Albania
The country’s population is shrinking rapidly, Prime Minister Rama on accepting Afghanistan refugees, and the State Information Service (SIS) 2020 Report pointed to disinformation campaigns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Member of Parliament (MP) Flutura Açka warned the population has shrunk by 2.7% from 2013. Rama expressed willingness to host 3,000 refugees, adding that they would leave for the US after the vetting refugee procedure. SIS reported non-Western state actors and non-state actors exacerbated the crisis and undermined efforts to overcome it by claiming the virus is a biological weapon.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
High Representative Schmidt met with German Canceler Merkel, Russian and China Embassies sent notes to the Office of High Representative rejecting Schmidt’s legitimacy, and the State Prosecution Office sent a summons to Serb Presidency Member Dodik for the public genocide denial statements. Schmidt received support for his mandate and future work on the Euro-Atlantic integration process. Dodik stated that he would “choose to go to prison rather than admit something that did not happen, and that is the alleged genocide in Srebrenica.”
Croatia
The country will receive 20 Afghan citizens supporting Croatian troops in Afghanistan, the Homeland Movement’s founder Miroslav Skoro to leave the party, and resentment about the Captain Dragan Foundation office opening in Serbian town Subotica. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Grlic Radman said the Government responded to the call of the European External Action Service to accept the Afghans in danger from the Taliban. Skoro will likely establish a new parliamentary club. The Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina President Tomislav Zigmanov condemned the office’s opening, stating that Dragan Vasiljkovic – Captain Dragan – is a convicted war criminal in Croatia.
Kosovo
Official Prishtina will accept Afghan refugees on the US request, Self-Determination Movement MP Haki Abazi discussed parallels with American troops withdrawal from Afghanistan, and Covid-19 cases are rising. President Osmani stated the refugees would stay in the country until the US security authorities vet them. Abazi said, “there’s no need to fear that the United States could withdraw from Kosovo because there are no parallels.” The Ministry of Health said they applied 622,068 doses of the vaccine, with 215,329 citizens receiving the second dose and a total number of active cases of 12,159 thus far.
Montenegro
There are no plans to join the Open Balkan Initiative, the country will not accept Afghan refugees, and foreigners can still become citizens via the Citizenship-by-Investment program. Chief Negotiator with the EU Zorka Kordic stated that the Government would instead focus on the Common Regional Market, an initiative within the Berlin Process. Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement saying Montenegro did not oblige to temporarily accept the residents of Afghanistan by joining the statement published by the US State Department. As a global leader in residence and citizenship planning, Henley & Partners has submitted 100 applications thus far.
North Macedonia
The Government expelled a Russian diplomat from the country, the five-year military-economic agreement signed with Turkey, and the country will accept 450 Afghan refugees. For the second time this year, the Russian ambassador was summoned and informed of the decision of one of his senior diplomats. Defense Minister Sekerinska and Turkish Defense Minister Akar signed an agreement envisioning a gradual allocation of funds modernizing the army’s capabilities. The refugees will stay until they receive visas for the US.
Serbia
Twitter defined several well-known newspapers and TV stations as state-affiliated, Central Bank raises 2021 growth forecast, and President Vucic on the Republika Srpska status within Bosnia-Herzegovina. Vucic stated the label is nothing but “censorship,” adding that he cannot wait for the company to make him “another Trump in the world.” Based on a “fast recovery” from the Covid-19, Central Bank raised the growth forecast for 2021 to 6.5%, up from 6% in May. Vucic said that in the coming period, one could expect pressure from “some countries from the world and Europe” who would like to abolish Republika Srpska under the appearance of creating a functional Bosnia-Herzegovina.