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The Balkans Today
The Balkans Today: 15th - 21st February 2016
Our team brings you live updates of the most important events and developments in the Balkans as they happen.
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Top stories from the Balkans today:- The Goethe Institut said a growing number of Bosnians seeking work visas in Germany are using falsified language diplomas - having never even attended a course with them
- New survey shows Bulgaria's Prime Minister is getting the lion's share of space in the media compared to other public figures - while trust in the media generally is dropping.
- The new Star Wars movie will be part-filmed in the Croatian resort of Dubrovnik in March, bringing the city additional prestige among film fans and marketing potential.
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The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has confirmed Slobodan Pavlovic, the owner of Pavlovic Bank, and three of his collaborators will be detained for 30 days.All four were arrested last week on accusations of money laundering, abuse of power and forgery of official documents. -
by Reuters News via twitter 2/15/2016 10:45:34 AM -
Montenegro marked an important step on its road towards NATO membership today, beginning two days of accession talks in Brussels.
The talks cover the details of membership including political, military and legal questions.
Following the talks, the next step will be for allies to sign an Accession Protocol, after which Montenegro will begin attending NATO meetings as an invitee.
Once all allies have ratified the protocol, Montenegro will be able to accede to the Washington Treaty and become the 29th member of the Alliance.
Photo: NATO. -
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Serbia Eyes Trademark Opposition System, Appoints New Patent Office Head - Intellectual Property Watch dlvr.it/KWHlcGby GetTMarked via twitter 2/15/2016 1:47:32 PM -
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The US ambassador to Romania, Hans Klemm, has criticised the country's controversial anti-defamation bill, which Romania's parliament has to vote on this week.
Klemm, whose view on the bill echoes many other critical voices in the country, said on Monday in Bucharest that free speach is fundamental to a democratic society and no law should restrict this.
The US ambassador to Romania, Hans Klemm | Photo: US Embassy in Bucharest -
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina today confirmed the indictment against Bosnian politician and tycoon Fahrudin Radoncic, politician Bakir Dautbasic and his partner Bilsena Sahman, and an employee of the US embassy in Bosnia, Zijad Hadzijahic, for obstructing the work of the judiciary and pressuring witnesses."The court has confirmed the accusation in its entirety," Bosnia's Prosecution told BIRN.Radoncic was arrested on January 25 and is currently held under a 30-day detention period.
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Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov rejected the idea of increasing security on the Greek border with Bulgaria and Macedonia during a meeting he attended today with the member countries of the Visegrad Group - an alliance between Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia - focused on the refugee crisis.“Taking unilateral measures will not lead to sustainable results. We can solve the problems, related to the migration flows only with the active contribution of all the countries on the [Balkan] route, especially Greece,” Borisov said on his official Facebook page.
Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov with his Czech counterpart Bohislav Sobotka in Prague on Monday. | Photo: Facebook -
Top stories from the Balkans today:
- Bulgarian transport companies are planning to sue Greece for the financial losses - estimated to be over €10 million - they have suffered as a result of border blockades.
- A network of European religious liberties groups has criticised Montenegro’s draft law on religious freedom, alleging that it would violate the rights it says it intends to protect.
- Prominent journalists in Croatia have raised fears that Vice-Prime Minister Tomislav Karamarko will try to gain control over the country’s public broadcaster, Croatian Radio-Television, HRT.
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Bosnia's Minister of Civil Affairs, Adil Osmanovic, announced that the country's 2013 census results will soon be released, news agency Srna reported.The European Commission urged Bosnia to publish the census prior to the country submitting its EU application, because of its relevance to the integration process.The census was completed in October 2013, but the data was never published due to disputes between the statistical agencies of the country's two entitites.
Adil Osmanovic | Photo: Youtube -
A fire engulfed the facade of the building in central Skopje shared by Macedonia's state power company ELEM and Austrian power distribution company EVN this morning, but is now under control, the fire department said.
The building is currently being revamped in faux-baroque style as part of the government-funded Skopje 2014 project.
Photo by: MIA
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Civil society activists are protesting in Tirana's lakeside park against the municipality's plan to build a children's playground on the site, which would require trees to be cut down, despite citizens not reaching consensus on the project.
Video: Alida Karakushi -
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has sacked the Minister of Finance, Shkelqim Cani, and replaced him with the Minister of Economy, Arben Ahmetaj.Deputy health minister Milva Ekonomi will now take over as head of the Ministry of Economy while Cani will still remain a member of the Socalist Party.This is the first change in Rama's Socialist Party government lineup since he was elected PM in June 2013.
Prime Minister Edi Rama with Cani on his left and Ahmetaj on his right | Photo: LSA/Malton Dibra -
Bosnia's House of Representatives refused to include a request from delegates of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, who wanted to discuss the modality of the adoption of the coordination mechanism for EU integration, in its agenda for the parliament's session held on Tuesday morning.The mechanism was adopted two weeks ago in 'secret' by the Council of Ministers, which has been criticised by the government of Republika Srpska, which claims to have been excluded from the negotiations.
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The hearing for Bosnian businessman and politician Fahrudin Radoncic began this morning in the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will decide whether to extend his detention period.
Fahrudin Radoncic | Photo: SBBBiH -
In an extraordinary press conference today, Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik said he is ready to give his testimony to prosecutors regarding a controversial loan he took out with Pavlovic Bank, but will only "do it in [his entity's capital] Banja Luka" as he "doesn't feel safe in Sarajevo."He also accused Bosnian foreign minister Igor Crnadak of organising the investigation against him "together with the USA" and warned that he will never forget this, adding "revenge is a dish which must be served cold, never warm."Dodik also commented on the arrest of tycoon-politician Fahrudin Radoncic, saying that it was "politically motivated" and called on everyone "to stay away from Sarajevo."
Milorad Dodik | Photo: SNSD -
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos is to explain to Parliament on Wednesday why Romania's Antena Group TV station has been ordered to move out of its premises.
The state confiscated the studios last year following a court decision to recuperate damages from the station's former owner, businessman and politician Dan Voiculescu, who is in jail for money laundering.
Romanian TV company Antena Group is to leave its premises following court decision | Photo: Tv caption -
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Only 27 per cent of Bulgarian citizens had trust in the Bulgarian government as of February, while the level of public confidence in the president and the parliament is even lower - 25 per cent and 16 per cent respectively - according to the Political and Economic Index for February 2016 by polling agency Galup International.The results also showed that the majority of Bulgarians (24%) would vote for the leading party in the ruling coalition, Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, GERB, while only 12 per cent would vote for the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP.
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Russia notes that Serbia is developing relations with NATO, but counts on the country adhering to the policy of military neutrality, representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, told Beta agency on Tuesday.
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Politician Bakir Dautbasic, who is currently under house arrest, is still the Alliance for the Better Future of Bosnia and Herzegovina's candidate for Minister of Transport and Communications, the party's deputy president, Mirsad Donlagic, confirmed on Tuesday.Dautbasic was arrested on January 11 on accusations that he obstructed the work of Bosnia's judiciary.
Bakir Dautbasic (right) | Photo: Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina -
Investigative journalist Zeljko Peratovic said he will leave the Croatian Journalists' Association, HND, because it did not ensure legal assistance for him after he was beaten by three assailents in his home in May 2015.
In response, HND's president Sasa Lekovic said Peratovic is not telling the truth and that he received all the help they could offer. -
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Republika Srpska's only delegate in the working group responsible for updating the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Bosnia and the EU walked out of its first session today, which was attended by representatives of the European Commission.The Commission has asked Bosnia to update the commercial quota in the agreement to take into consideration the country's traditional connection with Croatia.Authorities from Republika Srpska, however, oppose the updating of the agreement, claiming that doing this would hurt farmers and local production.
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There is no deal on media reforms ahead of Macedonia’s early election, said EU mediator Peter Vanhoutte after Tuesday’s marathon EU-brokered talks between the government and opposition that lasted well after midnight.
Media reforms and purification of the voters list are among the top priorities the country must fulfill before holding elections aimed to end the deep political crisis.
EU mediator Peter Vanhoutte | Photo by: MIA
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Top stories from the Balkans today:
- Kosovo opposition parties have vowed a peaceful protest, but the recent history of their opposition rallies suggests violence may flare again in the streets of Pristina.
- Medium-sized Italian and Turkish companies are showing most interest in investing in Albania - with tourism and energy seen as the most attractive sectors.
- Romania's tourist board is hoping to triple the number of Russian tourists by offering bargain wellness holidays at the seaside for as little as 10 euro a night.
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Two Bosnian citizens - M.S. from Gracanica and O.A.K. from Bosanska Dubica - accused of having fought for IS were arrested yesterday after Turkey handed them over to Bosnian authorities, SIPA announced.Over 200 Bosnian citizens have fought in Syria and Iraq in the last four years, according to Bosnian authorities, and at least 26 of them have reportedly died in the conflict in the Middle East.
A recruitment video that ISIS made for the Balkans last year. -
Bosniak politician and media tycoon Fahrudin Radoncic has been released from his month-long stint in custody today, Bosnia's N1 television network confirmed.His release comes after the Bosnian State Court rejected the request from the state prosecution to extend Radoncic's detention for another month, but as a guarantee that he will not leave the country, he has had to hand over his passport to authorities.
Fahrudin Radoncic | Photo: SBBBiH -
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Top stories from the Balkans today:
- The recent Serbia-NATO agreement has sparked a stormy public debate over whether the country is surrendering its military neutrality by degrees.
- Bosnian women's NGOs are demanding an end to what they call the discriminatory system of maternity benefits in the Federation entity.
- After 15 years of scaling the political and economic heights, controversial Bulgarian politician and businessman Delyan Peevski is under fire.
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Kosovo police arrested Dardan Molliqaj, a high-ranking official of opposition movement Vetevendosje, on Thursday morning for damaging EULEX vehicles during a stunt pulled by opposition officials in 2009.
His arrest comes a day after a major anti-government rally in Pristina, during which opposition leaders gave Prime Minister Isa Mustafa's government an ultimatum to resign before February 27, or protests will continue.
Molliqai is the ninth opposition official to be arrested in relation to the stunt. -
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It's here! The 200th edition of #Belgrade Insight! Read it while it's hot: bit.ly
//www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1066215680104940&id=104116592981525 -
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Montenegro's parliament began debating PM Milo Djukanovic's request today to dismiss Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic.
Djukanovic asked the parliament to remove Konjevic after his Social Democratic Party voted against the government in the no-confidence vote held in January.
Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic | Photo: gov.me -
Shpetim Idrizi, leader of Albania's Party for Justice, Integration and Unity, PDIU, which represents the country's Cham community, has exchanged a heated debate with Albania's Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati, in parliament regarding what Idrizi called "the Albania state's lack of preparation to deal with Greece about the Cham issue."Idrizi also asked Bushati to issue a note of protest to Greece's Foreign Ministry over its use of the term Vorio Epirus during a conference. Some Albanians deem this term offensive as while under this name in 1914, Greece attempted to annexe land belonging to southern Albania.
Shpetim Idrizi | Photo: LSA/Malton Dibra -
The Hague Tribunal will hand down its verdict in the landmark trial of Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic on March 24, the ICTY said on Thursday.Karadzic is facing 11 charges, including accusations that he committed genocide during the Bosnian war.
Radovan Karadzic in court in The Hague. Photo: BETA.
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