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Tales from the Region

The virus may be slowing, but fake news is still rampant

Виолета Зефи

30.06.21

Violeta Zefi Focusing on overcoming the virus, we undermined how the pandemic times affected our mental health. Struggling to discern truth from “clickbait” is taking its toll on everyone. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in China, one of the direct consequences has...

Professional liars in pandemic times

Вук Вучетиќ

25.06.21

Vuk Vučetić All conspiracy theories have very simple premises on which they rest. At the core of any conspiracy theory is the division of the world into good and evil. It is difficult to refute them because anyone who tries to do so is considered an accomplice to the...

At the Bottom of the Balkans: Kosovo’s Bumpy Road in Securing Vaccines

Арбер Фетаху (Arber Fetahu)

19.04.21

Arber Fetahu The pandemic marked its first anniversary a few weeks ago. Covid-19 exposed systemic problems in the health system of Kosovo and other institutional branches. While the high number of positive cases and deaths made the headlines, the government...

Political wrangling instead of vaccines

Вања Стокиќ

16.04.21

Vanja Stokić Apart from a few isolated attempts, most people are not filing complaints to institutions and are not asking for accountability. They do not even accept the opportunities for inoculation they are offered, as rare as they may be. It’s as if they want...

Bulgaria’s COVID-19 vaccination fiasco: excessive risks, mediocre results

Владимир Атанасов

12.04.21

Vladimir Atanasov Bulgaria’s vaccination program can only be deemed a fiasco. It can be attributed to a number of factors — poor organization, incompetence, and potential conflict of interest. In turn, the drama, which unravels now, is not surprising. Bulgaria is...

The unbearably slow vaccination process in Croatia

Ведрана Симичевиќ

09.04.21

Vedrana Simičević Favoritism, weak strategy and poor communication with the public were the features of the first months of vaccination and they are the reasons that Croatia is currently at the bottom of the EU scale in terms of percentage of vaccinated population....

It will happen when it happens! – The vaccination entanglement in North Macedonia

Стефан Ристовски и Ангел Мојсовски

05.04.21

Stefan Ristovski, Angel Mojsovski The number of people who are infected and have passed has increased significantly in the past period, while the epidemiological situation in the country is critical. The way the authorities are handling the crisis raises the dilemma of...

Greece hopes that beaches won’t be empty again this summer, but vaccination numbers say otherwise

Јеоргија Наку

02.04.21

Georgia Nakou The hope in government circles is that increased vaccination rates and warmer weather will bring infections down to manageable levels and make it safe to welcome visitors for the sake of the economy. The numbers suggest that this will be a higher-risk...

Excess of vaccines in Serbia will go to waste. Literally.

Игор Тодоровиќ

29.03.21

Igor Todorovic Serbia is the first country in Europe and the seventh in the world in terms of the full vaccination coverage rate! However, judging by the government’s latest moves, the rates are stagnating. Conflicting statements and actions since the beginning of...

Montenegro’s vaccination adventure: Lord, bless us with good health

Даниела Вукчевиќ (Daniela Vukcevic)

26.03.21

Daniela Vukcevic Back in the day, the mega-popular regional star Lepa Brena sang the lyrics “Bless us, Lord, with health and joy” (“Daj, Bože, zdravlja i radosti”) in one of her songs. Although this hit is now over three decades old, the refrain is...