international use, i've been puzzling. thanks for watching the w. stay with us, i'll be back next out with one each by the rules. we say there is never giving up every weekend on d w. this shadows. these costs and video shed lights on the dog is devastating colonial harper is infected by germany across up and he employed the scorched coast farms and destroy lives. what is the legacy

of this wide spread races, depression, today? history. we need to talk about here, the stories, shadows of german colonialism, the in serbia, the consequences of chinese influence in the balkans now clearer than ever a surge of violence following the dads 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, notice core door 10 pathway for chinese exports with big showcase projects along the way. and more in the works. now, europe is race seem to keep up pushing to complete a different route from albania,

to the coast of the black sea, a growing priority at a time before and with consequences for the regions economy. the, we're taking a trip to see it firsthand 2 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 our journey begins here, the coast of albania, torres hub on the age, biotic c since roman times. today,

a modern tourist hotspot ends up being used 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 all 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 to use funding a rail 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 joseph is a long searching though. oh, i'll be in his real 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 a 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. it's a one time hub for industrial transports traveling throughout the country club. the

apollo was once the station manager here, the eldest son, he remembers the height of the railway 3, i'll be in his communist era and how it fell apart over the following decades. where it's critical to be able to say to these that you said for just the full value, which if you little collab see new for us to i'm unable to do this b as a sedation you can but special gabriel, that's a little bit difficult to us in regards to that, and you said you don't have to reduce that. we're finding a bit of written book today, only 2 trains to part from elvis on per week. and just on the weekends, they could 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 roman does, but maybe switch on top of so when you get that a, the best i say is the one bed williams thought it'd be at the head of the event,

the data, but it'd be the one bed. you could also do the, the button you able to do that, it looks. but in fact, the work has already begun with you. you financing half and grants, half in loans, albania is already refurbishing. it's 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. workers will then move down toward elvis on 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 considerably role in other parts of the region. china plays no part in helping his current plans. 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 the 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 of the yeah, kevin, well born martin, you're good to mandate event durgin and like you to donate me at that you made that or you read at the gym, it was, i have some in the book a single, she just bought it from c, v and donna. but the, but the employees got corruption, wasn't uncommon. and 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 the funded project, but still has a long way to go. as does its 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, cord, or 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 spoke 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 that 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. we're being shown around by 2 sites, supervisors, alexander and casino both just 27 years old. they're eager to see the line finished and frustrated over the ongoing dispute with bulk area. you open country, man, you open uh confident. this is a member of your group and william such as bulgaria to in 20 once since uh seemed to be to do what i think will be nice. the language of the neighboring country, the coordinates the most of the buildings. not only did they blame bold, gary for holding up the new line, they are upset that it's blocking north macedonia admission process into the you. both believe north macedonia belongs in the block and sooner rather than later, the not going to the minnesota for either you or we can love or is it i would love to have to be serial

a for the mean uh the ultimate back in scope. you were a new government, appears to be more toward 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 conser quarter of 10 is much, much more economical, more attractive because it's connect to the country with the the color for this little nicky part that even me that as i'm support so good not this must be interesting who is going to make the sports, if it changes or europe and, or whatever a company is really interesting, that the capacity of the, of the cultural 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, manufacture seats for transportation, like buses, and airplanes. and is located just west of chicago along the planned quarter 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 shipped by road in theory, the built up real system with lower costs will for me, i think more for the thought of this will solve because we get more input, the next part from the euro. and this is made before us as a company is a deal more uh that will just vehicles if use connected to our supply. 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, the ha always are run down and occasionally falling apart. handful trains, run daily from the station here. if at all for the dislike one i'll meet, you may be spotted. bustled through. view of the pos um is not the

view that the so that the lease on mcquease that it's pneumonia, jima, petroleum will not be that the 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, with surprisingly unavailable. the question is which way macedonia will go towards china, where the you testing is quite possible that the new governments year is going to turn more to chinese investment compared to the past one. 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 being white wing is not like an extraordinary thing is actually just being normal. especially to defend our already them to the so that germany gets back on track. why the guns your opinions increasingly by to writing policies? we says out across europe, to find the focus on your next,

on the dw why half plan asked a boy score montvale proxy movie. that was for this on the label. how many good, i've been almost done. police police reporting mostly part of their sleep. it's got 3 impulse payment, or the gainesville support based. build a little that the more than a few items that already got come on at west point me in the ceiling. come with the effect of being the 60 minutes on the d w. the my name is the calls back said wow, thank you so much for joining in. welcome to don't hold bad. a lot of people do

that. it's called about saying it's loud and mess with it being nosy bay, like get everyone talking to me. check out the award winning called called the called back. the hello and welcome to this week. focus on your with the live show. thanks for joining us today. will begin today's program in europe's youngest country, comfortable. it was born after years of conflict in the region. and while the economy is growing steadily, the country still relies on foreign aid for many development projects. so it's came as quite a shock to city. that was shitty when the us government announced that it is essentially shutting down. it's for an agency us a i.