Albania
Prime Minister Rama said he might push for an individual EU membership request, former Social Movement for Integration Member of Parliament Silva Caka sees Rama as a threat to state institutions, and Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha accused the US Ambassador Kim of acting as a governor. Rama will ask the European Union for an EU membership process separately from North Macedonia, facing a Bulgarian veto. Caka cited Amnesty International’s report condemning the publication and use of some 900,000 citizens’ data. Berisha said that he disagrees with “her continued support for the government of Edi Rama and genuine anti-opposition actions.”
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Serb Presidency member Dodik said he informed Russian President Putin about the Dayton Peace Agreement breach, filed criminal charges against Foreign Minister Turkovic and Ambassador to UN Sven Alkalaj, and requested a special parliamentary session in Republika Srpska. Dodik criticized German intentions to send in more troops and said that he is confident the UN Security Council would not support the extension of the EUFOR mission. Turkovic and Alkalaj are accused of abusing their official position and authority by acting contrary to the Constitution. The special parliamentary session’s agenda would include a discussion on Alkalaj’s actions in the UN and the recent Presidency decisions perceived against Republika Srpska’s vital national interest.
Croatia
President Milanovic stated that Bosnia-Herzegovina (B&H) could become civic only after joining the EU, Prime Minister Plenkovic appealed to Croats and Bosniaks to agree on the B&H electoral reform, and the US Secretary of State Blinken stated that “an attack on you is an attack on us.” Milanovic said he has “no prejudices either against the Serbs, who were the aggressors, or against the Bosniaks.” Plenkovic reiterated that he wants to see a functional B&H. Milanovic stated the country joined NATO only because of the US.
Kosovo
Prime Minister Kurti discussed the car plates agreement with EU envoy Lajcak, NGOs against Blerim Isufaj’s nomination for a 7-year term as the Chief State Prosecutor, and President Osmani welcomed the first-ever Israeli ambassador. Kurti stated that Kosovo and Serbia should recognize each other’s documents. The EU and US officials also criticized the election process for lacking more transparency and merit-based selection. Osmani wished Ambassador Tammy Ziv success in her new role.
Montenegro
Prime Minister Krivokapic reiterated his concerns with the minority government to the Austrian Minister for Europe and the Constitution Caroline Edtstadler, the Government adopted unspecified sanctions against Russia, and coal mining company Rudnik Uglja would export to Serbia. Krivokapic said that the “creation of a minority government would directly lead Montenegro into unrest and instability.” Deputy Prime Minister Abazovic expressed his satisfaction with the adopted sanctions against Russian politicians. Rudnik Uglja will deliver 300,000 tons of coal to Elektroprivreda Srbije in 2022.
North Macedonia
Prime Minister Kovacevski confirmed actions against officials who tried to obstruct a new deal with Bulgaria, an IPSOS poll showed opposition more popular than Government, and the first solar park on an abandoned coal pit was completed. The accused officials are suspected of suggesting that no deal should be signed because the Government will fall soon. VMRO-DPMNE’s ordered a poll that indicated the opposition party would have 18.2% of the votes while SDSM would tale only 9.5%. Kovacevski inaugurated a 10 MW solar power plant at the Oslomej coal complex.
Serbia
Incumbent President Vucic won nearly 60% of the votes in the presidential election, some 300 Russian-owned firms registered since the Ukraine invasion, and a NATO fighter followed Air Serbia’s Moscow-Belgrade flight. Vucic invited the minority Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians to form a new government, failing to do the same for Ivica Dacic’s SPS thus far. The firms have been registered for programming operations, business consulting and management, and IT consulting. Vucic said he would ask NATO to explain the incident, which the Air Serbia pilot reported as conducted “without endangering the safety of our civilian flight.”