Balkan Legal News - 8 March 2024

The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 29 February 2024 to 7 March 2024.

Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.

Albania - 7 March 2024

Experts say the leak of a video showing a fight between a prince and his ex-wife serves no public interest – and raises serious legal and ethical questions about the standards of the media in Albania; see here.

Balkans - 6 March 2024

A BIRN analysis of hundreds of videos uploaded by TikTok users in eight Balkan countries shows the platform has become a hub for abuse of women and girls based on their appearance and actual or perceived sexual behaviour - ‘slutshaming’; see here.

Balkans - 5 March 2024

A report published on Tuesday by member organisations of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform condemned the unlawful surveillance of journalists using spyware and urged European countries not to use the technology without legal justification; see here.

Montenegro - 5 March 2024

In a rare win for Do Kwon, the jailed co-founder of the Terra blockchain network, a Montenegro court overruled a lower court decision to extradite him to the US, according to a statement issued Tuesday; see here.

Kosovo - 5 March 2024

Kosovo police arrested a Serb in North Mitrovica who is accused of sexual violence during the 1998-99 war, sparking an angry reaction from Serbian officials; see here.

Kosovo - 5 March 2024

In a significant move towards enhancing human rights and building trust among communities in Kosovo, Ms. Caroline Ziadeh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), held a pivotal meeting with the newly appointed Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, Ms. Mary Ann Hennesey; see here.

Serbia - 4 March 2024                                                                                                

The UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague has sent the contempt of court case against ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj and four co-accused to the Serbian judiciary for trial in Belgrade; see here.

Balkans - 29 February 2024

The leaders of Western Balkan countries have agreed to speed up regional cooperation to benefit more from a new European Union financial aid plan that will help provide a faster road to membership; see here.