Balkan Legal News

The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 28 February to 4 March 2022.

Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, 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 – 28 February 2022

Aleksandar Jablanovic, a former Kosovo minister, said at the trial for the murder of politician Oliver Ivanovic that he was threatened by a powerful businessman who has been accused of being connected to the killing. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 28 February 2022

Begajeta Mujic, a Bosniak civilian, told Belgrade Higher Court on Monday that female prisoners held at the Sase mine prison camp in the Srebrenica municipality by Bosnian Serb forces in 1992 were taken out and raped. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 2 March 2022

Belgrade Appeals Court has upheld the conviction of Momcilo Perisic, the former chief of staff of the Yugoslav Army and a former deputy prime minister of Serbia, for handing over state secrets to the United States in 2002, and increased his jail term to four years. The full article can be found here.

Kosovo – 3 March 2022

Kosovo airport aeronautical lighting engineer Deme Elezaj was suspended for whistleblowing about alleged lighting defects in the recently extended runaway which pose safety risks. The full article can be found here.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 3 March 2022

Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine should make the West pay more attention to the divisive and destructive political games being played by nationalist leaders in contemporary Bosnia and Herzegovina. The full article can be found here.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 3 March 2022

Former soldiers Senad Gadzo, Zaim Lalicic and Suljo Hebib went on trial for the unlawful detention, torture, abuse and murder of Serb civilian prisoners in Hrasnica near Sarajevo during wartime. The full article can be found here.

Montenegro – 3 March 2022

Montenegrin Interior Minister Sergej Sekulovic called on the State Prosecution Office to launch a wide investigation into state officials after another tobacco theft in the port of Bar. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 4 March 2022

As the International Criminal Court starts to probe allegations that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, legal experts warn that prosecutors face serious obstacles to bringing senior officials to justice. The full article can be found here.