The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 9 May 2024 to 16 May 2024.
Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
Romania - 15 May 2024
People convicted by the Romanian justice system who flee the country will have to pay for their repatriation, according to a law passed on Tuesday in response to the escape of several convicts in recent years; see here.
Serbia - 15 May 2024
Dusan Knezevic has been appointed temporary successor to Snezana Stanojkovic – whose mandate expired last year and whose work has been criticised for lack of results; see here.
Hungary - 15 May 2024
The Hungarian government pledged political support to Milorad Dodik as it hosted the Bosnian Serb leader in Budapest, saying it would vote against the UN resolution on Srebrenica. But there was no new Hungarian aid announced; see here.
Balkans - 14 May 2024
Corruption remains a serious concern for people across the Western Balkans, where trust in politicians is low but support for EU accession high, except in Serbia; see here.
Albania/Kosovo - 14 May 2024
The Ministry of the Interior of Albania, the Ministry of the Interior of Kosovo and the Ministry of the Interior of the United Kingdom have signed a Cooperation Declaration during the Ministerial held in Tirana; see here.
Bosnia - 14 May 2024
Leaders from Serbia and Bosnia’s Republika Srpska have been campaigning against the adoption of a UN resolution commemorating the Srebrenica genocide; see here.
Serbia - 14 May 2024
Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009 and was accepted as a candidate country in 2012, but little progress has been made since then, with the Belgrade government accused of democratic backsliding; see here.
Balkans - 13 May 2024
Farmers in Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia face similar challenges when trying to access funds from the European Union’s IPARD programme; see here.
Croatia - 13 May 2024
In the 20th century, many Croatian Jews had property confiscated first by the Fascists and then by the Communists. Decades later, their relations are still fighting for justice; see here.
North Macedonia - 9 May 2024
On Wednesday, North Macedonia saw a significant political shift to the nationalist right-wing amidst historic losses for the governing SDSM in presidential and parliamentary contests; see here.