Opinions, Like Rules, Are Made To Be Challenged
In Serbia, people are naturally very opinionated. They seem to have a tendency to see things as being clean cut and without any moral ambiguity. Quite commonly their views are set in stone and any discussion, if you can get that far, will make little difference. Everything is seen as either black or white, with little breathing space allowed for the rainbow of diversity in opinions or viewpoints.
Usually the basis for such set views is not because of an evaluation of information or a willingness to see the perspective from both sides. More often it is not even borne of any insight or consideration of there being another side to the issue. At best it is because an ingrained opinion has been accepted at face value and has served its purpose for generations. At worst it is because people have soaked up the propaganda spread by interested parties, taking as gospel whatever ruling best fits their needs, values or religious leanings.
A Swarm of Bloggers Descends on Northern Serbia
A chatter of bloggers, a swarm of social media, or a flock of Twitter: Whatever the collective noun, 250 of the Balkan region’s leading and most prominent bloggers and social media drivers came together in Novi Sad, Serbia, for the fourth annual BlogOpen. The great and the good of Balkan blogging discussed, debated and shared insight on the future of social media and the uses and issues faced in the region.
The Balkan blogosphere enjoyed two full days of thought-provoking presentations from international trailblazers in social media and the digital world. While most attendees came from the ex-YU states, keynote speakers were largely culled from beyond Balkan borders, providing the blogging masterclass with an international perspective and tapping into a broad pool of experience and knowledge.
Strawberry Season Comes Early To Belgrade… Next Stop, The World!
Strawberries will be bursting out all over the world, thanks to an environmental initiative that has given a young Serbian business a leg-up. Strawberry Energy, a business that designs and markets solar-powered mobile chargers, is building on an EU accolade to plant roots at home and bring clean energy to Africa and Asia. One small step in planting a Strawberry Tree in Belgrade marks a giant leap for the business and for the future of clean energy.
“Now we are installing our public solar chargers in Serbia and the Balkan region, but my main efforts are aimed on our next step: bringing solar charging possibilities to rural areas of Africa and India,’ Strawberry Energy CEO Miloš Milisavljević told W!LD RooSTeR. “In these areas there in no electric grid and mobile phones are their only connection to the world.
Clean Up Corruption & Organised Crime Before You Join, Europe Tells Serbia
Serbia has to clean up its record on corruption and organised crime, a European Commission report says. While recognising efforts already made in a Justice Ministry crack-down, the commissioners claim there are still too many cases stagnating in the system and not brought to court or conviction. If Serbia wants to progress to full candidacy of the European Union, it must clean up its own back yard first, they say.
While highlighting the issue of Kosovo as a significant stumbling block and condition in Belgrade’s journey towards Brussels, the report on Serbia’s level of EU readiness recommends that Serbia should be granted candidate status. Its recommendation is also based on the condition that further progress is seen in key areas, including infrastructure, the legislature, human rights and the economy.
