A press review presented in partnership with The Balkan Courier.
The war in Ukraine is accelerating the divorce between the Croatian and Serbian markets gas and oil. While Belgrade will have to learn to do without Russian imports, Croatia is betting on the Adriatic Janaf pipeline and the Krk LNG terminal, dreaming of becoming a regional energy hub. All the Balkans still remain highly dependent on Russian hydrocarbons.
The European Union is also pushing its Member States, like the candidate countries of the Balkans, to opt for gas from Azerbaijanforgetting rather quickly that it is a warlike dictatorship… Meanwhile, as a snub to the European policy of sanctions against Russia, Budapest and Belgrade will build a 128 km stretch of pipeline which will transport Russian oil to Serbia via the Druzhba pipeline, which links Russia to Germany.
The war in Ukraine also sharpens political divisions in Croatia, which could be one of the twelve EU countries welcoming and training Ukrainian soldiers on its soil, but the subject divides: Croatian President Zoran Milanović and opposition parties oppose it.
Waiting for Schengen
Once again, the European Parliament voted on Tuesday for the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area. Bucharest is counting on the new European strategy to finally get a green light at the European Council in December, but impatience is growing, even if the new corruption scandal affecting President Klaus Iohannis will not improve Romania’s brand image.
Kosovo is still waiting the liberalization of Schengen visas. This measure, hoped for and promised for so many years, could still be long overdue. Several States suggest linking it to the adoption of the new European authorization and information system (ETIAS).
Whereas dialogue with Belgrade could soon see twists and turns, the question of bilingualism and the two official languages of the small country comes to rest. In Kosovo, separate schools do not offer teaching the language of “others”. In society, however, the desire and the need are felt to learn Albanian or Serbian.
Exiles: Greece and Turkey pass the buck
Greece and Turkey blame each other after the rescue of 92 migrants found naked at the border by the Greek authorities and Frontex. The UN calls for a thorough investigation. Cases of the stripping of exiles by Greek or Turkish border guards are unfortunately frequent.
Whereas relations are still very tense between the two countriesthe passages are always more numerous on the “Balkan route” of refugees.