Balkan Legal News

Weekly update: 21 April – 27 April 2023

The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 21 April to 27 April 2023.

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.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 27 April 2023

The Republika Srpska assembly has called on an ethnic Serbian Constitutional Court judge to leave his post. The full article can be found here.

Moldova – 27 April 2023

After the European Court of Human Rights told all Council of Europe member states to grant same-sex couples equal rights, a couple in Moldova are taking their demand for recognition to the Moldovan courts. The full article can be found here.

Albania -26 April 2023

Albania’s Socialist Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has rejected opposition claims of blackmailing voters over access to government funds. The full article can be found here.

Albania – 25 April 2023

Over 1,000 Albanian nationals have been returned from Britain to Albania since the two countries signed an agreement to combat illegal migration from the Balkan state in December. The full article can be found here.

Kosovo – 24 April 2023

The Council of Europe voted on Monday to send Kosovo’s application for membership to the organization’s Parliamentary Assembly. The full article can be found here.

Croatia – 24 April 2023

Croatia to Try Serb Extradited from UK on War Crimes Charges. Milenko Maric, who worked as a policeman for Croatian Serb wartime separatist authorities, was extradited from Britain for a second time to be retried for allegedly beating up civilian prisoners in 1991. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 21 April 2023

Serbia Frees Journalist’s Murder Case Defendants from House Arrest. Two Serbian State Security officers who are on trial for participating in the murder of opposition journalist Slavko Curuvija in 1999, were released from house arrest after six years. The full article can be found here.

Albania – 21 April 2023

Albania Moves to Establish Local Arbitration Court to Replace ICSID. Albania’s Justice Minister, Ulsi Manja, presented a draft law for the establishment of a local court to settle commercial disputes, after the PM announced that Albania might leave the International arbitration body. The full article can be found here.