Albania
Special Court on Corruption and Organized Crime (SCCOC) convicted an Iranian man on terrorism-related charges, foreign remittances rose 8.3% year-over-year to 215.9 million euros ($229.4 million) in the third quarter of 2022, and Prime Minister Rama commented Serbia’s request to send troops to Kosovo. SCCOC sentenced Bijan Pooladrag to ten years in prison for funding terrorism and being a member of a terrorist organization. Rama said the request was surreal.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
EU granted the candidate status to the country, the 2022-2026 executive and legislative power principles and goals at the state level agreed upon, and SDA’s leader Izetbegovic commented on the State Government formation. Republika Srpska President Dodik said this decision changes nothing as the EU “does not accept countries that are in protectorate status.” The SNSD’s Dodik, HDZ’s Covic, and SDP’s Niksic discussed the Council of Ministers’ formation and other government structures at the state level. Izetbegovic said, “And now we see that half of the pro-Bosnian bloc, led by the SDP, is going with them. It is a strange situation, abnormal.”
Croatia
National Football Team won the World Cup Bronze medal. People are happy. Nothing else matters (at this moment).
Kosovo
The Government submitted EU Membership Application, postponed the local election in the North, and was urged to establish the Association Of Serb Municipalities. Prime Minister Kurti handed the application to the Czech European Affairs Minister Mikulas Bek in Prague. President Osmani decided to postpone elections to April 23 next year. The US envoy Escobar stated, “It is an obligation for Serbia, it is an obligation for Kosovo, it is an obligation for the EU, which helped in its negotiation.”
Montenegro
Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on the President, inflation reached 17.5% year-over-year in November, and protestors clashed with the Police in front of the Parliament. The Government can now be elected without the consent of the President. The protestors stated they would not allow the collapse of the constitutional order led by Prime Minister Abazovic.
North Macedonia
Fake bomb threats caused panic across the country, planning to raise Value Added Tax on electricity to 10%, and the EU called on the Government to prosecute and condemn acts of hatred against Bulgarians. Police informed the public that emailed bomb threats were sent to Skopje International Airport, 15 schools in the capital and the southwestern town of Bitola, and two hotels. Previously, two Bulgarian cultural centers were attacked just days after the two countries agreed to work to defuse tensions.
Serbia
Official Belgrade sent a request to KFOR to return Police and Military Forces to Kosovo, new gold and calcium carbonate deposits were discovered, and Russia offered help in normalizing the Belgrade-Pristina crisis. KFOR stated that currently, it is evaluating the request. Besides the most valuable precious metal, calcium carbonate is vital for renewable energy sources. Russian Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko noted that he is “awaiting Belgrade’s reaction.”