A Balkan press review prepared in partnership with The Balkan Courier.
4 mins
It’s a small revolution that is underway in Bosnia and Herzegovina : the International Organization for Migration will soon hand over the management of the reception of exiles to local authorities. A decision that is part of the European integration process. Will they be able to guarantee decent living conditions in these centers? Nothing is less certain, given the multiple scandals in recent years.
The border closure announced this week by Germany is shaking the whole of Europe. The Greek Prime Minister criticized the ” unilateral deletion » of Schengen, judging that Berlin « Leave out the countries on Europe’s external borders “. Find the latest updates to our news feed on the situation of refugees in the Balkans.
Stop saying Transnistria, say Pridnestrovie
There campaign for the municipal elections of October 6 started in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With new rules, issued by the High International Representative, to limit fraud and make this election ” more transparent and equitable “More than 700 irregularities have been noted since the end of July, and they mainly concern the Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian ethno-nationalist groups that have shared power since the end of the war.
Moldova is also preparing to go to the polls in October. The first round of the presidential election will take place on October 20, and on the same day, a referendum on European integration will be held. This risks reactivating the divisions between pro-Western and pro-Russian parties. It is in this context that the secessionist republic of Transnistria has decided to boycott its Romanian name and use only its Russian version: Pridnestrovie. Explanations.
Between Serbia and Kosovo, the ghosts of war resurface
Preparations for a new excavation are underway in southwestern Serbia, near the town of Novi Pazar. This could result in The discovery of a new mass grave of victims of the Kosovo war. Twenty-five years after the end of this, research is still stalling, despite promises from political leaders.
On September 11, the Kosovar justice system issued the indictment for the deadly attack in Banjska. Forty-five people are accused of the deadly attack that occurred on September 24, 2023 in this village in northern Kosovo with a Serb majority, including Milan Radoicic, designated as the mastermind and leader. This former close associate of the Vucic regime can sleep soundly: Belgrade refuses to hand him over to the authorities in Pristina, as well as his co-defendants.
Earlier, former KLA commander Salih Mustafa had his war crimes sentence reduced further by the Hague Specialist Chambers. The tribunal, which is trying crimes committed by Albanian guerrillas during the Kosovo War, ruled on appeal that the original 26-year sentence was too harsh: Mustafa was finally sentenced to sentenced to 15 years for arbitrary detention, torture and murder of Albanian opponents.
LGBTQ+ communities in the spotlight
On Saturday, September 6, Belgrade Pride was the most attended in its history, the organizers rejoice. Several thousand people paraded through the streets of the Serbian capital, without any incident. The procession stopped in front of the Parliament and the seat of government to demand the adoption of new laws promoting the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people. In the Balkans, the situation remains very complicated for the community.
Last weekend (7-8 September) also saw the second Queer Festival in Pristina, Kosovo. An opportunity to discover the new drag scene that is emancipating itself and breaks down the taboos that continue to corset Albanian society. Kosovo is also shaken by the rise of feminism. While men still largely dominate the business world, a few pioneers are showing the way, in particular to advance the ecological transition.
Arjola Dedaj, the Albanian icon of the 2024 Paralympic Games
She was born in Tirana during the communist dictatorship with a degenerative eye disease, then emigrated illegally to Italy in the late 1990s, the country whose colours she now wears. Thanks to her superb butterfly mask, Arjola Dedaj has become the icon of the 2024 Paralympic Games. Portrait of this catwalk star with an obstacle course.