5 mins
A uneasy calm returned to northern Kosovo After last weekend’s deadly attack. On September 24, a mysterious commando of Serbian paramilitaries took refuge in the Orthodox monastery of Banjka, after killing an Albanian police officer during the night. Exchanges of fire took place all day with the Kosovar forces, leaving three dead in the ranks of the attackers.
While waiting for all the light to be shed, each side passes the buck. The Kosovar Prime Minister immediately spoke of a “ terrorist attack » led by “ professionals », with the support of Belgrade. For his part, the Serbian president accuses him of being the “ alone in wanting war” and assures that the Serbs of Kosovo would have rebelled “against terror » which he makes reign.
Highly criticized during the previous crisis of the end of May by the Westthe authorities in Pristina are today striving to prove Serbia’s involvement in this ” destabilization operation “.
On the side of the European Union and the United States, we are calling for de-escalation and to avoid fueling hatred and tensions. This new heatwave sounds like a disavowal of their diplomacy, after months of efforts to achieve a “ historic agreement » between Belgrade and Pristina.
American fighters for Romania, Bulgarian spies in the United Kingdom
Bucharest prepares to pass the largest arms contract in its history, the purchase of 32 state-of-the-art F-35 fighter planes, replacing its old Soviet MiG-21s. This investment nevertheless struggles to hide the misery of the Romanian army, whose infantry still has to fight with weapons dating from the 1970s, as recently shown by a investigation by the investigative site Recorder.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Bulgaria has been torn between pro-Russians and pro-Westerners. Five of its nationals are now on trial in the United Kingdom, accused of spying for Moscow. They were arrested last February, but the information was not made public until mid-summer. According to the British press, prosecutions of foreigners for espionage in court are very rare, with London usually favoring expulsion procedures.
Very sharp increase in the number of exiles on the “Balkan route”
In recent days, the arrival of thousands of exiles on the Italian island of Lampedusa has made headlines. But the Mediterranean is not the only route to the European Union for those who dream of a better life.
Since the start of 2023, irregular border crossings have increased sharply all along the “Balkan route”. In Slovenia, located at its western end, arrests have tripled compared to 2022, which was already a record year since the big wave of 2015. The right and the far right opportunistically stir up xenophobia and the center-left government ended up taking a very symbolic measure: the opening of checkpoints on its borders with Croatia.
For Zagreb, this is bad news, barely six months after its entry into the Schengen area, theoretically synonymous with free movement. But voices are also being raised here to demand more firmness against migrants. Find the latest information on the special news feed, freely accessible.
Türkiye: drought and the misfortunes of Getir
The mayor of Istanbul sounded the alarm in mid-summer: Turkey’s largest city faces “catastrophic drought” for many months and its inhabitants are invited to save “ every precious drop of water “. Restrictions could be imposed this fall if the level of the dams that supply it does not rise quickly. This is not the only bad news for Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s country, already faced with galloping inflation which is putting the economy and the population to death.
Getir, the national flagship of fast deliveries, is in the red. After experiencing exceptional growth during the lockdowns, the start-up, valued at several billion dollars, plunged in 2022. Is it still possible to turn things around? We tell you the story of this success story which turned into a descent into hell. On September 22, Croatia held its National Day Against Violence Against Women. The Conservative Prime Minister assured that it was “ a priority » of his government. However, two cases dramatically remind us to what extent the country is struggling on this issue.
Yugoslav rock and the non-aligned in the spotlight
It is a little-known story, that of socialist Yugoslavia’s support for liberation movements in African and Asian countries. In her new documentary, released on September 27 on French screens, Serbian director Mila Turajlić recounts this struggle and the beginnings of the Non-Aligned Movement. A united and fraternal political project, whose pacifist and decolonial ideals are more relevant than ever. Interview.
In recent months, Yugoslav rock has made a fanfare return to Sarajevo. A museum dedicated to its golden age, the novi val years (the local new wave), opened at the end of 2022 in the Bosnian capital. The opportunity to rediscover this innovative pop, whose groups had nothing to envy of their Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Guided tour of the Ex-Yu Rock Centar.