The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 18 July 2024 - 25 July 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 - 25 July 2024
Romanian long jumper Florentina Costina Iusco will not compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics after a decision by The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) successfully appealed a decision by the National Anti-Doping Organisation of Romania (NADO); see here.
Bulgaria - 25 July 2024
The European Commission (EC) said that it has decided to take Bulgaria to the EU Court of Justice for failing to correctly transpose EU rules on the right to information in criminal proceedings, on accessibility of products and services for persons with disabilities and for restricting the temporary provision of social services; see here.
Balkans - 24 July 2024
The European Commission has published the 5th annual Rule of Law Report, examining key developments in all Member States and, for the first time, four candidate countries from the Western Balkans – Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia; see here.
Greece/Turkey - 24 July 2024
Council of State approves court decision to extradite Turkish businessman and fugitive Ali Yesildag, who was arrested while trying to enter Greece illegally last November; see here.
Bosnia - 24 July 2024
Bosnia’s top court temporarily suspends an election law passed by Republika Srpska (RS), which transferred authority to conduct elections from the country’s central government institutions to local Serb authorities; see here.
Kosovo - 23 July 2024
Ex-KLA Supremo Bislim Zyrapi’s Testimony at Thaci Trial Bolsters Both Prosecution and Defence Cases; see here
Croatia - 23 July 2024
The sale of Medvedchukʼs yacht was stopped because the district court of the city of Split (Croatia) cancelled the seizure of Medvedchukʼs yacht Royal Romance; see here.
Kosovo - 23 July 2024
Comment - Some imams use derogatory language about women in sermons, videos and social media posts, but the official organisation representing the country’s Muslims seems reluctant to take any action; see here.
Balkans - 21 July 2024
Comment - Revenge pornography is rife in the western Balkans. Ahead of EU accession, abuse laws need radical reform; see here.
Montenegro - 19 July 2024
Australian drug kingpin Vaso Ulic has been caught in a dramatic police sting on a massive cocaine smuggling operation after years on the run. The one-time Kings Cross identity - whose underworld network is allegedly so huge he is known as the new Pablo Escobar - was arrested over a 2.5-tonne shipment; see here.
Serbia - 19 July 2024
Serbia and the EU signed a memorandum of understanding on critical raw materials that will enable a major lithium-mining project, which has sparked major protests, to go ahead despite environmental concerns; see here.