
The deputy director of Russia’s chief censorship agency, Roscomnadzor, has threatened to order a block on Twitter or Facebook entirely, in a matter of minutes.
Macedonian Site Takes Satirical Stance on Freedom of Expression Issues
Macedonia has a long tradition of humor, caricatures and satire, including hosting of the World Gallery of Cartoons. With the appearance of new media, many aphorisms and satirical tales are now modified into tweets and Facebook statuses, while the classical forms of caricatures, jokes, and short stories have given way...
Macedonian Medical Students Live in Medieval Conditions
Independent student magazine Izlez (Exit) published photo galleries originally posted by students Dena Miladinoska and Kristina Ivanova [mk] of the state-run dorm for medical students at the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Skopje. The students posted the photographs of the desolate living conditions in an attempt to incite...
International Community and the Crisis in Ukraine
Angie Ramos guest blogs [es] at Tintero Político about the crisis in Ukraine and after analyzing different key factors involved concludes with the reaction of the internacional community: The thing is, the international community, facing cases like this one, acts subjectively as it depends on the magnitude of the interests...
Russia's Space Wars, On the Ground
Although GPS is safe, for now, the incident is an illustration of a kind of resigned lack of trust some Russians feel toward their government.
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
Roman Shemakov is the Eastern Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
