Balkans

Turkey must respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all EU member states, particularly Greece and Cyprus, but Ankara remains a key partner, the EU Commission’s latest country report notes. The Commission’s enlargement package was presented by Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi on Wednesday. It assessed the progress made by Western …

The Albanian President Bajram Begaj called a meeting of the National Security Council in Tirana on Monday, with senior government officials in attendance, to discuss matters related to the ongoing cyberattacks against state infrastructure by Iran. Over the weekend, the Homeland Justice Telegram channel, which has served as an outlet …

Russia says that European sanctions block the energy transfer to Turkiye and Balkan region, Reuters reports. According to the report, the Russian operator of a pipeline that supplies Turkiye and the Balkans with natural gas, South Stream Transport B.V, would suspend some maintenance and repair work, citing European Union sanctions, …

Bosnia’s international peace overseer imposed changes to the election law aimed to prevent blockades of a regional government after polls closed in presidential and parliamentary vote on Sunday. Former German politician Christian Schmidt, who has vast powers as international High Representative in Bosnia, acted to enable a more effective work …

The EU has always been tempted to hatch deals with powerful politicians – but this has only cemented the unhealthy grip of ethno-politics on the country. Despite the proximity of general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country’s High Representative, Christian Schmidt, has continued to flirt with the incomprehensible step …

From golden passports to gambling, retroactive building permits to a ‘no-questions-asked’ policy on undeclared assets, Albania’s government is trying to unlock funds but risks unleashing criminality, experts warn. Seeking a quick fix to Albania’s economic woes, the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama wants to lift a ban on gambling, …

Like ‘corruption’ a few years ago, geopolitics has become a concept that is seen as explaining pretty much everything – but is it anything more than a cheap rhetorical ploy? As general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina draw near on October 2, much of the focus of the politicians seem …

Recently-published census data shows that the number of Serbs and other ethnic groups living in Croatia has fallen – another sign that the country’s minorities need stronger legal protection amid continuing attacks on their rights. A long-awaited batch of data from last year’s population census in Croatia was finally released …

Sunday’s election for the tripartite presidency is a race between some of the best-known faces on Bosnia’s much-maligned political scene. New faces are hard to find on ballot papers in this weekend’s race for the tripartite presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The October 2 vote, part of elections across the …

President Erdogan and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu say Turkey will send more troops and arms to northern Cyprus after the Biden administration lifts defense trade restrictions to Greek Cypriots. Turkey has vowed to reinforce its military presence in northern Cyprus, where it already has about 40,000 troops, adding to tensions with …