Albania
President Meta decreed the new Government, EU gave a grant protecting property rights, and gross foreign debt edges down in the second quarter (Q2). Parliament’s 77 MPs voted for and 53 against Prime Minister Rama’s new Cabinet and Program. A package of 5.7 million euros ($6.6 million) will improve data quality, create a better institutional framework, and digitize property data. According to the Central bank, foreign debt was 8.8 billion euros ($10.4 billion) at the end of June, down 0.6% compared to its value recorded at the end of March.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Serb Presidency Member Dodik announced that Serbs working in the collective institutions would receive paychecks from Republika Srpska’s (RS) budget, the collective institutions budged discussion scheduled for September 20th, and the US diplomat Matthew Palmer was appointed to oversee the election reform. Dodik stated that RS representatives would not participate in the collective institutions until the Genocide Denial Law is null. The House of Representatives members coming from RS will not vote for the budget, which, in the end, the House of Peoples will reject. Palmer would help with the reform process.
Croatia
International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts this year’s economic growth, the country likely to adopt the euro in January 2023, and an anti-vaccine rally held in Zagreb. IMF expects growth of 5.4 and 5.8 percent. The country’s monetary system is likely to join the euro area with 7.53 kuna per euro set by the European Central Bank. The Rights and Freedoms Initiative organized protests against epidemiological measures and the COVID-19 vaccine, which, they claim, is genocidal and experimental.
Kosovo
President Osmani on relations with Albania, eleven agreements signed with North Macedonia, and Prime Minister Kurti met German Chancellor Merkel. Osmani stated opposing positions on the Open Balkan Initiative disrupted relations with Albania. The signed agreements covered a study for a new Skopje-Prishtina road, diaspora, border regulation of railway traffic, energy, tourism, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and local government. Kurti informed Merkel that his government stays committed to regional cooperation within the Berlin Process.
Montenegro
The Cetinje Cadastre Branch Administration rejected the Serbian Orthodox Church’s request to delete the City of Cetinje property rights over the Cetinje Monastery, the British Ambassador Karen Maddox on the current tensions, and non-governmental activists Paula Petricevic on the civic-religious relations. The Assembly of Cetinje supported the Civic Initiative to place the Cetinje Monastery under the Montenegrin Orthodox Church Administration. Maddox stated the best way to guarantee freedom of religion is to separate religion from the state. Petricevic said political elites pursued their interests through the issues of nation and religion.
North Macedonia
Special EU Representative Lajcak on the dispute with Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Osmani visited Kazakhstan, and Health Minister Filipce resigned due to the fire in the COVID-19 hospital in Tetovo. Lajcak stated that the Bulgarian blockade is damaging the region in general and the Serbia-Kosovo dispute in particular. Osmani and his counterpart Kazakh counterpart Tileuberdi signed the Action Plan between their ministries for 2021-2023 and the Protocol on the Exchange of Instruments of Ratification on the entry into force of the Treaty on the Transfer of Convicted Persons. Fourteen people were killed in the incident.
Serbia
Chancellor Merkel paid a farewell visit, the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National Flag celebrated for the first time, and Belgrade Pride organizers called for Same-Sex Union Law. Merkel said the Kosovo question has to be closed before Serbia enters the EU. The holiday marked the 103rd anniversary of the breakthrough of the Thessaloniki Front in the First World War. Minister of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Gordana Comic stated it is not whether the Law on Same-Sex Communities will be adopted, but when.