Balkans

Republika Srpska would postpone competency transfer decision

Serb entity Republika Srpska would defer the decision transferring competencies from the central state government to the entity level that parliament adopted last year, Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tripartite presidency, told Serbian daily Politika in an interview. The decision is a direct consequence of Germany …

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Petition against Russia sanctions presented in Belgrade

A petition against imposing sanctions on Russia was presented in Belgrade on Monday after signatures were collected from 200 public figures, including the academics Matija Becković, Kosta Čavoški and Vasilije Krestić, Serbian Orthodox Church bishops Irinej and David, filmmaker Emir Kusturica and former ambassador to Russia, Slavenko Terzić. The petition …

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Bulgarians reject Russia as model state

Only a quarter of Bulgarians trust Russian President Vladimir Putin as support for him has continued to decline since the start of the war, a nationally representative survey by Alpha Research has found. The drop in Putin’s rating in Bulgaria in just one year is remarkable – a year ago, …

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Democracy Digest: Aftermath of Hungary Election

Following another overwhelming victory for the ruling Fidesz party, Viktor Orban continues his ‘peacock dance’ while the joint opposition, like Saturn, starts devouring its children.Hungary is coming to terms with the fourth consecutive landslide victory for the prime minister, Viktor Orban, and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party. For the opposition, the …

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In Serbia’s Electoral Simulation, the Leader Outstrips the Party

Elections in Serbia are all about the Leader, the “boss.” The Party comes a distant second.Basking in the glow of another election win on April 3, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Serbs he was “the proudest man in the county.” The reason for such pride was the 59.3 per cent …

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China makes semi-secret delivery of missiles to Serbia

Russian ally Serbia took the delivery of a sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system in a veiled operation this weekend, amid Western concerns that an arms buildup in the Balkans at the time of the war in Ukraine could threaten the fragile peace in the region. Media and military experts said Sunday …

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Orban’s big win in Hungary bears lessons for Turkey’s staid opposition

What’s left of Turkey’s presidential system may be further eroded if Erdogan follows in Hungary’s “illiberal” footsteps. Diplomacy has been termed “the art of deceit,” but few doubt that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was anything but sincere when he phoned Hungary’s Viktor Orban today to congratulate him on his …

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US to send army contingent to Bulgaria as part of NATO battle group

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said the United States would send a contingent of troops to the country to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank amid the war in Ukraine. Petkov made the announcement after holding talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Sofia on Saturday. The US Stryker army contingent …

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Turkey, Greece agree to improve ties amid Ukraine conflict

Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed in talks on Sunday (13 March) to improve ties, despite the long-running disagreements between the two NATO members, Ankara said. The Turkish and Greek leaders met Sunday in Istanbul mindful that the burgeoning conflict in Ukraine looms larger than …

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Der Westen sollte nicht in die Falle Putins tappen

Der russische Präsident will seinen Überfall auf die Ukraine zu einem grösseren Kampf stilisieren. Umlackierte polnische Jets wären genau das, was Wladimir Putin sich wünscht. Es ist verständlich, dass der ukrainische Präsident Wolodimir Selenski alles versucht, um an Waffen zu kommen, mit denen sein Land sich gegen den russischen Überfall …

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