Albania
The US increased the country’s army capacities, Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arrived, and EU Resolution on opening negotiations adopted. The US has provided 29 new Humvees to the 2nd infantry battalion ahead of the most extensive training drills ever held in southeast Europe. The country received 192,000 doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine, the first group of 1 million secured through a deal agreed in Turkey. The EU Parliament adopted the Resolution with 581 votes in favor and 61 against the decision.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The country gets first vaccines through COVAX, migrants tested positive for COVID-19, and many citizens all around the country went to Serbia to get vaccinated. The first 26,400 doses of AstraZeneca and 23,400 doses of Pfizer out of 1.2 million ordered vaccines arrived, enough to immunize some 20% of its 3.3 million population. Fifty migrants who tested positive on the virus are isolated in the Borici and Miral hosting centers. Citizens of all ethno-nationalistic backgrounds went to Belgrade to receive their shot after Serbia designated 10.000 jabs for foreigners.
Croatia
Leadership vaccinated with AstraZeneca, migrants dead in a truck collision, and Atlantic Group building a factory near Varazdin. Prime Minister Plenkovic, Parliament’s President Jandrokovic, and Health Minister Beros publicly received the vaccine to encourage citizens to do the same. A truck with Serbian license plates carrying Syrian migrants crashed near the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, with four dead and 11 hospitalized. The Group is about to invest 50 million Euros ($59.5 million) in constructing a new factory for producing Argeta spreads.
Kosovo
New Prime Minister elected, the Quint Countries asked political leaders not to stall on electing the new President, and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) approved a loan for COVID-19 vaccine purchase. New Parliament has elected the Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti as the new Prime Minister with 67-30 votes. Ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America to Prishtina asked politicians to focus on electing a new President. CEB has approved a 25 million Euros ($29.8 million) loan to help the country buy COVID-19 vaccines for about half of its population of 1.8 million.
Montenegro
Head of the National Security Agency under investigation, problems with paying Chinese loans off, and Foreign Minister Radulovic met his Turkish counterpart in Brussels. Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into the alleged disclosure of classified information by Dejan Vuksic, who violated the Law on data secrecy and compromised the classified information of a NATO ally. The EU should help repay a 1 billion Euros ($1.18 billion) loan to the Export-Import Bank of China to construct a motorway linking it with the Serbian border. Radulovic and Cavusoglu discussed future investments in tourism and the fight against COVID-19.
North Macedonia
Prime Minister Zaev was re-elected as the leader of the Social Democratic Union (SDSM), US court sentenced a citizen in a cyber-fraud case, and EU Report on the country adopted. As the only candidate, Zaev has received support from 60.000 delegates, with only 888 against and 249 invalid votes. Marko Leopard pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to one count of racketeering conspiracy in November 2019 and was sentenced to five years in prison. EU Parliament has adopted the 2019-2020 Commission Reports calling for the continuous rule of law enforcement through judicial reforms.
Serbia
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe visited Belgrade, the country achieved a record surplus in January, and migrants received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. President Vucic met General Fenghe, praising Sino-Serbian relations enchasing military, economic, and political cooperation. The country recorded a surplus of 249 million Euros ($297 million) versus a last year’s deficit of 85 million Euros. Immunization occurs at 18 reception centers, with a total of 500 adults registered for vaccination out of 4,883 refugees and migrants.