Europe Archives

CZECH REPUBLIC: Eviction of Roma Paying Off

The relocation of Roma people from the centre of a town in the eastern region of Moravia has sparked a debate over minority rights and served as a stark reminder that actions against Roma can be politically rewarding.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Almost No Government, Not Bad

By Zoltán Dujisin

Nearly six months without a stable government could cause a serious institutional crisis in many European countries, but for most Czechs life goes on as usual as they turn their backs to political squabbling.

DEVELOPMENT: Spain Gives Boost to Global MDG Partnership

By IPS Correspondents

Spain is making strides towards compliance with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) "with the total backing of the government," said the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Leire Pajín.

BALKANS: Development Arrives with Visitors

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic

Billboards that say 'Welcome to Serbia' are back now after a 15-year absence due to wars and isolation. And there will be more after some surprise announcements about what they can do.

SPAIN: Dirty Money Used for Construction – and Pollution

By IPS Correspondents

In Spain, millions of euros of "dirty," undeclared or hidden money are laundered, to a great extent, in real estate development which is hurting the environment on the northern shore of the Mediterranean sea.

RIGHTS: Finnish Artists Honour Murdered Russian Journalist

By IPS Correspondents

Several Finnish artists and journalists have come together to produce a song to honour the murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

HUNGARY: Renewed Street Violence Weakens Socialists

By Zoltán Dujisin

The political and social climate in Hungary remains confrontational following the street clashes that marred the 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1956 uprising against Soviet rule.

SERBIA: New Constitution Revives an Old Problem

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic

A referendum over the weekend approved Serbia's first non-communist constitution in 60 years, but not with the level of enthusiasm the government had campaigned for.

RUSSIA: Needs More Migrants, But Will Not Have Them

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

Quite abruptly, potential migrants have been told they may not be as welcome in Russia as they had come to expect.

DEATH PENALTY: Persuasion Needed for Abolition in Europe Too

By IPS Correspondents

Some Europeans still need persuading about arguments for abolishing the death penalty - even though the continent is now virtually a "death penalty-free zone", says the Council of Europe's Secretary General Terry Davis.

BALKANS: Albanian Troubles Set to Resurface

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic

The crisis over the future of ethnic Albanians has come to the fore again in the face of a referendum on a new constitution in Serbia this weekend.

HUNGARY: Painful Memories Arise, 50 Years Later

By Zoltán Dujisin

Fifty years after a spontaneous student demonstration against the communist regime sparked what came to be known as the last armed revolution in Europe, Hungary confronts traces of an old divide.

PORTUGAL: Voters to Decide on Legal Abortion in Referendum

By Mario de Queiroz

With Thursday's approval of a motion by the governing Socialist Party to hold a referendum on the decriminalisation of abortion, the Portuguese parliament gave a green light to the battle to remove the country from the list of European nations with the strictest laws against abortion.

BALKANS: Battle Against Organised Crime Stepped Up

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic

Leaders of seven south-eastern European countries have agreed a joint battle against organised crime and terrorism.

ENVIRONMENT: France Takes a Dubiously Clean Road

By Julio Godoy

France got into first gear for a clean drive this month with the opening of a bio fuel pump. But barely after the start, environmentalists are saying that the ecological balance sheet from using this green fuel may still be negative.

DEATH PENALTY: 25 Years After Abolition, France Fosters Uncertainty

By Julio Godoy

Although France abolished the death penalty 25 years ago, some of the nation's leading institutions and politicians continue to foster the idea that capital punishment can be applied under special circumstances, especially in time of war or against terrorists.