Balkan Legal News - 25 October 2024
- Oct 25, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 17, 2025
The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 18 October 2024 to 24 October 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 - 24 October
A controversial short ship known for allegedly transporting explosives to Albania has been spotted in Albania. The MV Kathrin originally left from Vietnam and was found to be carrying military grade explosives which were allegedly bound for Israel, leading Amnesty International, along with other human rights groups to urge countries to deny it permission to dock; See here
Bosnia - 23 October
The World Uygher Congress has complained that the Chinese embassy in Sarajevo used a “coordinated and aggressive campaign” to try to get it to cancel its General Assembly being held there from 24th - 27th of October. Undue pressure was allegedly asserted on local authorities by the Chinese embassy and the President of the WUC claims to have been threatened with arrest and extradition to China. See here
Montenegro - 22nd October
A court in Podgorica has ended the detention of alleged war criminal Slobodan Pekovic, on the grounds that 3 years have passed since the indictment was filed without a first instance verdict having been reached in that time. Pekovic is accused of rape and murder against the civilian Bosniak population while fighting for the Bosnian Serb forces in 1992-1995. See here
Kosovo - 22nd October
A former KLA fighter, and witness in the trial of Kosovo’s former President Hashim Thaci in his trial before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, has told the tribunal that Hashim Thaci wrote a communique, known as “Communique 59”, during the Kosovo War accusing the man’s brother, and other men, of cooperating with Serbian Police, which, he claims, led to two murders. See here
Serbia - 22nd October
Serbian Presiden Alexander Vucic has announced plans to conclude a long term gas deal with Russia after the current deal expresses in March next year, following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also claims to have told Putin that he could not attend the BRICS summit in Kazakstan due to visits from to Serbia from EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and the Polish Prime Minister, but that even without these visits, it would be extremely difficult. See here
Albania - 18th October
An Italian court in Rome has ruled that the first 12 migrants shipped to Albania to be processed in a specialised reception camp under a new deal must be returned to Italy after a decision by the European Union’s Court of Justice as they have a right to lodge their asylum claims there. The 12 migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh arrived in Albania last week after being intercepted at sea. See here
