Albania
Severe weather caused flooding, building permits decreased 39% year-over-year in Q3, and environmental organizations have sued the Government over Vlora airport construction. The Defense Minister announced that “the situation in the districts affected by floods as a result of the rains appears normalized.” The Ornithological Society, the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, with support from Euronatur, claimed the project and its construction is illegal and is taking place in the most critical and highly biodiverse wetlands.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The State Court acquitted the suspects in the case of hiding evidence of the death of Dzenan Memic, registered jobless numbers fell 7.2% year-over-year in September, and the Republika Srpska President Dodik does not recognize the Bosnia-Herzegovina Statehood Day. Dzenan’s sister Arijana addressed judge Branko Peric, “There will be justice for Dzenan, but you are neither justice nor honorable.” Dodik called Bosniaks hypocrites for celebrating the Yugoslavia-related date as they voted to leave Yugoslavia in 1992.
Croatia
Prime Minister Plenkovic promised help to Ukraine, commented on the recent salary increase to himself and his Cabinet, and praised the country’s credit rating. Plenkovic stated that he would propose a military mission to Ukraine. He also said, “Will we now be the subject of criticism, will the media enjoy it, ok.” Furthermore, he quoted fiscal decentralization and a functional merger of public local and regional self-government units as the reasons for success.
Kosovo
A deal was reached with Serbia, EU Police Officers patrolling the North as the Serb Police Officers resigned, and Prime Minister Kurti expects a final deal with Serbia early next year. Kurti stated, “Last night’s agreement is not an agreement on license plates. We will give space to negotiations on the EU proposal, which was previously called the Franco-German proposal.” The 130 officers from Poland and Italy have no powers of arrest. Kurti stated, “This means before spring of 2023. It can be earlier, but it cannot be later than that.”
Montenegro
Budimir and Marina Krstovic were acquitted of smuggling 1.2 tons of cocaine, outgoing Prime Minister Abazovic recalled four diplomats appointed by the former minister Ranko Krivokapic, and DPS’s Daniel Zivkovic asked the Parliament Speaker Djurovic to postpone the second round of voting for the Constitutional Court’s judges. Judge Vesna Kovacevic stated that there is no evidence Krstovic acquired cocaine. Bojan Sarkic, Veljko Milonjic, Mirsad Bibovic, and Ivana Pajevic are due to return to the country. Zivcokic said that this action would help resolve the institutional crisis.
North Macedonia
The country is about to receive 530 million euros from International Monetary Fund’s Precautionary and Liquidity Line, Liberal Democratic Party elected Monika Zajkova as the first female leader, and the country became Union for the Mediterranean member state. The financial support should help authorities address the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 42 member states’ foreign ministers unanimously endorsed the accession of North Macedonia.
Serbia
President Vucic met with the Serb representatives from the North of Kosovo, the SNS spent 170,000 euros for advertising on social networks, and Prime Minister Brnabic accused the EU of being contradictory. Vucic asked them to “preserve peace, to preserve stability and to respond to other people’s arrogance and brazenness the way decent people always respond.” Brnabic stated, “The first recommendation says that Serbia can become a member of the EU only if it agrees to the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation, because the Russian Federation violated the territorial integrity of an internationally recognized state. And the second recommendation is that we can continue our European path only if we give up our territorial integrity.”