24.01.2019
Narratives Are Sexy: Romanian Corruption Protests and the EU

An interview on the recent anti-corruption protests in Romania and where the country stands now over 10 years after its accession to the EU.

EN
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10.01.2019
How Orbán Manipulates Markets to Suppress Hungary’s Opposition

In Viktor Orbán’s self-styled illiberal democracy, power is maintained through patronage and cronyism built around public jobs and EU money.

EN
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16.11.2018
A Whole Government Behind Bars – Romania’s Fight Against Corruption

Romania has done more than any other member state to fight corruption, but the EU keeps demanding impossible measures.

EN
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21.11.2017
The Battle For Belgrade

Belgrade’s waterfront is threatened with a megaproject imposed by the government. Citizens have taken to the streets and mobilised against it, and shown an alternative to this kind of urban development.

EN
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14.04.2017
In Citizens we Trust: How Street Protests Became the Last Democratic Resort in Romania

Romania’s huge anti-corruption protests are significant for the country and Europe.

EN
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28.11.2016
TINA, Go Home ! The Commons Are Here

The commons can be a useful tool against the fierce neoliberal push taking place in South Eastern Europe.

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05.10.2016
“We Need to Bring Back the Sublime in Politics”

The anti-government protests in Poland seem quite disconnected from the legacy of Solidarity, which seems to have been left behind, while it remains to be seen whether the emergence of new political actors signals a genuine shift in the political landscape. An interview with Sociologist Jan Sowa by Claudia Ciobanu.

EN
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27.05.2016
The Case Against Phasing Out Cash

The prospect of the use of bank notes and coins becoming severely restricted, or even eliminated altogether, is one we should scrutinise closely. Making all transactions electronic could have a profound impact on the lives of many people, while giving banks even greater control over the flow of currency.

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17.12.2015
Protests in Romania – “Remember, remember, the 3rd of November”

In November 2015, Romanians protested to take down a corrupt national system, and the Prime Minister with it. The tragedy of the fire at a concert in Bucharest that killed 62 and seriously injured many more has been largely blamed as the fault of the system of corruption that rots the country. In turn, it triggered massive protests, signalling that Romanian society has had enough.

EN
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07.12.2015
Warding Off the curse of Raw Materials

In developing countries raw materials more often lead to inequality and conflict rather than prosperity and peace. But for most countries leaving the riches in the soil is not an option. What is needed for the fair mining of natural riches?

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