in summit, which will focus on defense and showing up support for you free. it was now for business time to come for the here for land times again at the top, the hour or more the the if you like history but with the side of culture, travel and control to see this one. i might just do it and i may send a book us that will put the website to back into your everyday life. every day we encounter so many things that we don't even notice that it's just gonna fade into the background. but it is self. i'm trying to spot my own them. what you say might just surprise. we're going to dig up the, the on the everyday things around. where did they come from when,

why did they have all the time? we can just search for the day and take them out for 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 real connections known as cord or 10, and the pathway for chinese export the 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 bumps along the way. we'll see where things appear to be working quite pleasant germany. and we'll look at where they threaten to break down the rail and the future of the bulk is coming up. the our journey begins here, the coast of albania, torres hub, on the age we had ecc since roman times. today,

a modern tourist hotspot and albanians gateway to global treat. the port here pushes goods across the balkans. 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 age, biotic and black sees that could provide a boost of cities along the way. there's another reason europe wants it, its own security, alternative paths to the black. so you haven't treat nearby towers for a long time, but more recently, it's been the problems posed by the boss for us were 30 exercises sol control. that's pushed 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 times. i just don't want children, but i'll be in israel. system hills from another era, a 20 year period when china was its closest allies. 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 has a pick axe in one hand and a rifle in the other. we're at the train station and 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 eldest son, he remembers the height of the railway 3, i'll be in his communist era and how it's all part of the following decades. where it's quite going to be able to say to use that you said just the full value, which if you little collab see new for us to i'm unable to do this visa sedation. you can but special gabriel. that's a little bit difficult to us in regards to that and use it. i don't edwards disabled. i think i'm better reading books 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 will 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 bit,

so i say, you know, one bed williams thought it'd be at the say the, the event, the data. but it'd be the one bed you could, i would assume you the, the button you able to let it loops. 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. 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 plans. the idea of a chinese high speed rail project, unthinkable in this country side of old bridge, is indicating 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 marking, you're good to mandate of a tradition of my kid to tony. knew me that you made that or you read at the gym, it was that have some of those are the blue circle. she just bought it. so you've been gone, but the bodies corruption wasn't uncommon in those times. 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 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 you is that relations with neighbors have long been difficult. once it was greece, today's bulgaria, 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, alexander and cassandra, both just 27 years old. they're eager to see the line finished and frustrated over the ongoing dispute with ball gary and you open company, you may, you open uh, confident that there's some member of you who've been williams such as will get to in 20 one's since us in to the, to do lots of equal the nice the language of the neighboring country, the coordinators, the most of the buildings. not only did they blame bull gary for holding up the new line, they're 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, there will go the way. now going to the room is the, you are still under the 4,

we can love the 4th. it will be serial. a sort of a need 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. since for us is a concert, quarter of 10, it's much, much more economical, more attractive because it's connected to the consumer. the me, the color for development report that even with the ads on support. so not, this must be interesting who is going to make the transcripts if a child is over here to piano or whatever a company is really interesting, that the capacity of the, of the kind of a transfer to increasing the maximum maximum ok level. and it's not just the government that sees more advantages to the route coming from greece, kill macedonia, manufacture seats for transportation, like buses,

and airplanes. and is located just west of scope you 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 would lower costs. well, for me, i think more for, for this little solve because we can more input the next part from the euro. and this is made before us as a company is a deal more that will shift 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 hallways are run down and occasionally falling apart, handful trains run daily from the station here. if at all for this is not an dislike one,

i'll meet you may be spotted. bustled through view of the 3 of us. um, it's not the view that the so that i don't use on mcquease that it's pneumonia, jima to calling me on the me that these are between one yet north macedonia was once an important part of a larger real connection between bell great and athens. today it's pretty much a collection of deleted 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. though our ride was surprisingly unavailable. the question is, which way macedonia will go toward china, where the you to seems quite possible that the new government here is going to turn more to trying these 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 from refugee to employee in 2014. he'd fled from the war in syria. today he owns a successful small business. like many refugees, the suddenly dial has built in life in germany without relying on the state for financial support. would know it's not clear,

but they'll be allowed to stay made in gemini next on d w b y wing. it's not like an extraordinary thing is actually just being normal, especially to defend our already them to the. so the germany gets back on track. why the gun europeans increasingly by to writing policy, we says out across europe, to find on the focus on, you remember in 16 minutes on d, w, the innovation green, the green revolution global. so listen to

a whole lot of crime would probably be better to see if the care we subscribe to those channels. we've got new videos every friday. subscribe to plan. it's a russian invasion of ukraine has clearly exposed one thing. europe's vulnerability on the military front. up to now ukraine has mainly been dependent on arm supplies from the u. s. the president donald trump. however, once to reduce support for keys and is demanding that europe step up, the continents arms industry has long been neglected. get it also offers economic opportunities. what's the situation in germany? a contentious issue that we will be taking a closer look at in the show also.