Albania
The Democratic Party is about to vote on an opposition presidential candidate, the country fell 20 places in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy asked the Government to close the country to Russian ships and tourists. 20 out of 59 opposition Members of Parliament are required to propose a candidate. Prime Minister Rama called the index report a “lie” and “fantasy.” An opposition leader Sali Berisha asked the Government to go further and expel the Russian ambassador and call the Albanian ambassador in Moscow back home.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The Croat HDZ party leader Covic said that holding elections in October is a threat to peace, the Serb SNSD leader Dodik stated that Croats have good reasons to be dissatisfied with the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) decision, and the Bosniak SDA leader Izetbegovic said that Croats are not underprivileged. CEC announced that the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections would take place on October 2. Dodik reiterated that Bosniak votes should not elect the Croat Presidency member. Izetbegovic stated that “out of a hundred important positions in the country, they (Croats) have over 50 percent more positions than what the Constitution prescribes.”
Croatia
President Milanovic may veto Finland’s NATO accession, Prime Minister Plenkovic is hesitant to support an amendment to the fundamental EU Treaty, and Foreign Minister Grlic-Radman criticized the Bosnia-Herzegovina’s CEC decision to hold October elections. Milanovic said he is fighting “for the Croatian state and nation.” Plenkovic stated, “that the present treaties have sufficient room for progress.” Grlic-Radman said that Croatia would prevent further Croats disenfranchisement.
Kosovo
Prime Minister Kurti met German Chancellor Scholz in Berlin, World Bank predicts economic growth of 3-4% in 2022, and the Government sold 20 million euros ($21,08 million) of seven-year Treasury notes. Kurti asked Scholz for support with the Council of Europe and NATO’s Partnership for Peace applications. World Bank Manager for Kosovo Massimiliano Paolucci said that “there is a pressing need to tackle constraints to higher productivity growth and invest in human capital for Kosovo to utilize its advantage of having a young population.” The average weighted yield increased to 2.98%, compared with 2.97% at the last auction held in April 2021.
Montenegro
The new Government pledges to join all EU sanctions against Russia, Prime Minister Abazovic fired the head of the National Security Agency Dejan Vuksic, and World Bank predicts growth to slow to 3.6% in 2022 due to the Ukraine war. Foreign Minister Krivokapic” expressed clear Government’s support for Ukraine and Ukraine’s struggle for territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence against brutal Russian aggression.” Abazovic previously stated that Vuksic “made a mistake” by revealing secret NATO-related information. The war’s significant impact is on tourism, further slowing down exports, private consumption, and employment recovery.
North Macedonia
Opposition VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski threatened to block the work of the Parliament over the call for early elections, Bulgarian President Radef insisted on including Bulgarians’ rights in the Constitution, and President Pendarovski expressed his concern over Bulgarians lifting the EU accession veto in June. Prime Minister Kovacevski agreed to meet Mickoski for the first time after the start of his term. Pendarovski stated that the chances are less than 50% as VMRO-DPMNE would not support the Constitution reform.
Serbia
President Vucic said that Serbia has been under pressure to recognize Kosovo quickly, promised German Chancellor Scholz that Serbia would not harm regional peace, and began negotiations with Russia to secure gas deals. Vucic stated that “the West will call Serbia to head quickly towards recognizing Kosovo so that they can tell Putin that the Donbas and Kosovo are not about the same issue.” Scholz called for stakeholders to avoid conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The present contract expires in June, under which Serbia receives 6 million cubic meters of gas daily for $270 per 1,000 cubic meters.