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One citizen’s struggle against illegal construction in post-conflict Kosovo
Meet Valdet Osmani, President of the Architect Association in Kosovo. The current construction boom is resulting in over-crowded and sub-standard living areas all over Pristina. Developers’ greed and institutions’ inability to enforce construction regulations are the main causes. Valdet Osmani, … Continue reading
Hats off to Pristina’s unseen heroes – the Garbage collectors
We may not give them much thought. In fact, we may resent them as their truck blocks the road for a minute or two. They are the city garbage collectors, and looking at the amount of garbage we produce and … Continue reading
Exploring ‘Parkut të Qytetit’, Pristina’s forgotten park
Anyone living in Pristina will know that walking in the city is risky business. Cars parked on the sidewalks forces pedestrians into the streets, where we are at the mercy of some unpredictable driving habits. We escape to Germia park … Continue reading
Demonstrating for ‘normality and peace of mind’
The demonstrations have been going on for more than 6 months in Bulgaria now. Every day the crowd of anger gathers in front of the parliament building, calling for the Government to resign on grounds of favoring domestic oligarchs, and … Continue reading
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Tagged Bulgaria, demonstration, EU membership, middle class, political elite, Ukraine
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My Four Favourite Balkan proverbs
During my 20 years in the Balkans I have found that there are some proverbs that transcend borders and time. Here are my four favourite proverbs, which have helped me at least try to understand why people do what they … Continue reading
Chasing development ‘indicators’, not ‘end results’
Last month, the World Bank Group’s report Doing Business recognized that Kosovo’s reform efforts are continuing to improve the investment climate. Kosovo now ranks 86th in the world, up from 96th in 2013 and 126th in 2012. Furthermore, Kosovo was … Continue reading
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The trees of Tirana
When I look out my window in Tirana, Albania, I look East towards the hills of park Dajtit, I can see seven trees. Seven, that’s it! It’s like the local population is allergic to greenery, every square meter has been … Continue reading
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When there is no Respect…
If you stand around a traffic intersection in Tirana, Albania, 5 minutes is all you need to put the finger on the country’s key problem. There is simply no respect. No respect for formal rules. No respect for other people. … Continue reading
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An Academic take on Kosovo 2011
An academic take on Kosovo 2011 In the conclusion to his speech at Riinvest 15 year anniversary in 2010, the American Ambassador Dell sent a warning to the citizens of Kosovo, with special emphasis on the political élite, remarking that … Continue reading
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Donor dependency and the making of a quasi state and economy
The other day I was staying overnight at hotel Afa in Prishtina, Kosovo. In the morning I enjoyed an elaborate breakfast in the hotel’s new wing. There was everything from corn flakes to ham and eggs on offer, freshly baked … Continue reading
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Jakob Modéer's Balkan & Europe Blog 