Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from December, 2014
Protests, Blackouts, and a Bill of Rights for the Internet: Advox in 2014
In 2014, the Global Voices Advox team covered more stories than ever before. From Egypt to Ethiopia to Tajikistan to Turkey, our authors wrote what they saw on the ground, on the Internet, in court and behind bars. Here are some highlights from this incredible year of advocacy for free...
Macedonians ‘Hug’ Skopje Shopping Centre to Protect It From Baroque-isation
The Skopje 2014 project is a controversial and costly initiative that aims to give the city's buildings makeover in the neoclassical or baroque style.
Hijacked Printers in Eastern Ukraine and Russia Print Pro-Ukraine Messages
Ukrainian hackers are fighting the Russian-led occupation of Donbas and Crimea by occupying security cameras and hijacking networked printers in Eastern Ukraine and Russia.
New Protest Facebook Page Already in Place as Kremlin Moves Navalny Verdict Forward
As thousands of Russians joined a January 15 protest against the verdict in the trial of opposition leader Navalny, the court suddenly moved the verdict announcement to tomorrow, December 30.
Meet the Kremlin's Snitch
A Russian Internet group has leaked a trove of emails allegedly from inside the Kremlin, showing reports about the political activities of influential bloggers and independent journalists.
New Taxes in Macedonia Send Freelancers and Part-Time Workers Into the Streets
In a country where unemployment sits at nearly 29 percent, freelancing and working part-time is all that's available to many people.
Hate Crimes on LGBTI People in Macedonia Spark ‘Body Bag’ Protests
In October, masked hooligans assaulted a celebration organized by an LGBTI group in Skopje, wrecking a cafe and beating up several people. Police have sat on their hands.
Facebook and Twitter ‘Won't Block’ Navalny in Russia, As Kremlin Continues to Block Protest Mentions
Tv Rain reports Facebook and Twitter have decided not to block any more Navalny protest pages, aware that this might mean their whole websites may be blocked in Russia.
Navalny Protest Rally Facebook Event Page Blocked in Russia
Just one day after supporters of Putin critic Alexey Navalny set up a Facebook event page for a protest rally in his support, the page has been blocked in Russia.
Washington's $60 Million for Russian Democracy Promotion Is ‘Essentially a Recommendation’
A source in Washington says, “The authorization language is essentially a recommendation, and we’re not expecting it to result in any new appropriations for Russian media or civil society.”
Thousands to Attend Unsanctioned Protest Outside Kremlin Against Putin-Critic's Verdict
Whether it takes place on January 14 or 15, the demonstration promises a conflict with Moscow police, as its organizer isn’t planning to ask the government's permission.
The Russian Internet Is Not Free. A New Tax Might Make It Even Worse.
The Russian government is now considering its own variant of an Internet tax, and wants to make all Russian Internet users pay for consuming copyrighted content online.
Serbia Arrests 11 Foreign Human Rights Activists Ahead of Protest
Amnesty International has requested that Serbian authorities release eleven activists from Bulgaria, Finland, and Slovakia who were in Serbia to hold peaceful protests during the CEE-China Summit in Belgrade.
Do #EmptyShelves Await Tomorrow's Russia?
The rush to invest in dollars, vacuum cleaners, jackets, and more all suggests confidence low enough to compel people to wait in line for hours on a Tuesday night.
Murdered Teen’s Father Rallies Support for ‘Tijana’s Law’ on Serbian Social Media
After the murder of 15-year-old Tijana Jurić, citizens are pushing the Serbian government to adopt a law that would allow police to search for missing minors immediately and more efficiently.
Hungarian PM Receives Chocolates from Union Workers’ Children, Then Votes for Parents to Lose Jobs
Hungary's government monopolized the sale of tobacco goods in 2013, drawing criticism from all sides both for the monopoly and the restriction of the Freedom of Information Act that came with the secretive distribution of sales licenses for the goods. In a second round, Hungarian Parliament voted on Monday, December...
Women's Reproductive Rights in Croatia: Is the Clock Ticking?
As Croatia looks to develop in the EU and Serbia looks to ascend to the European family, women's reproductive rights are being reorganized and restricted.
Serbian Government Agency Publishes Personal Data of Over 5 Million Citizens
A link from the official website of the Privatization Agency of the Republic of Serbia began circulating on social networks in early December 2014. The link led to 19 gigabytes of text files on the agency's site that revealed the personal information of over 5 million Serbian citizens who had...
After Grozny Gun Battle, Human Rights Defenders in Chechnya Under Attack
Joint Mobile Group is one of Chechnya's last remaining human rights organizations. If it's forced from the republic, the loss to the local population would be difficult to exaggerate.
Ukrainian Hackers Leak Russian Interior Ministry Docs with ‘Evidence’ of Russian Invasion
Ukrainian Cyber Forces hacker collective has leaked documents from Russian Interior Ministry servers that activists claim show evidence of Russian military presence in Ukraine.
The Ruble May Be Falling, But Russian Memes Are Soaring
Amid growing anxiety about Russia’s currency and economy, RuNet Echo has collected several of the most popular and amusing examples of “ruble memes” on Russian Twitter.
About our Eastern & Central Europe coverage
Filip Stojanovski is the Central Europe editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
Daria Dergacheva is the Eastern Europe editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.
