Moldova’s and Albania’s COVID-19 experiences
The below Guardian newspaper article by Paula Erizanu from 28 January 2021 outlines the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova and the lack of access to vaccines there. Within Europe, Moldova as well as Ukraine are the only two countries in Europe with a lower GDP per capita than Albania. Unlike Moldova, Albania is […]
Poem: Another one leaving
“He’s leaving, she’s going!” Faces shining, eager with the new Support, cheering, happiness So much to talk about. Are there wake nights of anxiety, of sadness, mourning, dark with loss? Who speaks about this, where go? Is it in the books, the movies, the pictures? The hurt of the voluntary departure from home? Where […]
Salvation through migration: Oh so humorous and oh so sad!
In my visits to Albania, I have often encountered the belief that not only that migration may lead to an improvement of one’s or other’s circumstances, but that it is the only way to significantly better one’s life. Although I can, of course, see that migration is in many cases an excellent way to achieve […]
Is the EU a solution for the Balkans?
A look at demographic development. This essay was originally written as part of an application to a United Europe / Europaeum workshop on ‘The EU and the Western Balkans’. The question was specified by the organisers and was: “Is the EU/EU membership a solution for the Balkans? How could both benefit from this?”. Due to […]