- FRANCE 24

28/04/2012 - EUROPE DISTRICT

F.Y.R. of Macedonia: tough times for reporters (part 2)

Trading with the neighbours - we show you how Macedonian companies are trying to make the most of their strategic location in the heart of the Balkans. Do you believe in miracles? We tell you why believers at Skopje’s Sveti Dimitrije Church do. Finally, Vladimiri Franz, a young rock musician shows you the many faces of the Macedonian capital Skopje.

28/04/2012 - EUROPE DISTRICT

F.Y.R. of Macedonia: tough times for reporters (part 1)

As ethnic tensions mount, threatening to derail Skopje’s EU bid, we find out why Macedonian Slavs and ethnic Albanians remain at loggerheads ten years after the country found itself on the brink of civil war. We also tell you why Brussels has raised the alarm about media freedom. Finally, we meet Gligor Cemerski, one of Macedonia’s most prolific painters.

29/10/2011 - EUROPE DISTRICT

Albanian and Macedonian deadlock (part 1)

Twenty years after its independence, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is still seeing its EU membership negotiations stall over a longstanding name dispute with Greece. Skopje’s recent urban facelift has only added fuel to the fire. We also tell you why a national census requested by the EU has had to be abandoned. And we give you a taste of the local cuisine, often described as the Balkans' finest.

01/09/2011 - CULTURE

Tales seeped in Balkan folklore and mystery

This week we look at two novels which draw upon Balkan folklore. Téa Obreht's "The Tiger's Wife" delves deep into Balkan legends as the protagonist uncovers mysteries about her identity and country. In a similar fashion, "How The Soldier Repairs The Gramophone" by Saša Stanišić is an imaginative tale which evokes the power of fiction making against a Balkan backdrop.

30/07/2011 - EUROPE DISTRICT

Croatia: welcome to the European club! (part 2)

Extradited by Austria, Croatian former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is awaiting trial. He is the most senior figure to face corruption charges since Croatia's independence in 1991. We also take you to the "Amazon of Europe", which could be threatened by navigation projects on the Danube river. Finally, theatre director Ivica Buljan introduces us to the bustling port of Rijeka, which is reinventing itself as the country’s new capital of culture.

30/07/2011 - EUROPE DISTRICT

Croatia: welcome to the European club! (part 1)

Croatia has been given the go-ahead to join the European Union in July 2013. President Ivo Josipovic tells Europe District what this means for his country. We also take you behind the scenes of the government’s campaign to convince eurosceptics. Plus: do you speak Croatian? The soon-to-be 24th language of the EU is the subject of heated debate over its linguistic origin.

14/06/2011 - REPORTERS

Serbia: Ratko Mladic, hero or criminal?

Dubbed the "Butcher of the Balkans", Ratko Mladic is charged with genocide and crimes against humanity, notably for his role in the Srebrenica massacre of 1995. But many Serbs still regard him as a hero. In both Belgrade and rural Serbia where he was arrested, our reporters met a divided population.

(4) comments

19/04/2011 - CULTURE

Chocolate Genius, Incorporated

New York singer-songwriter Chocolate Genius Inc joins us in the studio to talk about his latest album, "Swansongs". But before that: the Balkan Trafik festival aims to open our eyes to the vibrant culture of south-eastern Europe...on the streets of Brussels. Plus, the golden boy of French music, Julien Doré, looks set to dazzle with his playful new album.

26/03/2011 - EUROPE DISTRICT

Macedonia: the forbidden name (part 1)

Europe District takes you to Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic whose long-standing name dispute with Greece has hampered Skopje’s progress towards EU and NATO membership. We also show you why a row over media freedom has prompted snap elections in the country, and we drink coffee with Esma Redzepova, Queen of the Gypsies.

(3) comments

15/12/2010 - THE INTERVIEW

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi

Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi talks to Caroline de Camaret following his country's first parliamentary vote since declaring unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008. Despite concerns about some voting irregularities, Mr Thaçi calls the poll a "strong and convincing victory" for his party, the PDK.