Balkan Transition (1997)

The project aimed at meeting the need of stimulating an ideology-free debate on the specific character of the communist regimes in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.

A workshop in four sessions was organized on the following topics: 1) Тhe waves of modernization in the Balkans: between progress and repetition (with an emphasis on the social and historical approach); 2) Homo balcanicus: between identity and ghettoization (focusing on culture and anthropology); 3) Balkan geopolitics: between world conspiracy and humanitarian aid (focusing on international policy) and 4) Transition finite and infinite: between decommunization and recommunization (focusing on politics).

The project was the first step in establishing the Balkan Civic Network. The workshop contributed to the initial definition of the areas and patterns of cooperation, along with the parameters and strategy of the future work within the network.

The project ended with the publication Balkan Transition, which was published in English in 1997. It was sent to all institutions concerned in Bulgaria and the Balkans.