In most Balkan countries, the French legislative elections of July 8th made headlines and the results of the second round were followed closely. The Balkan Press Review, prepared in partnership with The Balkan Courier.
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In most Balkan countries, the French legislative elections have been front-page news and the results of the second round have been closely watched. No one had anticipated the victory of the New Popular Front and many fear the prospect of an ungovernable country. Regional press review from Istanbul to Ljubljana, via Athens, Belgrade, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Bucharest and Skopje.
On Thursday, July 11, thousands of people gathered at Srebrenica to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the 1995 massacreAfter taking the enclave, Serb troops under Ratko Mladić executed more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims, all of them men.
This war crime, the worst committed during the wars of the former Yugoslavia, was recognized as genocide by the United Nations in the spring. Despite the intense diplomatic campaign by Serbia to block this resolution. No incident has occurred. But how can we find the words to evoke this tragedy? Meeting with the poet Sabi Marawho published a collection inspired by the fate of those who experienced it.
Read alsoSerbia: Court acquits Milosevic-era spies for murder of journalist
NATO, its 75th anniversary and the Balkans
This week, a special NATO summit is being held in Washington for the 75th anniversary of the Atlantic Alliance. The Balkan countries that are members have of course made the trip. But Bulgaria is not represented by its president, as protocol would require: Rumen Radev, reluctant to support Ukraine militarily, has refused to make the trip. A symbol of the divisions between pro-Russians and pro-Westerners in the country. In the meantime, Bulgaria remains a second-class member of NATO : She joined in 2004 and her army is still equipped with Soviet equipment. Even if Sofia intends today to work twice as hard to make up for lost time.
In Washington, the statement by NATO heads of state served as a reminder of the “ strategic importance “Western Balkans in the context of the war in Ukraine.” We will continue to strengthen our political dialogue and practical cooperation with the Western Balkans to support regional reforms, peace and security and to counter malign influences. “, insists the press release. Serbia is particularly targeted, it which still refuses to associate itself with the sanctions against Moscow… while delivering ammunition to Ukraine on a massive scale, which annoys the Kremlin.
Read also25 years later, Serbia still haunted by NATO bombings
Foreign worker scams in Romania
Faced with a labor shortage linked to the exodus of its nationals, Romania is bringing in more and more foreign workers. Except that the institutions hardly control either the recruitment agencies or the employers. In fact, scams are multiplying and traffickers are exploiting the vein, according to a investigation.
Italy is his adopted country, but obtaining citizenship has been complicated. For more than a decade, Arbër Agalliu has been fighting to finally reform the outdated law on Italian citizenship. But the arrival of the extreme right in power does not make him optimistic, he says in a interview.
Read alsoIn Romania, a balcony on the war
Türkiye: The Grey Wolves, the Euro 2024 controversy and the bar
After Merih Demiral’s controversial gesture at Euro 2024, There has been a lot of talk about the Grey WolvesIn Turkey, the football player has received massive support, even from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On the other hand, the strongman of Ankara has taken care to avoid the complicated trial of the murder of the former leader of the Grey Wolves which is being held in Ankara.
Founded in the late 1960s as a paramilitary branch of the Nationalist Action Party (Milliyetçi hareket partisi, MHP), this organization claims pan-Turkism and domination of several neighboring peoples (Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, etc.). France banned it for violence in 2020.
A few days before the start of the Paris Olympic Games, the controversy is growing in Kosovo: the swimmer from the Bosnian minority, Adell Šabović, was invited by the IOC, but his federation refused to select him, preferring that of an Albanian. Is he a victim of ethnic discrimination?
Read alsoTürkiye: Trial of murder of former Grey Wolves leader opens