the innovation green, the green revolution global. so listen to a whole lot of crime. it's probably up to speed is secure. subscribed to this channel. every friday. subscribe to plan. it's a the in serbia. the consequences of chinese influence in the balkans. now clearer than ever a surge of violence following the depths of 15 people killed when a train station wall suddenly collapsed that station, just one part of a larger chinese project stretching across the balkans and deeper into europe. a series of rail connections known as cord or 10 at the pathway for chinese exports with big showcase projects along the way, the more in the works. now europe is racing to keep

up pushing to complete a different route from albania, to the coast of the black sea, the growing priority at a time before the end, with consequences for the regions economy. the . we're taking a trip to see it firsthand, to weeks across the balkans. the along the way, we'll look at how big rail projects are conducting a region as well as the pumps along the way. we'll see where things appear to be working quite a pleasant journey. and we'll look at where they threaten to break down the rail and the future of the balkans coming up the in our journey begins here, the coast of albania,

doris hub on the age, biotic c. since roman times. today, a modern tourist hotspot and albanians gateway to global trade. the port here pushes goods across the bulk and it is a growth engine for this non e u country. but when goods travel further, they typically travel like this. but you can see how the cargo moves in and out of this board where there is no rail. it all goes by truck. soon there could be another way, the use funding, a real connection between the adriatic and black seas that could provide a boost of cities along the way. but there's another reason europe wants it, its own security, alternative paths to the block. so you haven't treat nearby powers for a long time, but more recently, it's been the problems posed by the boss for us were 30 exercises sol, control. it's pushing nations to look for alternatives. in particular,

at rail. the one problem is already the current state of albanian rail investment has failed. for decades. many routes are no longer operable. the traits themselves olds and in constant need of rebuilding the josh, really the busy, the just don't want search engines. oh, i'll be in israel system hills from another era, a 20 year period when china was its closest ally. and traces of that past when albany was also ruled by a communist dictator, are still interested into the system. here is a communist slogan written on the walls here with very typical back in that era is a pick axe and one hand and a rifle in the other. we're at the train station in elbows on a steel town, south of doris. and the one time hub for industrial transports traveling throughout

the country from the apollo was once the station manager here, the oldest son, who remembers the height of the railway 3, i'll be in these communist era and how it fell apart over the following decades. where it's quit going to be able to say to these that you said for just the boy value, which if you learn to collapse the new for us to i'm unable to do this visa sedation. you can but special able to talk about the discussion in regards to that and you said you don't have the words each day. we're finding some bits of written talk today only 2 trains to part from elvis on per week. and just on the weekends, they can barely go over 50 kilometers an hour for system built to go twice as fast . will this former real work or live to see a modern system? written a bit on mondays, but maybe switch on top of so we get that

a bit. so i say, you know, one bed williams thought it'd be at the head of the event, the data, but it'd be of the one bed you could, i would assume that the, the button you able to let it looks. but in fact, the work has already begun with you. you financing half and grants, half and loans. albania is already refurbishing its older real lines and building newer ones. the 1st project updates a line between daughters and the capital to run it and includes a new spur to the airport. the workers will then move down toward elvis on and over to the border with north macedonia. the project is supposed to be finished by 2030 despite its former times without being here, it is considerable role in other parts of the region. china, please, no part in helping use current plants. the idea of a chinese high speed rail project unthinkable in this country side of old bridges and decaying tunnels.

the but it's not just infrastructure, that's a challenge. corruption is never, far from people's minds. here. this man says he can still remember construction of the original rail line and how it stopped short of the border. when you're keeping bone bone, martin, you're good to mid day of a tradition of my kid to donate me at that. didn't make me re a 30 minute, would that if some of those are the blue circle, she just bought it to see if the ends all of the of the bodies. corruption wasn't uncommon in those times and it remains a problem across the region. somewhere in this area over here is where the new rail on should come out and cross the border into north macedonia. we've heard

a bit of optimism about what's coming. also a bit of doubt about whether it will actually take place. one thing is clear, albania believes in that you funded project, but still has a long way to go. as because it's neighbor north macedonia, a mountainous country still outside the e. u, and the country exactly at the crossroads with the regions to big projects. the route coming from albania, core door 8, here in yellow, and the route between greece and budapest preferred by china core door 10 in red. the challenge here in scope yet is that relations with neighbors have long been difficult. once it was greece, today's book area which refuses to recognize the macedonian language. and that makes projects like this one even harder. this is one of the new stations heading towards bull gary. it opened in january, not long after we felt one problem is the costs are rising for the final approach to bulgaria to 23000000 euro is

a kilometer. that's because there's never been a connection between the 2 nations and current tensions make planning. a new crossing. difficult for being shown around by 2 sites, supervisors, alexandra and casino both just 27 years old. they're eager to see the line finished and frustrated over the ongoing dispute with book area. you open come through. you may you open. uh, something to do to some member of your open, william such as will give you 2 in 20 ones since uh, sent to the to do not recognize the language or the neighboring country. the political knows the most of the buildings. not only did they blame bull gary for holding up the new mind, they're upset that it's blocking north macedonia admission process into the you to both believe north macedonia belongs in the block. and sooner rather than later, the not going to the room is the,

you are still under the or we can love the 0 for is it i would love to, to be serial a for the mean to be back in scope. you were a new government, appears to be more torn over the issue. we meet with the countries director of rail infrastructure, who explains why the line preferred by the chinese is more attractive to his government. for us as a country quarter of 10, it's much, much more economical, more attractive because it's connected to a concert with the, the, a couple of forward. so looking forward to the, from you the, as i'm support, so good not, this must be interesting. who is going to make the sports if it's china, so your opinion on a, whatever a company is really interesting, that the capacity of the, of the kind of a transfer to increasing the maximum maximum level. and it's not just the government that sees more advantages to the route coming from greece,

killed macedonia, manufacturers seats for transportation, like buses and airplanes, and is located just west of scope you along the planned cord, or 8. again, that's the route preferred by the e. u keel as an example of the investment flowing these days into north macedonia. products here are shit by road, in theory, built a real system with lower costs will for me i think more for, for this will solve because we can more input the next part from. busy you and this is made before us as a company is a deal more uh that will just vehicles if he's connected to our supplier. and one thing is clear, north macedonia is current system needs help. we visit the main train station. the neglect is obvious. cigarettes and the ticket machine to ha, always are run down and occasionally falling apart, handful trains, run daily from the station here. if at all uh,

this is just like ronald mutually is what is the view of the fios um is not the the, the, the so that the lease on mcquease that the to move on. yeah. do you mind calling me on the lease is up between one? yeah. north macedonia was once an important part of a larger real connection between build rate and athens. today, it's pretty much a collection of isolated segments. there are no more international passenger connections, only for freight trains. domestically rail is mostly for those who can't afford any other way to our ride, well surprisingly unavailable. the question is, which way macedonia will go towards china, where the you to seems quite possible that the new government here is going to turn more to chinese investment compared to the password. and the businesses may look at some of those projects as being to their advantage. but what does that mean to

north macedonia? as long efforts to join the you? one thing seems clear. rail is likely to play a large role in the politics here in the coming years. the the why should we care about forrest? because they provide food and environmental benefits, which are essential for sustaining life on the health of humanity. use this forest

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