Albania
Unification with Kosovo dispute, drug trafficking with South America, and the Iranian intelligence network’s presence. While the new Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti wishes unification with Albania, former Prime Minister Majko asserted that this story needs to end. According to the Prosecutor Office, the “Kompania Bello” crime syndicate capo Rexhepi poses a threat to public order and security with his foreign narcotic connections. A former operative of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, Hadi Sani-Khani, revealed its modus operandi in Albania.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The country confirmed its presence on Mars amid the pending human rights obligations and ongoing migrant crisis. NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on the Mars’ Jezero Crater, named after a small village in the country. The execution of the European Court of the Human Rights’ Sejdic-Finci decision concerning ethnic-based discrimination in one’s right to free elections is still pending. The EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Johansson visited the migrant camp, Lipa, before discussing the migration policies with top government officials in Sarajevo.
Croatia
Citizens on visa-free travels to the US, interest in F-35 jets purchase, and the LNG capacity on low. The US Ambassador Taylor announced that the final refusal rate for visa applicants fell to 2.69%, placing the county into the US Visa Waiver Program. The US largest weapons maker, Lockheed Martin Corporation, acknowledged the country’s interest in purchasing stealthy F-35 jets coming from the Croatia Embassy in Washington. After receiving its first cargo on January 1st, the LNG terminal received no more shipments supposedly going to Turkey from the US.
Kosovo
Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement Party (Vetevendosje!) and Rakic’s Serb List won as Mustafa’s Democratic League of Kosovo loses the elections. Vetevendosje! has won with 48% of the vote, with Kurti hoping to secure the required 61 votes in the 120-seat parliament to govern alone. Kosovo’s Serb minority has won 10 parliamentary seats, making the Rakic’s Serb List a factor in the upcoming political discussions. Securing 13% of the vote, former Prime Minister Mustafa has resigned from his position as leader of LDK.
Montenegro
EU seeks credible answers on donations misuse while the Special State Prosecutor faces accusations of illegal acts sparking disagreements over prosecution law. One million Euros donation misuse for the sea border control discovered by the law enforcement prompted institutional answers from the government. The State Prosecutor Savovic accused the Special State Prosecutor Katnic of stopping an investigation into the former transport minister role in the Bar-Boljare highway project. Democratic Front will not vote on the budget or other laws if the amended prosecution law dismissing the Special State Prosecutor is not adopted.
North Macedonia
The country strengthen cyber threats responses, a Bulgarian member of the European Parliament called for restoring mutual trust, and Serbia donated vaccines to the country. The new MoU signed with NATO on cyber defense cooperation facilitates information-sharing increasing cyber threats resilience. The EP standing rapporteur Kyuchyuk asserted that politicians should take care of political decisions and leave history to historians. Serbian President Vucic and Prime Minister Zaev attended a border checkpoint ceremony of Pfizer vaccines’ 4,680 doses donation.
Serbia
Serbian Orthodox Church elects new Patriarch, the county to become regional vaccine production hub with Bosnian Serb health workers crossing the border to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Previously Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana, the Serbian army bishop and coordinator for cooperation between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian army, Porfirije Peric has been elected as the 46th Patriarch. There are plans to set up the Russian Sputnik V vaccine production in the country as Russian experts’ delegation confirms technological conditions for the production. About 2,000 health staff from Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska were vaccinated in three towns close to the border.