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The Balkans Today
The Balkans Today: 14th - 23th December 2015
Our team brings you live updates of the most important events and developments in the Balkans as they happen.
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Opposition protesters have started to throw eggs and tomatoes at the Albanian parliament in the latest anti-government rally, calling for Prime Minster Edi Rama to step down.
Photo: BIRN/ Ivana Dervishi
Photo: BIRN/ Ivana Dervishi -
Bosnian cities Tuzla, Lukavac, Sarajevo and Zenica have been experiencing extremely high levels of air pollution in the last few days, warns NGO Eko Akcija, claiming the government is not doing enough to solve the problem.
Air pollution in Sarajevo | Photo: Flickr -
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“Tear gas cannot substitute the power of debate,” Kosovo President Jahjaga said in her year-end speech to the Assembly, criticising the actions of opposition MPs, who have boycotted the session.
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga addresses the assembly | Photo: BIRN -
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Security personnel are guarding the chamber and other locations at the Kosovo parliament with the Assembly currently in recess ahead of a second session that is expected to start soon, which opposition MPs have vowed to disrupt.
Security personnel guarding the chamber | Photo: BIRN -
The Kosovo assembly has reconvened in a cafeteria hall inside the parliament's building for its next session while opposition MPs, who had vowed to disrupt the session, are currently in the original chamber.A photograph of the chamber has been placed on the cafeteria wall in an apparent attempt to make it look more serious.
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Kosovo opposition MPs have been stopped by parliament security while trying to enter the alternative hall where a session is being held by only the ruling majority.Opposition representatives argue that without a written decision by the Assembly’s presidency their exclusion is illegal.
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USKOK has apologised for mistakenly calling economy minister Ivan Vrdoljak for interrogation instead of professional football player Ivica Vrdoljak in the embezzlement case against Dinamo Zagreb football club chief Zravko Mamic.
Ivan (left) and Ivica (right) Vrdoljak. -
Kosovo parliament has concluded today’s session – the last for 2015 – as one of the few since October in which tear gas was not set off.The opposition was barred from entering the alternative hall where the session was held despite MPs arguing they were willing to hold constructive discussions and the exclusion was illegal.
Kosovo reporter walking out of the assembly with a gas mask on her head | Photo: BIRN -
Croatian Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic showed support for a plan by Croatian citizens to cut the barbed-wire border fence blocking refugees from entering Slovenia via a Facebook post saying "Action save Bambies", referring to deers being caught in the wire.
Ranko Ostojic. | Photo: Facebook -
Watch scenes from today's anti-government protest in Tirana in which eggs were thrown as people called for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
by fatjona.mejdini via YouTube 12/17/2015 1:14:53 PM -
Discussed the measures #Bulgaria has successfully implemented at the external #EU borders. #EUCO #EPPSummit #Merkel http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWb_c_EVEAA9Q2S.jpg
by Boyko Borissov via twitter 12/17/2015 3:25:41 PM -
Bosnia's Regulatory Agency for Communications has decided to ban reality TV shows from airing before midnight following complaints that some shows incited ethnic hatred and domestic violence.
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by AnaPetruseva via twitter 12/17/2015 4:06:17 PM -
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Inspired by Croatian Interior Minister Ostojic's show of support today, Facebook page Dear refugees: Welcome to Croatia created a 'Let's save Bambi' event calling on citizens to cut the barbed wire fence on the Slovenian-Croatian border, which has caused a number of casualties to deers.
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Croatian and Slovenian Olympians and artists will play a volleyball match over razor wire fence on the borders in #Istria this Saturday Grad Pula
//www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1680218352261995&id=1605639466386551 -
I applaud @NATO decision on #Montenegro. It came at the right time. @MiroslavLajcak of #Slovakia #gmfeuropeby gmfus via twitter 12/17/2015 6:45:39 PM -
Russian all-women rock band and provocateurs, Pussy Riot, announced on Wednesday plans for a women-only museum in Montenegro.
In an interview with Artnet, the group’s Maria Alyokhina said that the New Balkan Women’s Museum would be be made by women, about women.
Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina | Photo: Wikimedia Commons. -
This was quick. Initial appearance of Jovica Stanišić & Franko Simatović is scheduled to be held tomorrow @ICTYnews jrad.unmict.org/webdrawer/webd…by marija.ristic via twitter 12/17/2015 8:03:32 PM -
EU-funded Centre 4 rehab of women victims of substance abuse opened in #Montenegro #EUfunds_MNE photo: Glavni grad http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWfcyvYWEAAaBaj.jpg
by Mitja Drobnič via twitter 12/18/2015 7:56:30 AM -
MOST president Bozo Petrov said yesterday evening that it will be decided by Tuesday who will receive the mandate to form a new government or new elections will be held.
Croatian kingmaker party MOST will meet with representatives of left- and right-wing coalitions at noon to discuss its conditions for forming a new government.
Bozo Petrov. | Photo: Facebook -
Croatia's interior minister Ranko Ostojic promised to pay the fine of an elderly woman whose arrest for jaywalking was published by police, saying on Facebook "it's not a way to treat a 66-year-old lady".
by sven.milekic via YouTube 12/18/2015 8:51:36 AM -
Former President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marovic was arrested on suspicion he abused his official position, said Montenegro's Special Prosecution, which has placed him in detention for 30 days.
Svetozar Marovic | Photo:dps.me -
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A Serbian police officer has hit a person in the migrant centre in Presevo, the Serbian Interior Ministry announced, condemning such actions and opening an investigation into the case.
Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic with armed police forces | Photo: Beta -
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EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn has hailed the adoption of an Albanian law to ban people with criminal records from holding public office.
EU Commissioner Hahn | Photo: Twitter -
Statement by @JHahnEU on the adoption of the #decriminalisation law in #Albania. ec.europa.eu/commission/201… -
Two Croatian citizens who used automatic rifles, pistols and explosives as part of celebrations at a wedding near Split have had criminal reports filed against them, with Croatian police yet to identify two others involved.
by sven.milekic via YouTube 12/18/2015 11:22:08 AM -
Mother Teresa will be declared a Roman Catholic saint by the Pope buff.ly/1IYjleD http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWgZk8lW4AA-0zL.jpg
by MetroUK via twitter 12/18/2015 11:57:43 AM -
#Russia says #NATO's decision to invite #Montenegro is destabilizing.Nonsense. ow.ly/W20mo #RussianMyths http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWgCR00WEAAMgO-.jpg
by Carmen Romero via twitter retweeted by MeGovernment 12/18/2015 12:14:07 PM -
Bosnia has not been directly involved in the refugee crisis because it is "mostly a country for transit… not a country of destination," the Bosnian Ministry of Security said today, adding it is still closely following the crisis in neighbouring countries.
Refugees entering Croatia from Serbia | Photo: BETA -
A new US missile defence base in Romania, which will defend against potential attacks from Iran, has been completed, the US and Romania announced.
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After posting bail totalling over 1.8 million euro in cash and real estate, Dinamo Zagreb football club president Zdravko Mamic will leave custody prison where he has been held on embezzlement suspicions.
Zdravko Mamic. | Photo: Beta -
Točno u podne svi brodovi Jadrolinije spustili su zastave na pola jarbola i oglasili se brodskim sirenama u lukama na Jadranu u znak žalosti za sve one koji su izgubili svoje živote u potrazi za sigurnim domom...
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Today at noon all ships of Croatian state company Jadrolinija lowered flags to half and sounded the ships' sirens at the ports on the Adriatic Sea in a sign of mourning for those who lost their lives in search of a safe home.
Click to view Facebook Video -
Bravo Pula! :)
The city of Pula is organizing a volleyball match via wire on the border with Slovenia :)
//www.facebook.com/dobrodosli.dragi.imigranti/posts/929975647056703 -
Representatives of Republika Srpska's Interior Ministry and SIPA signed the new cooperation agreement today, as announced by the Prime Minister of RS on Monday.
SIPA policemen | Photo: SIPA -
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The European Commission has adopted the final report on Kosovo's progress towards visa liberalisation, after the EU rebuffed the country's entry to the system on Tuesday. -
#Cyprus cannot provide a model for how to address #Kosovo during #Serbia's #EU accession. My comments @OnlineDanas danas.rs/danasrs/politi…by JamesKerLindsay via twitter 12/19/2015 1:27:01 PM
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