Albania
Preliminary natural gas pipeline agreement signed, border patrol uncovered more than 11 kilos of cocaine hidden in banana shipment, and four people were arrested for phishing attacks. Excelerate Energy LP, Snam SpA, and Albgaz Sh.a signed a Memorandum of Understanding to initiate the construction of a pipeline from the terminal of Vlora. Two Albanians and two Cameroonian citizens had been operational for the past two years defrauding customers for 4 million euros ($4.7 million) in nine countries, including the United States.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
UN Council rejected Russia, China resolution to abolish the High Representative, High Representative Valentin Inzko bans denial of Srebrenica genocide, and Alliance of Independent Social Democrats’ President Dodik rejected the Inzko’s Law. Only Russia and China voted in favor, and the 13 other Council members abstained. Inzko imposed changes to the criminal code, introducing prison sentences of up to five years for genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals, including naming streets or public institutions after them. Dodik criticized Inzko’s decision as biased and against Serbs, mentioning dissolution.
Croatia
Defense Minister Banozic met Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl at the Pentagon, Minister of Economic and Sustainable Development Coric offers help building a new unit at nuclear power plant Krsko in Slovenia, and Police cadet expelled over Serb Folk Dance “Uzicko kolo.” Banozic and Kahl discussed regional security, NATO integration, COVID-19, and mutual concerns over malign influence in the region. The cadet was expelled for filming fellow cadets and herself dancing as “it is not allowed to publish materials electronically or otherwise, which could result in damage to the reputation, honor and dignity of another person or the [Police].”
Kosovo
Police investigate vandalism over St. Peter and Paul Church in the village of Brod, six men, four children, and one woman repatriated from Syria, and no changes to amend the border agreement with Montenegro. The church’s entrance was forcibly opened, accompanying the “Kosovo Liberation Army” graffiti. Even as seen as a mistake by the Government, the Demarcation Agreement will remain in place as agreed in Vienna in September 2015.
Montenegro
The first installment of the loan extended by China’s Exim Bank was repaid, incentives for renewable energy projects were abolished, and Government was about to save the bird-rich coastal swamp. Finance minister Spajic stated the Government paid 27.79 million euros ($32.7 million) and the banks from its hedging arrangement paid 31.8 million euros ($37.44 million) in principal and interest. The Government is about to repeal the decree on incentive prices for electricity as it reached the preset national target of 33% of renewable energy. Abandoned salt plants at Salina in the coastal town of Ulcinj will be state property in a move to protect the Dalmatian pelicans and flamingos.
North Macedonia
Democratic Bulgaria Party openly supports the country’s EU integration, Prime Minister Zaev discussed the future of Mini Schengen with Albania’s Prime Minister Rama and Serbia’s President Vucic, and the Government approved the text of the bill on Control of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The Party’s Hristov Ivanov stated that the county’s EU membership is of Bulgarian interest. The three leaders held an online meeting in preparation for the upcoming summit on July 29th in Skopje. The bill offers a legal base to establish the Agency for Control of Cultivation and Extraction of Cannabis and Production of Cannabis for Medical and Scientific Purposes.
Serbia
The country recorded a current account deficit of 176 million euros ($207.5 million) between January-May 2021, a marijuana trafficking network was dismantled with the help of Spanish Guardia Civil, and Defense Minister Vulin on creating a “Serb world.” In comparison, in the same period of the last year deficit was 1.115 billion euros. Police carried out 19 searches and seized over 17 000 marijuana plants, over 880 kilos of marijuana buds, and at least 130 kilos of produced marijuana and hashish resins, capturing 250 000 euros in cash as well. Vulin stated that the Serb people “do not have the right to give up on unification.”