NGO

Nikola Grdinic - civil society activist and a leader of the 'Odupri se' movement

Grdinic. Photo: BIRN

It is a sunny morning in June. The city centre of Skopje is closed for traffic - it's party time. Mobile sound systems are ready to go, tens of thousands of people are gathering - a joyful, colourful crowd. Banners, flags, decorations, costumes, all ready to give the city a blast in the name of the highest value - freedom.

For the best part of two decades, long lines outside European embassies were a morning fixture of capitals up and down the Balkans as citizens of the states spawned by Yugoslavia's demise and post-communist Albania queued for visas and the opportunity to travel to the West.

Civic activists supported by most opposition parties in Montenegro have kept up the pressure on the government, demanding the resignation of the country's top leaders, starting with President Milo Djukanovic, and focusing on alleged corruption in their ranks.

The managing council of the Montenegrin public broadcaster, RTCG, decided on Thursday to dismiss director Andrijana Kadija, claiming that she misused her position and acted unprofessionally while running the state-funded media outlet.

Greece marked International Missing Children's Day on Friday with a conference during which officials and experts presented encouraging statistics.

The overwhelming majority of minors who go missing in Greece are traced, according to the Greek police and NGO Smile of the Child, which organized the event.

The OSCE South east Europe Media Conference, meeting in Struga, Macedonia, on Thursday adopted a declaration condemning the attack on Montenegrin Vijesti journalist Olivera Lakic, and called on the authorities in Montenegro to ensure that the investigation is independent, effective and speedy and that the perpetrators, including its masterminds, are brought to justice.

Hundreds of journalists and NGO activists protested on Wednesday in front of the Montenegrin government in Podgorica against the recent attack on the Vijesti journalist Olivera Lakic.

Lakic was shot and wounded late on Tuesday in front of her home in Podgorica.

Five breast cancer NGOs from Belgium, Italy, Greece, Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina launched on Wednesday at the European Parliament the Think Pink Europe organization, with Mihaela Geoana appointed president of this NGO that will interconnect and take their efforts international, the Renaissance Foundation said in a release.

An Istanbul court sentenced Abdullah Çakıroğlu on Sept. 7 to three years and 10 months in prison for kicking a young woman for wearing "inappropriate clothes" on a public bus.

The Istanbul 40th Court of First Instance said in its ruling the sentence was given on charges of "prohibiting the freedom of belief and opinion," "deliberate injury" and "insult."