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The Balkans Today
The Balkans Today: 14th - 20th March 2016
Our team brings you live updates of the most important events and developments in the Balkans as they happen.
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by Balkan Newsbeat via twitter 3/14/2016 6:40:03 AM -
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Top stories from the Balkans today:- A growing number of schools in Sarajevo are offering Turkish and Arabic lessons - testament to the growing clout of Turkey and the Arab world among Bosnia's Muslims.
Opposition politicians in Kosovo have reiterated their demand for early elections as the only solution to the political crisis - while government MPs insist the answer is further dialogue.
Six of 11 suspects charged with joining Islamist militants in Syria told a court in Macedonia's capital on Friday that they are ready to plead guilty in exchange for lower sentences.
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Charles and Camilla to begin tour of Balkans: Charles and Camilla are set to visit Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro... bit.ly/1QQP9mbby VOFN Croatia via twitter 3/14/2016 8:23:05 AM -
Three drowned bodies, believed to be refugees, were found in the Suva Reka river in Macedonia on Monday morning, authorities confirmed.
The police are investigating the case, trying to determine the victims' identities and whether they have been part of a group that illegally entered Macedonian from Greece.
Refugees in Macedonia. Photo: Anadolu Agency
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Winds of around 170km per hour battered Croatia's coastline on Sunday evening. This video of people filming on the bridge connecting the island of Pag with the Croatian mainland shows the full force of the gales.
by sven.milekic via YouTube 3/14/2016 11:29:10 AM -
The two main parties in the Bosnian city of Mostar - the Croat Democratic Union, HDZBiH, and Party of Democratic Action, SDA - have still not reached an agreement on the city's electoral reform, senior HDZBiH member Borjana Kristo told Turkey's state-led news outlet, Anadolu Agency.
The two parties need to find a compromise to change Mostar's electoral statute, which was declared unconstitutional by the Bosnian Constitutional Court, to be able to organise local elections this year.
Borjana Kristo | Photo: Facebook -
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Leader of the Islamic Community in Serbia, Sandzak mufti Muamer Zukorlic, officially resigned from his position on Monday to be able to run in the upcoming Serbian elections as the leader of the Bosniak Democratic Union list.Zukorlic explained his resignation by saying he does not want in any way to allow his political activities to have a negative effect on the Islamic community.
Sandzak mufti Muamer Zukorlic | Photo: Facebook -
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In an opinion editorial published in the International New York Times today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, warns that the deal the European Council is discussing with Turkey to stem the flow of refugees runs contrary to human rights standards.“The automatic forced return that the deal allows is illegal and will be ineffective” he writes. “Instead of racking their brains to find a legal fig leaf for measures like collective expulsions, the European Council’s members should have the courage to scrap the deal. They should adopt bold measures at the summit meeting this week that would radically shift the union’s approach to migration.”Among the measures the Commissioner’s recommends are a more prominent EU role in finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria, a ramped-up relocation of asylum seekers from Greece and Italy and more legal avenues available to refugees to seek protection in Europe. -
The leader of the Bulgarian far-right party Ataka Volen Siderov, and his fellow party member Desislav Chukolov, were convicted of hooliganism by the Sofia City Court on Monday.The two politicians were at the centre of several incidents last year, including rushing into the building of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, NATFIZ, in Sofia and abusing students, policemen and citizens.Siderov and Chukolov pleaded guilty to three hooliganism charges in exchange for probation sentences – nine months and six months respectively.
The leader of Ataka Volen Siderov |Photo: Facebook -
Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov has “ordered” members of his party, centre-right GERB, to propose legal amendments that will remove the ban on camping and parking on all Bulgarian beaches, which was approved by MPs just two weeks ago.The parliament's decision was followed by a proposal by the Ministry of Tourism for a total ban of wild camping not only at the seaside, but across the country's whole territory.This provoked outrage among citizens, environmental activists and fishermen, who protested in Sofia over the weekend and have another mass rally planned for Monday evening.
Citizens blocked central streets of Sofia with tents and campers to protest against the ban over the past two weeks. |Photo: Facebook -
Bosnia citizen Fatih Hasanovic has declared himself guilty of joining the Islamic State in Syria during his hearing in Sarajevo on Monday, prosecutor Dubravko Campara said.He is the second Bosnian citizen to plead guilty of this offence after Emin Hodzic did so on March 7.Eight other Bosnian citizens currently have cases against them for allegedly leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina in the second half of 2013 and during 2014 with the goal of aiding or fighting for Islamic State.
Bosnia State Prosecution | Photo: BIRN -
The two US-made guided missiles found by Serbian authorities at Belgrade airport on Saturday were training models, without any explosives in them that were being returned to their manufacturer, the Lebanese army said on Monday."They belonged to the Lebanese army, which decided to send them back to the American company that manufactured them upon agreement with it, in accordance with legal and administrative procedures, and after training with them had been completed,” the Lebanese army said in a statement carried by the National News Agency.Bomb-sniffing dogs alerted Serbian authorities to the Hellfire missiles, packed in wooden crates, after they arrived at Belgrade airport on an Air Serbia flight from Beirut. They were due to be transferred to another plane headed for Portland, Oregon.
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Montenegro's Special State Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the recent Commercial Cooperation Agreement between Montenegro Airlines and Etihad Airways, according to the local newspaper Pobjeda.
The prosecution said it will focus on a proposed codeshare agreement between the two companies, which would see the Montenegrin carrier place its codes on a number of Etihad's flights. However, it is unclear as to why the agreement is being investigated, with the Prosecutor's office refusing to comment on the case. -
Prince Charles and Camilla landed in Croatia on Monday for a two-day visit of the country, and met with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic and Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic in Zagreb upon arrival.
This is the first leg of their regional tour of the Balkans, which will include visits to Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo.
Camilla, Charles, Kolinda Graba Kitarovic and her husband Jakov. | Photo: BETAPHOTO/HINA/DAMIR GRZELJ/MO -
LIVE from Chamilo as refugees attempt to cross river on Greek-Macedonian border
by marija.ristic via YouTube 3/14/2016 4:34:31 PM -
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Refugee deaths at fYR #Macedonia border. Watch again as I say: keep political agreement then EU must show solidarity youtu.be/Fe7iSA3_GHMby richardhowitt via twitter 3/14/2016 4:40:43 PM -
Footage of the 'human chain' that helped #migrants across the river in #Macedonia today, via Jorge Martinby Balkan Newsbeat via twitter 3/14/2016 8:16:53 PM
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VIDEO: Refugees and migrants, including young children, wade through river in bid to get to Macedonia: apne.ws/250AsV4by The Associated Press via twitter 3/14/2016 8:20:11 PM -
Proposed EU-Turkey deal on refugees shows "disturbing disregard for international law"
//www.facebook.com/HumanRightsWatch/posts/10153956340134354 -
Ahead of general elections in Serbia on Sunday 24th April, it is clear that current prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, is king of all the surveys, that the Democratic Party has a bleak future, that the Kosovo issue is an afterthought and that the hard-right are likely to make a comeback. The question remains, however, as to whether or not Vucic is promising too much. Read more.
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Top stories from the Balkans today:
- Balkan-made arms and munitions have come into the possession of opposition groups fighting the Assad government in Syria, military analysis has revealed.
- Croatia pulled out of international arbitration over its disputed maritime borders with Slovenia last year, but has been told to restate its claim that Ljubljana has compromised the process.
- Efforts to make Bulgaria’s business climate more attractive for foreign investors are paying off as FDI levels bounce back, but corruption and judicial reform remain key challenges.
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Macedonian police started returning refugees to Greece who entered Macedonia illegally on Monday afternoon near the border village of Moin, after trekking along the border from the Idomeni camp and crossing through a gap in the barbed wire fence.
Meanwhile, local media are reporting that migrants currently stranded in the camp are again grouping with the aim of taking the same alternative route to Macedonia.
At least 12,000 migrants have been stuck in the Idomeni camp for weeks. -
Macedonian government supporters are setting up tents in front of the Constitutional Court in Skopje, at the site where civic organisations and opposition parties announced a protest scheduled for Tuesday evening against the court's decision to discuss annulling a provision in the law barring the President from granting pardons.
Anti-government protesters say an annulment of the provision would open the way for those suspected of organising election fraud to be excused.
The latest development additionally raises fears of possible violence occurring between the two groups during the planned rally.
Government supporters are setting up tents in front of the Constitutional Court | Photo by: BIRN
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The Serbian government, on the proposal of the Republican Headquarters for Emergency Situations, terminated the country's state-of-emergency status on Tuesday, which was instated last week because of severe floods.
Floods in Novi Pazar, Serbia | Anadolu Agencu -
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Florin Popescu, a former Romanian MP, was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday on charges of corruption for bribing poor people with grilled chicken.
Popescu had asked a local investor to donate over 60 tonnes of cooked chicken, which he distributed to poor people in Romania as a way to incentivise them to vote for him.
Romanian MP jailed for bribing poor people with grilled chicken | Photo: RomaniaTV -
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HRH Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall will visit #Montenegro on Friday. Check out pics from HRH 1978 visit. twitter.com/ukinmontenegro…by MeGovernment via twitter 3/15/2016 3:37:01 PM -
Croatian Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic named retired 1990s general Tomo Medved as the new war veterans' minister on Monday.
The ministerial seat had been left empty when when Mijo Crnoja stepped down in late January after numerous allegations by the media were made against him.
Tihomir Oreskovic. | Photo: BETAPHOTO/HINA/Lana SLIVAR DOMINIC/DS -
Britain's Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, will arrive in Serbia on Wednesday as part of a six-day tour of Balkan countries.
During their two-day stay in Serbia, they will meet with President Tomislav Nikolic and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, the president's and prime minister's press offices said in a release.
The British royals will have a series of meetings and the heir to the throne will give a speech at a reception at the National Assembly on the second day of the visit.
Prince Charles | Photo: Facebook -
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Top stories from the Balkans today:
- Critics of the recent personnel changes at Croatian Radio-Television, HRT, say staff are being removed for purely political reasons, in a drive against perceived leftists.
- Coal-fired power plants in the Western Balkans are costing Europe billions of euros each years in health terms, a new study shows.
- Albania's government is spending millions of euros on improving neglected smaller towns – but some question the priorities.
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A Macedonian court ordered a 30-day detention for former ethnic Albanian rebel Gafur Dugolli, who was arrested by Macedonian police over allegations by Serbia that he committed war crimes.
Dugolli was detained by Macedonian police at the border with Kosovo on March 12 on an Interpol warrant issued by Serbia, which accuses him of committing war crimes in the southern town of Suva Reka and at the Lapusnik detention camp during the fighting in Kosovo.
Dugolli is now the director of the protocol office at Kosovo’s Ministry of Security Forces. -
Fahrudin Radoncic, the leader of the Alliance for the Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina, pleaded not guilty at a hearing at Bosnia's State Court on Wednesday.
"The trial will show all of the inventions and the tendentiousness of the Prosecutors, and I'm sure that the process will demonstrate my innocence," Radoncic said during the hearing.
His main hearing will be organised in the next 30 days, according to the court.
Radoncic was arrested on January 25 on suspicion that he obstructed the work of the judiciary and is now back in detention after a brief stint in hospital for heart problems.
Fahrudin Radoncic | Photo: Anadolu -
Why would the Constitutional Court close today’s session? Transparency is essential for any institution. #QuestionoftheDayby US Embassy Macedonia via twitter 3/16/2016 10:13:56 AM -
by Guardian Most Viewed via twitter 3/16/2016 10:27:04 AM -
Greek migration minister, Yannis Mouzalas, is under increased pressure from some of his fellow ministers to step down for failing to use the UN-adopted provisional name, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, when speaking about Greece’s northern neighbour Macedonia.
In a late-night interview on Tuesday, Mouzalas called it simply “Macedonia” when speaking about the ongoing refugee crisis and the people who are stranded in the Ideomeni migrant camp at the Greece-Macedonia border for weeks. -
In a closed session on Wednesday, Macedonia’s Constitutional Court approved the annulling of a provision in the law that bars the president from pardoning alleged election-riggers.
“Why would the Constitutional Court close today’s session? Transparency is essential for any institution,” the US embassy in Macedonia tweeted in reaction to the court’s session.
The court's decision comes after government opposition and supporters held rival rallies in Skopje on Tuesday night over the change to the law.
Let us defend the Constitution from the Constitutional Court, the banner says | Photo by: BIRN
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The collaborative team of Slovenian and Swiss architects has been chosen to overhaul the Home of Revolution ( Dom revolucije) located in Niksic, Montenegro’s second largest city.
The building was originally planned to represent the socio-political identity of the region, containing a war memorial, a theater and a music school. Construction started in September 1978, but it was suspended after 11 years.
Photo: Alfa Center.
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