Southeast Europe

Beyond politicised questions whether Pomak is a language or a dialect, in either case it is worthwhile to study how an under-resourced language like this could be modelled and preserved. Basing these on standardised Bulgarian carries risks of biasing the local redaction towards the central language.

North Macedonia's Sekerinska beats Bulgaria's Gabriel to become 2nd in NATO

According to anonymous officials, candidates included Bulgarian Mariya Gabriel, Croatian Kolinda Grabar-Kititarovic, and Montenegrin Olivera Injac.

This appears to suggest that Borissov's GERB did not back Gabriel's candidacy. An update consistent with the developments after the party tanked Gabriel's attempts to negotiate a large coalition for a national government early this year.

https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-sekerinska-rutte-geoana-ruge/33207929.html

@balkanika

Some varieties to know if you happen to pass (or live) nearby.

А България изпусна възможността да обезпечи своите миньори.

The village managed to get through the Bosnian War of the ‘90s relatively unscathed, so it functions almost like a time capsule—albeit one without essential amenities like a market, school, doctor, or shop. Each winter, heavy snowfall forces Lukomir’s inhabitants to abandon their mountain homes, a pattern of seasonal migration that began more than 600 years ago when semi-nomadic tribes of shepherds and their families would move to the village with their large flocks of sheep in search of water and warmth.

But over the last decade, the villagers have discovered tourism—or tourism has, at least, found them. And so when they return every summer to carry out medieval traditions and Muslim religious celebrations, they now also welcome hikers from around the world with beer and a special, flaky pastry called burek pie.

Burek, the national dish of Bosnia, is a snail-shaped filo pastry filled with everything from spinach and cheese to beef mince or potatoes. Burek pie, however, is slightly different. It’s traditionally filled with spinach or cheese and is cooked under a sač, which is something like a metal or ceramic lid.

Animation director Teodor Ushev:

I come to watch a performance, and the police in a legal state are obliged to ensure access to the performance for every citizen.

There has to be a [police] cordon. This cannot happen in a normal European country. I may be of their opinion.

I may not like the show, I want to see what it is. I didn’t say anything and some lumpen here stop me and beat me and hit me.

In the film, Thessaloniki itself becomes the protagonist - the city with its people, old stones, houses and streets. Is it easier to suffer from amnesia than to remember the past?

Tourism-dependent Greece currently is experiencing one of the highest growth rates in Europe, with the government forecasting 2.2% growth for 2024 and the IMF forecasting 2.3%. This is well above the weak overall 0.8% IMF growth forecast for the euro zone, where industrial economies including Germany and Italy are struggling.

Greece’s finance ministry has committed to early repayment of some $8 billion in bilateral debt in 2026, 2027 and 2028, estimating that this would push down the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio – Europe’s highest – from 162% this year to 149% in 2025 and 133.4% by 2028.

If it stays on that path, Greece’s debt-to-GDP ratio in 2028 would be lower than Italy’s, which Rome has forecast at 135.8% this year, rising to 137.5% in 2027.

Преди години Румъния беше отделена, да не бъде завличана надолу от българските упражнения в харакири. Днес Албания е отделена от Северна Македония по абсолютно същите причини. Остава въпросът: коя тъмна сила кара държави като България и Северна Македония да се самобичуват по този начин. Въпросът е риторичен, а отговорът както обикновено е „проследете откъде идват парите“