The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 25 April 2024 to 2 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.
Balkans - 2 May 2024
Civil society groups are pushing for all women in Europe to have access to abortion, regardless of where they live, in a petition that could be considered by the EU executive if it wins enough support; see here.
Balkans - 2 May 2024
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns has sounded the alarm over the security situation in the Western Balkans in Parliament, cautioning that the region could become a stage for a potential “third global, major conflict” alongside Ukraine and Gaza if preventative action is not taken; see here
Balkans - 2 May 2024
Balkan traffickers have mastered the logistics of smuggling cocaine from South America to Europe, authorities say. On land and sea, police are scrambling to keep pace; see here.
Balkans - 1 May 2024
Could a cascade of ECT withdrawals drive new path to net-zero and shift in investment arbitration? Investors are bringing a rising number of energy arbitration claims against states, driven by the pace of transition to renewables and the increase in environmental, social and governance (ESG) and climate-related regulations; see here.
North Macedonia - 1 May 2024
Comment - North Macedonia will hold parliamentary elections on Wednesday, May 8. The elections take place amid political tensions within the country, increased disillusionment with democratic reforms, and aspirations of European Union membership. This piece examines North Macedonia’s challenging relationship with itself and others; see here.
Montenegro - 30 April 2024
Dusko Knezevic, once a close ally of former President Milo Djukanovic, was extradited to Montenegro to face charges of involvement in corrupt financial deals; see here.
Serbia - 30 April 2024
Serbian Prime Minister-designate Milos Vucevic named two pro-Russian, US-sanctioned politicians as members of his new cabinet, which will also include a far-right party leader; see here.
Romania - 29 April 2024
Police arrested the fugitive Prince Paul-Philippe of Romania, who has been trying to evade a jail sentence for corrupt activities in his home country, at a resort in Malta; see here
Kosovo - 28 April 2024
Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said that in May he will legalize same-sex unions and work to meet the rights and needs of minority ethnic communities, including the Serbian minority; see here.
Kosovo - 26 April 2024
The head of the Kosovo government’s Missing Persons Commission said the EU’s foreign policy chief hasn’t replied to concerns about last year’s declaration with Serbia on finding missing persons from the 1998-99 war, which isn’t being implemented yet; see here.