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    Valerie Hopkins

    Former South-East Europe Correspondent

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    • Wednesday, 9 June, 2021
      The Big Read
      Exporting Chinese surveillance: the security risks of ‘smart cities’

      Critics say the technology can be a tool for ‘digital authoritarianism’ and leaves countries vulnerable to cyber attack

    • Sunday, 23 May, 2021
      Slovenia
      Slovenia’s Jansa follows Hungary down authoritarian path

      Prime minister turns on judges and media ahead of country assuming EU presidency

    • Thursday, 13 May, 2021
      InterviewAlbania
      Albania is ‘growing up’, says twice re-elected premier Edi Rama

      April 25 elections were smoother than 2019, but belied growing political polarisation

    • Monday, 3 May, 2021
      Covid-19 vaccines
      Roma predicament highlights risk to Europe’s vaccine drive

      Discrimination, fear of authorities and lack of paperwork mean millions in ‘shadow population’ are being missed

    • Monday, 3 May, 2021
      FT News Briefing podcast10 min listen
      Epic vs Apple, Serbs fret over Chinese factory pollution

      Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit against Apple is set to start today

    • Tuesday, 27 April, 2021
      Hungary
      Hungarian parliament approves law creating new foundations

      Critics say move hands control of educational institutions to Orban’s ruling party

    • Tuesday, 27 April, 2021
      Serbia
      Serbs fret over environmental costs of Chinese investment

      Activists say infrastructure projects leave region wedded to outdated technologies

    • Tuesday, 20 April, 2021
      Russia
      Russia expels Bulgarian diplomats as tensions with west intensify

      Latest expulsions come as Moscow’s relations with EU and US hit lows not seen since cold war

    • Thursday, 15 April, 2021
      Europe Express
      EU top court opines on birthright of same-sex couple’s child Premium content

      Baby Sara’s statelessness highlights the mismatch in LGBT+ rights across the EU

    • Tuesday, 13 April, 2021
      Serbia
      Bounty of Serbian vaccine diplomacy shames the EU

      Belgrade’s purchase of Chinese, Russian and western jabs also recalls non-aligned movement’s golden days

    • Sunday, 11 April, 2021
      Montenegro
      Montenegro calls for EU help over $1bn Chinese highway loan

      Refinancing offer would be ‘a small but easy win’ for Brussels, says finance minister

    • Monday, 5 April, 2021
      Bulgaria
      Borisov faces rising anti-establishment vote in Bulgaria elections

      PM leads in polls but will struggle to form government after rivals rule out grand coalition

    • Sunday, 4 April, 2021
      Coronavirus pandemic
      Europe’s third wave: ‘It’s spreading fast and it’s spreading everywhere’

      Hospitals fill up across the continent as new variant proliferates and vaccine shortages bite

    • Friday, 2 April, 2021
      News in-depthBulgaria
      Bulgaria PM Borisov faces election battle as corruption concerns grow

      One of EU’s great survivors hopes big infrastructure projects will be enough to win over voters

    • Thursday, 1 April, 2021
      Populism in Europe
      Orban plots new populist alliance for European parliament

      Hungary’s nationalist leader hosts Poland’s Morawiecki and Italy’s Salvini for talks on political bloc

    • Monday, 29 March, 2021
      Serbia
      EU move on vaccine exports puts Serbia’s leader on edge

      President fears ‘ugly’ plan could hit mainland Europe’s fastest immunisation rollout

    • Wednesday, 24 March, 2021
      News in-depthCoronavirus pandemic
      Policy mis-steps blamed for amplifying central Europe’s third Covid wave

      Czech Republic has highest cumulative death toll in world in per-capita terms

    • Thursday, 18 March, 2021
      Fidesz
      Hungary’s Fidesz finalises EPP divorce

      Viktor Orban’s party has long had fraught relationship with Europe’s centre-right grouping

    • Wednesday, 3 March, 2021
      Viktor Orbán
      Orban’s party leaves centre-right group in European parliament

      Hungarian PM pulls Fidesz out of EPP after ‘hostile’ rule change

    • Monday, 1 March, 2021
      News in-depthCovid-19 vaccines
      Hungarians get Chinese Covid vaccine as Orban breaks with EU

      Budapest also orders Russia-made shot despite lack of approval for use within bloc

    • Tuesday, 23 February, 2021
      Coronavirus pandemic
      Central Europe braced for third wave of coronavirus

      Czech Republic warns health service may require help from EU states as deaths surge in Slovakia

    • Wednesday, 17 February, 2021
      Europe Express
      Return of Kosovo’s anti-establishment Kurti poses questions for the west Premium content

      Ousted former PM returns to power amid waning trust in EU’s role mediating with Serbia

    • Monday, 15 February, 2021
      Kosovo
      Kosovo’s leftwing party polls record score in elections

      Albin Kurti expected to lead new government in coalition with smaller groups

    • Saturday, 13 February, 2021
      News in-depthHungary
      Hungary media freedom fears mount as broadcaster goes off air

      Klubradio court ruling part of clampdown on progressive voices in central Europe, say critics

    • Wednesday, 3 February, 2021
      News in-depthSocial Media
      Hungary follows Poland in taking on Big Tech ‘censors’

      Viktor Orban’s ministers fight social media platforms over ‘limits on Christian, conservative, rightwing opinions’

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