hello and a warm welcome to "focus on europe." aside from the war in ukraine, another disaster continues to play out across europe. migrants from africa are still dying on their dangerous journey across the sea. this year alone, hundreds of people have died or disappeared without a trace on the high seas, as they try to reach the coveted destination of europe. despite that, many migrants feel they have no other option, and continue to attempt the journey in overcrowded, often unseaworthy boats.

there is also a route to europe from africa by land. and it's no less dangerous, as a recent tragedy in melilla shows. the spanish exclave in north africa borders with morocco. dozens of migrants died in june trying to cross from there into melilla. atroon, from sudan, witnessed these brutal scenes firsthand. the number of people like him, who risk their lives fleeing to europe, is likely to rise, as the war in ukraine has intensified the threat of famine in many african countries. >> june 24th at the border to melilla. this eyewitness footage allegedly shows moroccan border guards beating hundreds of african migrants, who had tried to cross the border from morocco to spain in a mass surge. in the end, there were at least 27 africans dead, and dozens of

police injured. atroon, from sudan, was there at the time. he's already tried 10 times to reach europe. he never thought he would experience a disaster like this. they're hitting people as a warning. >> they are telling you, "never come back." they hit you. you can see that most of the people here. most of them are injured. they're not hurting themselves. the police hit them. they hit you even on the floor. they hit you so much. after you get knocked out. if you don't know anything, you can't move, they will leave you. if you can move, they will hit you 'til you can't move. >> for now, atroon has a place to sleep in an abandoned school in casablanca. moroccan security forces left him and other cities migrants here, hundreds of kilometers from the border.

but atroon also blames spanish police, he says he's been on european soil before to apply for refugee protection, but the security forces still forcibly deported him. >> they send you back to the moccans. sometimes they allow the moroccan police to enter inside to pull you out. most of migrants think they make it, after they cross the border. then they send them back to morocco. >> across the border, in melilla, local journalist javier angosto has seen it all. he says spanish officials tried to block the roads into the border area. the reporter shows us how he made his way across. and he confirms atroon's account. >> i saw 30 or 40 migrants make it across the border. then they were pushed back to the other side. not one had the chance to apply for asylum.

>> that would violate international law. most of the migrants came from sudan and chad. citizens from both of these countries have good prospects of obtaining asylum. we meet the region's mayor-president and confront him with the accusation. >> there may have been 1 or 2 cases. so many try to cross the border here. everybody is worried -- the war, the rising grain prices, the hunger crisis. this all has an impact. >> melilla, a city of some 90 thousand people, is one of the few places in europe with a direct land border with africa. people frequently try to scale the 12 kilometer long fence. those who make it usually head for the city's central reception center. we're not allowed to film behind the high walls. and none of the migrants will speak on camera. journalist angosto cannot

understand why there have been no political consequences of the june 24th tragedy. >> morocco is just doing our dirty work. we prefer to be seen as a shining example of human rights. >> melilla's mayor-president is also critical of the cooperation with morocco, but he sees no wrongdoing by spain. >> just look at the brutal film footage: that should never have happened. but it happened on the moroccan side, not the spanish. the moroccans let it come to this. now they have to explain themselves, and to their african neighbors. they have to take responsibility. >> back in morocco, atroon is not deterred. he still has only one goal, to cross the border into melilla.

> i will try again. i will try again. we have nothing in sudan. the youth, we have no opportunity to develop ourselves or to work. even if you study, you can't work there in sudan. there is one choice in sudan, you can enter the army, or work as an illegal worker. >> atroon and the others will try to get by somehow on food donations from the neighbors. and to hold out until they one day reach europe. >> the majority of georgians also want to join europe, the european union. and as soon as possible. like ukraine, their country is a neighbor of russia. conflict is brewing over the russian-backed breakaway regions of south ossetia and abkhazia. and many georgians are worried about being putin's next target. young activist mariam geguchadze is doing everything

she can to clear georgia's path into the european union, but it is a rocky road. >> yes to europe! tens of thousands of georgians marched through the capital of tbilisi, after the eu declined to give their country candidate status. they think it's their government's fault, and they're demanding the administration step down. mariam geguchadze is in the midst of it all. she sees europe as more than being geographically close to the west. to her, europe is the future. and she's made it her life's mission to fight for it. >> i think that georgia deserves to be a proud member of european union, but i know that there are a lot of problems, today. and that's why i'm also doing my best and just living for these changes. >> mariam geguchadze says one of the problems is georgia's

neighbor, russia. she took us to an area where the issue is quite apparent, at the border with the partially-recognized separatist republic of south ossetia. most of the international community views the territory in the caucasus mountains as part of georgia. it proclaimed independence 30 years ago, but heavily relies on russian aid. russian money controls south ossetia. the russian military is stationed there. and after russia's attack on ukraine, georgians fear they may be next. [dog barking] >> it took two and a half hours to reach the destination. the village of cadueti lies right on the border with south ossetia. and the people complain the border here changes constantly. they say russian soldiers keep occupying new parts of georgia. and the border even runs

straight through the fields of some farms. ♪ >> i'm scared of the russians. the russian army is just five kilometers from us. and even though no russian soldiers have come to my village yet, we all live in constant fear. especially after the russians invaded ukraine. >> the central government in tbilisi is also afraid of conflict with russia and prefers to stay neutral. georgia may have officially condemned the war, but they're not participating in the western sanctions against the kremlin. instead, the government in tbilisi chooses to attack its own critics, like the protest movement "shame," that mariam geguchadze co-founded. when the eu declined to grant georgia candidate status, shame didn't blame brussels.

they blamed their own government. the protestors accuse tbilisi of doing too little and appeasing russia. but politicians are striking back. >> these people want our country to drown in mass protests and turmoil and for it all to end in a war with russia. that's their plan, but we're not going to let it happen. >> their propaganda machine is also working very well, and if you look further, everyone can notice that it is so similar to russian propaganda. >> many people here think russian president putin will not stop with ukraine. they fear he may target georgia, because it was once part of the soviet union. and putin may be trying to restore russia's former glory. >> the only country that's been hindering georgia's development, destroying georgia's culture, destroying

georgian tradition, georgian religion, the only country is russia. >> mariam and her cohort say that's exactly why the eu should have sent a message to russia and granted georgia candidate status. they were deeply disappointed by the decision from brussels. >> it was one of the saddest days of my life. i remember, because i realize that i'm still an optimist side, and probably one tiny part of me still hoped for something like amazing to happen. i don't know. ♪ >> but she hasn't given up hope, and she plans to keep on fighting until georgia one day becomes a member of the european union. ♪ [singing] [cheers and applause] >> also complaining for change, is mariateresa imparato, in

italy. she wants better prospects for the people in her home city of naples, especially the children. the camorra is rife in many neighborhoods of naples, especially the poorer districts like san giovanni a teduccio. this is where mariateresa imparato and her fellow campaigners are enacting real resistance against organized crime. and it's all to do with energy, a lot of good energy. ♪ >> resident scholar at the bronx -- residents call it the bronx. the "poor" district of san giovanni a teduccio in the eastern suburbs of naples. the district is gripped by poverty, unemployment, and the mafia. but it's here that napoli's energy revolution began. >> it was good to start from here, because we want a socially fair energy transition. we must fight climate change and social injustice together. and that's what we've done here.

>> italy's first "energy community" was created on the roof of this building. 166 solar panels produce electricity for 40 families. energy has become part of a social project here. the former orphanage of the "famiglia di maria" foundation is a drop-in center for families. a place where children can go, to save them from exploitation by the camorra. but there are risks involved. >> this hole comes from a bullet fired in front of the entrance of the foundation that hit this wall. a blatant sign of organized crime, one of the biggest problems here. they want to show that places like this are not wanted. because we educate the children to respect the laws. our weapons are books, musical instruments, and even solar panels. >> gennaro is eleven years old. he comes to the foundation every day, and it's made him an environmental activist.

children play an important role: they're the ones who persuaded their parents to participate in the energy project. we installed more solar panels here, and over there. and also on this side. >> it makes me happy, because at least we are doing something for the climate. > i told my mamma that it's good for the environment and you also save money. >> pasquale cirillo has been working for the foundation for 20 years, but for him, it is about much more than alternative energy. >> we try to give these kids a chance. we tell them, ok, this is a difficult neighborhood, there are many ugly things, but there is also something beautiful. a place where you can do theater and music, where there are people who'll listen to you, who can help you. you have opportunities here.

>> whether it's for foosball, environment workshops or making music, over a hundred kids come every day, in all seasons. >> show us what you've got! wow! [chatter] >> we want the electricity project to show families that we care. the first energy community was not created in the city center, but here, in naples' east. we are the first to do it. finally, residents no longer see themselves as the last ones, the forgotten ones, who always get the leftovers. no, this time we are the first. >> the facility cost 100,000 euros, financed by the "con il sud" foundation. the families are now entrepreneurs, who not only use the electricity, but also sell it. for several months now, the facility has been producing green electricity at the foot of vesuvius.

♪ >> this energy community represents a new path for this district. there are still many unsolved environmental and social problems, and the mafia is still present. but this is finally a positive story. >> following their example, in the next few months, dozens of new energy communities are to be set up all over southern italy. ♪ >> the cost-of-living crisis has hit turkey hard. people there are spending exorbitant amounts, even on staple foods like bread. turks are paying almost 80% more on average than this time last year for everything they need to live. it's the weak currency that's driving prices up more than anything. president erdogan is doing too little, and above all, the

wrong things to curb inflation, say turkish economists. meanwhile, families are becoming increasingly desperate as they try to make ends meet. >> naciye is preparing dinner for the whole family. there's rice with beans, soup, and a fresh salad. meat is usually part of a turkish meal as well. but right now, that's out of the question. >> we only have meat on special occasions now. we can't afford it anymore. at these prices, how could we? >> germany is currently experiencing 7% or 8% inflation, these are numbers that turkey can only dream of. prices have risen by almost 80 percent within a year -- officially. economists say it's much more. how will this end? everything is extremely expensive -- energy, rent and food.

>> my father used to easily feed his 12 children on one salary. and that was on minimum wage. nowadays, you can't even feed one child on that salary. why is it like that? why are we in this situation? >> vahide is married and has a daughter. for her brother kadir, it's not an option right now. a wedding would cost many months' wages. >> forget about it. the bride's family wants 3 or 4 gold bracelets as dowry. i asked the jeweler, that is 90 thousand lira. how can i afford that? how can i get married? and i can't even think about having children. >> eight of them live in a small house in a poor neighborhood of istanbul, sharing three rooms. the parents receive a small pension. kadir works as a car mechanic, earning minimum wage. kadir and one of his brothers

are the only ones bringing money home. there are many families in the same situation in turkey, with too little to live on. around 60% of all employees work in the loma ridge sector, many on minimum wage. the government has just raised the minimum wage, for the second time this year, to 5,500 lira -- about 310 euros. for kadir, it hardly makes a difference. >> it didn't help, because right after that, the prices of goods went up as well. no matter where you look, everything is more expensive. it just isn't enough. 5,500? it's impossible. >> the election is coming up next year, and erdogan must be worried about holding on. for him, only the economy counts. growth at any cost. inflation is rising, but interest rates remain low at the behest of the

presidential palace. >> first and foremost, we have supported production in all areas so it doesn't come to a standstill, and we don't have a fall in employment. 30.5 million people are currently employed. export figures are hovering around 250 billion dollars. this proves our efforts are working. >> the fall-out is enormous. few benefit and many suffer. the central bank should raise interest rates drastically to curb inflation, says economist özlem derici tengüll. but the president sees interest rates themselves as the root of all evil. >> they're making an experiment, reducing inflation by cutting interest rates, instead of hiking them. the main rationale is to boost production, increase efficiency, but the mathematics of economics does not work that way.

>> "we can't get away" is the name of a platform that cihan uyanik helped to build. he studies engineering and is currently writing his doctoral thesis. the initiative's goal is to show people that others ar going through the same struggles. >> people feel abandoned with their problems. they don't know how they're going to get by. and they just keep retreating. first the pandemic, and now this. it's not easy. >> they can barely pay their bills. so they take to the streets and protest against the skyrocketing costs of living and launch petitions against rising rents. and it'sot simple a country where the power of the state dominates everything. but they tell it like it is. >> when fuel bills shot up, we made people aware that customers are being charged 210 cents for 30 cents of electricity that's seven times the price. and who pockets those big profits? the energy companies.

>> their main demands are for energy companies to be nationalized, more social housing, and aid for farmers. but they probably won't be met. on the international stage, president erdogan presents himself as a strong leader -- and diverts attention away from the problems back home. for example, in his resistance to finland and sweden joining nato. but that's of little concern to kadir and his family right now. they want the government to finally think about people like them. he feels there's no real future in turkey anymore. anyone who can is packing their bags. >> the first chance i get, i'm leaving. i'm stuck here for the moment, but i want to get out. i want to head to england, germany, or france. i don't care where i go, i just want to get away.

>> not much is expected to change before the elections next year. everyone assumes prices will go on rising. and they have no idea where this all is leading. >> so, what do you buy when you go the pharmacy? maybe not necessarily what you see behind me here. but a few hundred years ago, a scorpion like this was considered a veritable remedy! and there was much more besides. if you're looking for somewhere quirky to visit in northern europe, in the estonian capital of tallinn, you can immerse yourself in the world of miracle cures from times gone by. ♪ >> a stuffed crocodile was a must for any self-respecting pharmacy in the middle ages. anything exotic was considered a remedy. so the council pharmacy in tallinn, estonia, also used it to woo customers. medicines have been sold here in the building opposite the

town hall since 1422. in the museum next door, birgitta laanmets explains to tourists from tallinn and saaremaa what was sold back then. >> hedgehog spines were lit and smoked. they believed it purified the building's aura and protected against disease. hedgehog incense, you could say. >> they also learn that hedgehog herein was used as eyedrops. >> i don't want anyone's urine in my eyes. [laughter] >> dried toads were hung under the roof to keep away plague, and worm oil apparently strengthened the immune system. in the cellar, birgitta explains another sales strategy of the medieval pharmacist -- customers were given a strong, spiced red wine to lift the spirits and loosen the tongue.

the customers could offload their worries and were then in the mood to buy some pharmaceutical remedies. >> tastes like port. or mulled wine. ♪ >> for those who aren't sure about viper ointment and bats' blood, modern medications are sold next door. one ancient remedy can still be bought in tallinn council pharmacy: marzipan. ♪ >> marzipan improves your mood and helps against heartbreak. and in small doses, it's completely harmless. >> 600 years of pharmaceutical knowledge, alive and well in tallinn. >> finally, medicine that tastes good! that is all we have time for today. thank you for watching. from everyone here at "focus on europe." goodbye and see you next time. ♪

[captioning made possible by democracy now!] ♪ amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> president biden: we will forgive 10,000 dollars in outstanding student loans. in addition, students who come from low income families which allow them to qualify to receive a pell grant will have their debt reduced $20,000. amy: president biden announces a student debt relief plan tha