Weekly update: 11 August - 17 August 2023

The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 11 August to 17 August 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 – 17 August 2023

In a wide-ranging interview, Christian Schmidt defended his interventionist approach to the role of High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and warned that the possibility of removing Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik remains “on the table”. The full article can be found here.

Romania - 16 August 2023

A French-funded residency programme offers Ukrainian journalists respite from the war to continue their work from the safety of Bucharest. The full article can be found here.

Bulgaria – 15 August 2023

Three suspected spies for Russia in the UK have been arrested and charged in a major national security investigation. The defendants, all Bulgarian nationals, were held in February and have been remanded in custody since. The full article can be found here.

Kosovo – 15 August 2023

Kosovo was not part of the agreement on succession issues of the Yugoslav federation – and is struggling to stop Serbia selling off the remaining assets of its socially-owned enterprises in Montenegro. The full article can be found here.

Albania – 15 August 2023

Edi Rama says the arrest of ethnic Greek mayoral candidate Fredi Beleri is a matter for the judiciary, not the Greek state. The full article can be found here.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 14 August 2023

After a gunman livestreamed his wife's murder on Instagram, authorities said they will investigate police and a judge for failing to issue a restraining order on the man – after the victim reported his violence. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 14 August 2023

Ukrainian journalists haven’t only been reporting on everyday attacks by Russian forces in their country – some have also been collecting evidence and testimonies about war crimes to build a wider picture of the Kremlin’s violent strategies. The full article can be found here.

Serbia – 11 August 2023

President Aleksandar Vucic said that Ukraine is a "friendly country" to Serbia and if it recognised Kosovo as an independent state, it would undermine its insistence on its own territorial integrity. The full article can be found here.