Balkan Legal News - 23 August 2024
- Aug 23, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 10, 2024
The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 15 August to 22 August 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.
Serbia – 22 August 2024
Serbia has pressed charges against 19 people, including Darko Saric and Veljko Belivuk, over two mafia-style attacks in Greece in 2020; see here.
Serbia – 21 August 2024
The family of a British man held in a Serbian prison is appealing for more assistance from the UK government, claiming that charges against him are baseless and politically motivated; see here.
Romania – 21 August 2024
Romanian prosecution and police have launched a fresh investigation into the controversial influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, linked to allegedly human trafficking, sex with minors and money laundering; see here.
Hungary – 21 August 2024
Hungary’s interior minister responds to concerns that extending its guest worker program to Russians and Belarusians could open a backdoor for spies and saboteurs; see here.
Serbia – 21 August 2024
Serbia is seeing a growing trend of poverty that disproportionately affects women, particularly single mothers, retirees and those living in rural areas. This ‘feminisation of poverty’ limits their ability to participate actively in civic life and democratic processes; see here.
Kosovo – 21 August 2024
The Kosovo Specialized Chambers in The Hague announced that lawyer Ben Emmerson CBE KC has withdrawn from the defense team of former Kosovo Liberation Army superior Kadri Veseli, who is being tried on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which denies them; see here.
Kosovo – 20 August 2024
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) submitted to the Constitutional Court its comments against the Law on the Independent Media Commission (IMC), opposing it as “unconstitutional” and against the freedom of the media; see here.
Bosnia – 20 August 2024
Sarajevo-native Edin “Tito” Gacanin registered the companies in the secrecy havens as he continued to ship cocaine globally, despite being convicted by Dutch courts for narcotics trafficking; see here.
North Macedonia – 20 August 2024
North Macedonia has not registered this rare pink-coloured semi-precious stone, so the trade in it remains untaxed and unregulated; see here.
Bulgaria – 19 August 2024
A new conflict between the interim PM, the President and the Interior Minister delays the creation of a caretaker cabinet and the next general elections, risking further institutional crisis; see here.
Croatia – 16 August 2024
Croatia will reintroduce a two-month compulsory military service starting on 1 January next year, the country’s Defense Minister Ivan Anusic announced late Thursday; see here.
