East and Southeast Europe
The Regional Office FNF ESEE covers 23 countries in East and Southeast Europe. The Regional Office in Sofia coordinates the following Project Offices in the region: Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Greece, Romania and Moldova, Western Balkans, Russia and Central Asia, Ukraine and Belarus, South Caucasus and Turkey.
News
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Prisoner of Conscience: Yury Dmitriev, Russia
In 1997 historian and researcher Yury Dmitriev made a gruesome discovery in the Sandarmokh forest of Karelia, a Russian region close to the border with Finland. He found the burial grounds of thousands of political prisoners massacred there under Stalin’s regime. Find out the story of the prisoner of conscience, Yury Dmitriev from Russia.
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Defending what is right
Georgian politician and civic mover and shaker Tinatin Khidasheli has been immersed in the fight for justice for 30 years – and is ready for the next 30 to come. Tinatin is the type of person for whom the use of “fighter” in the expression “freedom fighter” is well deserved. In her three decades of civic activism, she has gone from clashing with the Soviet-era militsiya (police) in the final year before the fall of the USSR to defending in court the basic rights of those ostracised by the new Georgian state, from advocating the need for EU integration of her country in Parliament, to reforming its military.
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Prisoners of Conscience: Polad Aslanov, Azerbaijan
Find out the story of a political prisoner and journalist from Azerbaijan, Polad Aslanov.
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Prisoner of Conscience: Emir-Hussein Kuku, Ukraine
Find out the story of Emir- Hussein Kuku, a Crimean Tatar human rights activist, charged with being a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir party that is banned as a terrorist organization in Russia, but legal in Ukraine. Kuku denied any involvement with the movement.
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From public policy to politics in Croatia: an impossible mission?
Diana Topcic-Rosenberg tells her story of adapting to the political and social realities of her home country after a 20-year career abroad
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We are the Power Here
In the documentary film “Women leading protests”, activist and music artist Maryna Rusia Shukiurava tells the inspiring story of how women realized and claimed their power in Belarusian society. She has been part of the opposition movement in Belarus since she was 18 years old. She has often expressed her political opinion through her work as a musician and as an NGO activist.
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Liberal Communicators Network (LCN): Non-Profit Edition
If you are passionate about non-profit communications, you are cordially invited to apply for the ‘Liberal Communicators Network (LCN): Non-Profit Edition’ of the European Liberal Forum (ELF). The Academy ‘Make a Good Message Better’ offers online a series of big-picture inputs by high-level speakers in the summer (7 sessions over 2 weeks: 24 June- 11 July) and 2 specialized workshops and 2 sessions in the autumn on SEO and Social Media in September and October.
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Prisoner of Conscience: Nedim Türfent
Find out the story of the prisoner of conscience from Turkey. “Because authoritarianism in Turkey has yet to peak, it is now more crucial that writers fulfil their responsibility to promote peace and freedom in our everyday lives,” said the imprisoned Turkish journalist, writer, and poet Nedim Türfent.
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Activism with never-ending enthusiasm
Vukosava Crnjanski on promoting fact-checking in Serbia and being resistant to the country’s complicated politics.
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Meet Vukosava Crnjanski from Serbia
Serbia is a country which has been through a lot and so have this country’s tireless activists. Against all odds, the years of slowly building a healthier dialogue about politics, independent journalism, and human rights have not left a mark on Vukosava Crnjanski’s motivation.
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The most powerful weapon to change the world
Leading with integrity and persistence, former teacher Liliia Hrynevych managed to transform the education system in Ukraine. Discover the story of the #femaleforwardinternational ambassador and educator that brought each child’s individual success to the heart of the school system.
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Meet Liliia Hrynevych from Ukraine
Meet Liliia Hrynevych from Ukraine- the educator that brought each child’s individual success to the heart of the school system.
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The changing face of North Macedonian politics
Monika Zajkova from the Liberal Democratic Party wants to serve as an example for other young female politicians in her country. Despite her age, she has nearly a decade of political experience – she joined the LDP’s youth wing in 2011 and became its president in 2017. Zajkova, who holds a degree in law, worked in four electoral campaigns before she made her own bid for MP in 2020.
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Meet Monika Zajkova from North Macedonia
“To be a liberal in a conservative society is very difficult, but it's sexy to be different from the others,” says Monika Zajkova with a cheeky grin. The 29-year-old Member of Parliament is the second youngest MP in Skopje’s Vlada (parliament) and one of the two representatives of North Macedonia’s liberal party – the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
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Meet Diana Topcic Rosenberg from Croatia
Diana Topcic-Rosenberg tells her story of adapting to the political and social realities of her home country after a 20-year career abroad
Social Media
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🇧🇬 The Chronicles of Infodemia from Bulgaria 🛑 The coronavirus pandemic that killed millions of people worldwide has evidenced that false information and rumours are life-threatening to human health. In partnership with FNF, the Association of European Journalists-Bulgaria Асоциация на европейските журналисти - България started the Chronicles of Infodemia campaign, exposing misinformation relating to COVID-19. The project of Friedrich Naumann Foundation Southeast Europe is featured in our Global Human Rights Report 👉 https://humanrights-2021.freiheit.digital/bulgaria/
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🇬🇪 The Tbilisi Pride 2021 and the state of intolerance in Georgia. Several thousand peaceful protesters gathered against this massive show of violence and homophobia. 🏳️🌈 It was supposed to be the conclusion of "Pride Week" – a "March of Dignity and for Solidarity" on Rustaveli Prospect in the centre of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Instead, the 5th of July 2021 will long be remembered as an absolute nadir of intolerance. The story, shared by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom South Caucasus , is featured in our Global Human Rights Report 👉 https://bit.ly/33aRfhn
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👏 Heartfelt congratulations to our colleague, Marieta Slavkova, who celebrates her 10-year anniversary of working for freedom, innovation and human rights in Friedrich Naumann Foundation. 🙏 Thank you, dear Marieta, for your contribution to our #FreedomTeam of #fnfesee and for mastering our internal controlling, reporting and programmes. It is a pleasure to have you on board in the regional office of FNF East and Southeast Europe !
