Balkan Legal News – 16 July 2025
- Ned Vucijak
- Jul 16
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 23
The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 9 July to 15 July 2025.
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.
Kosovo – 14 July 2025
Former Prime Minister Agim Ceku and nine others were found guilty of falsifying war veterans’ lists to enable people to claim welfare benefits, and were sentenced to a year in prison each. The full article can be found here.
Romania – 14 July 2025
Romanian President Nicusor Dan defended his decision to challenge a bill aimed at tightening the penalties for antisemitism and far-right propaganda before the Constitutional Court. The full article can be found here.
Kosovo – 14 July 2025
Appeals judges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague cut the war crimes sentence for Kosovo Liberation Army fighter Pjeter Shala from 18 to 13 years, calling the earlier jail term disproportionate. The full article can be found here.
Hungary – 14 July 2025
An appeal to Denmark and the EU let Hungary deal with Orban. As it takes up the EU’s rolling presidency from July, Denmark is determined to ramp up the draconian Article 7 sanctioning procedure against Hungary. Yet, with a crucial general election set for April 2026, such a move could do more harm than good. The full article can be found here.
Slovakia – 11 July 2025
The high-profile trial of Juraj Cintula, accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak PM Robert Fico, began this week in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia. The full article can be found here.
Bosnia and Hercegovina – 11 July 2025
Three decades on from the genocide, crowds gathered at the Srebrenica Memorial Centre to watch seven more victims being laid to rest in the cemetery and hear calls for 'true justice'. The full article can be found here.
Montenegro – 10 July 2025
Montenegro’s government has officially abandoned plans to establish a military training facility on Mount Sinjajevina, a biodiverse plateau in the north of the country that has been at the centre of environmental protests for years. The full article can be found here.
Bulgaria – 9 July 2025
Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev has been detained after a police raid on the city’s municipality and his private home, which led to his 24-hour detention on Tuesday night, extended on Wednesday to 72 hours. On Wednesday, supporters plan a protest, seeing the event as another government move to further suppress opposition figures. The Full article can be found here.