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The Open Society Institute – Sofia has released the 2026 edition of the Media Literacy Index (MLI), highlighting a critical shift in the European...

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On Focus

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Solomon (https://wearesolomon.com) and The Whole Story Publications Single Member S.A. (https://insidestory.gr), together with 11 other European media, received the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism at the European Parliament. The award is given for the...

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New report of the Open Society Institute - Sofia

Media Literacy Index 2026: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and Netherlands Lead European Ranking of Resilience against Disinformation

21.01.2026

The Open Society Institute – Sofia has released the 2026 edition of the Media Literacy Index (MLI), highlighting a critical shift in the European landscape as societies face new challenges from generative AI...

Zoom: Summer School focused on Precarious Housing in Europe

The topic of informal housing and policies to improve the housing conditions of vulnerable groups brought together 50 students and teachers from 7 European universities in Bulgaria. In the photo: View from the "Fakulteta" neighborhood in Sofia.
This is how the summer school started, organized by the Open Society Institute - Sofia under the project „PusH – Precarious housing in Europe“, funded by the EU through the „Erasmus +“ program.
Questions were raised on the topic …
... doubts, disputes and debates.
Lawyer Daniela Mihailova from "Equal Opportunities" Association disclosed that 90% of the orders to remove informal single-family dwellings were issued for residents of Roma neighborhoods.
View of informal housing on the way to fieldwork in the capital's neighborhood "Fakulteta".
In "Fakulteta" neighborhood Dr. Elena Kabakchieva from HESED presented a vision for sustainable change through integrated measures and work for early childhood development together with parents and the entire community.
Arch. Violeta Zlatinova said that the park, common green spaces and playgrounds are symbolic of a better living environment and they should be created with the active participation of the local community.
The summer school continued with field work in the Roma neighborhood "Iztok" in Kyustendil. The informal buildings on its periphery are adjacent to and even on the Banshtitsa river and an overhanging dump.
Maria Metodieva from TSA shared with the students that the zoning plan is a prerequisite for improving living conditions in areas with informal housing, but funds are needed for its implementation.
Discussions on the detailed zoning plan of the Roma neighborhood in Kyustendil continued with the chief architect of the municipality Stoyana Chavdarova.
Sasho Kovachev from LARGO Association said that the social housing in "Iztok" neighborhood was built with the labour of its residents, the municipality provided land, the business – materials, and NGOs – access to services.
In the center of the neighborhood, the famous orchestra "Three Stars" greeted the students. Despite the summer heat, the young people couldn't resist the rhythms and rush into stormy dances, and then applauded the orchestra for a long time.
And at the end of the summer school – a family picture in the ruins of the thousand-year-old historical heritage of Kyustendil in the Forest Park "Hisarlaka" and …
… farewell smiles.