Weekly update: 2 June - 8 June 2023

The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 2 June to 8 June 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.

Serbia – 8 June 2023

A recent mass shooting at a school in Belgrade had a widespread impact online in the Balkans, sparking a series of copycat threats, misleading articles, fake video footage and insensitive reports in countries across the region. The full article can be found here.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – 8 June 2023

The Bosnian state court sentenced five ex-policemen for committing a war crime against Bosnian civilians during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1994. The full article can be found here.

Montenegro – 07 June 2023

The Europe Now movement accused Interior Minister Filip Adzic of making false claims about its leader Milojko Spajic’s alleged relations with fugitive South Korean cryptocurrency trader Do Kwon, after Adzic accused the founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency Terra of illegally financing the movement’s electoral campaign. The full article can be found here.

Hungary – 6 June 2023

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) opened 192 investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds last year, with Hungary leading the list of EU member states with a total of 15 probes. The full article can be found here.

North Macedonia – 5 June 2023

A court convicted two managers of safety negligence at a COVID-19 hospital in the town of Tetovo where a fire in 2021 killed 14 patients, giving them both suspended jail sentences, but acquitted the doctor who was on duty. The full article can be found here.

Kosovo – 2 June 2023

Under pressure from Western leaders, Kosovo's PM and President said they are open to new local elections in the four northern Serb-dominated municipalities. The full article can be found here.

Albania – 2 June 2023

Albania’s Authority on Access to Information of the Sigurimi Files, the Communist-era political police, said it is preparing the way for an “administrative” investigation to find out what happened to some 44 people who were executed or died while imprisoned in the infamous labour camp at Spac. The full article can be found here.

Kosovo – 1 June 2023

A Pristina court remanded two Serbian citizens in custody for 30 days after they entered Kosovo with knives and explosive devices that police believe they were going to use at ongoing protests by Serbs in the north of the country. The full article can be found here.