Balkan Insight

In other news, in a surprise move, Hungary's Justice Minister Judit Varga announced on Wednesday that she was resigning; Czech energy giant made to pay out profits made on back of the energy crisis; and pro-family Slovak speaker under pressure over once slapping girlfriend.

On the third day of the Internet Freedom Meet in Belgrade, BIRN presented its months-long research report titled "Hidden in Plain Sight: Telco Accountability Research Using Ranking Digital Rights Methodology".

The research showed that the customers of telecom companies in five Balkan countries and Moldova face challenges in making sure their rights to privacy are respected.

In other news, Hungarian troops are attacked in Kosovo as its army chief is accused of torture at home; Slovak political parties trade election conspiracies as campaign begins; and a mob of pensioners storm a Prague courtroom.

In other news, Polish parties try to outdo each other over child handouts; the media is in the headlines in Czechia; and Slovakia's new technocratic government gets to work.

PM Viktor Orban delivers keynote speech at the opening session of CPAC Hungary, in Budapest, 04 May 2023. EPA-EFE/Szilard Koszticsak

In other news, former Slovak PM Igor Matovic fights with LGBT activists outside parliament; speculation mounts in Poland about mystery 'rocket'; and Czech President Pavel can't keep still.

In other news, the European Commission sues Slovakia twice in a week; Russia's 'spy bank' makes an ignominious exit from Budapest; and Czechia's reactionary right push at an open door as Prime Minister Petr Fiala's support plummets.

This video has been produced by ARTE and published by BIRN, as part of the publishing collaboration.

The Western Balkans has faced ongoing political tensions and "culture wars" that have migrated from the physical world to the digital space, leading to human rights violations in digital environments.

Shooting from firearms was reported on Thursday from a migrant and refugee camp near Sombor in northwest Serbia, related to a conflict between migrant gangs. One person was wounded, Serbian police told N1 TV.

BIRN can reveal that another incident also happened during the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network has selected 13 journalists, historians, artists and activists to receive grants to create small projects based on the archives of the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague and domestic courts in former Yugoslav countries.