human rights

A new report takes a critical look at the engagement of European development banks in Egypt after the popular uprisings in the Middle East and North African region. This article appeared originally on the Counter Balance blog and has been shortened and slightly edited.

The news circulated yesterday that Mikhail Beketov, a Russian journalist who campaigned against corrupt practices in connection to the planned highway construction through Khimki Forest, has died. This guest post by Mikhail Matveev and Ivan Smirnov, fellow Khimki activists, tells Beketov's story.

The EBRD's claims it has helped turn Serbia into a "role model for social inclusion of Roma" ring hollow in light of the plethora of abuses of Romas' rights in other cases in Serbia.

David Hoffman

Media coordinator

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April 23, 2012

A new campaign video illustrates Europe's self-absorbed approach to its energy policy outside Europe. (A blog entry Cross-posted from the Counter Balance blog.)

One of this year's winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize is Russian Khimki Forest defender Evgenia Chirikova, but the good news is being overshadowed by continued violence against other Khimki activists.

A new report by The Corner House critically examines the notion of “energy security,” one of the buzzwords in European politics used to justify controversial infrastructure projects like the Nabucco gas pipeline or high voltage transmission lines in Ukraine. Here an introduction to the report from its authors.

The announcement of German energy giant RWE to reconsider its plans for the Nabucco pipeline is just the last in a series of confusingly conflicting signals regarding the fate of this gargantuan project.

Claudia Ciobanu

Media officer

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October 18, 2011

The European Investment Bank finally invited for a dialogue with civil society organisations. It might be a little ambitious to say that true dialogue happened there, but certainly the NGOs were able to send a couple of strong messages to the EIB Board, and, for a while, it felt like the Board was listening.

Ahead of a meeting next week that offers a unique chance for discussion with the EIB's Board of Directors, Bankwatch's EIB team leader Anna Roggenbuck gives an overview over some of the issues to which she'd like to hear some comments by the bank's enigmatic leadership.

Manana Kochladze

Regional coordinator for the Caucasus

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September 7, 2011

The EU external energy policy Communication published today by the European Commission continues the decade-long approach of the EU to ensure the unhindered flow of fossil fuel energy supplies to Europe without a real recognition of the problems this drive creates both inside and outside of the EU.