Weekly Brief

Albania
Mass vaccination commenced, US Army delivered cultural and educational exchange training, and the country lost the lawsuit against Francesco Becchetti. People age 70+ started receiving jabs from 192,000 doses of Chinese Sinovac and 100,000 doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sputnik V. The 21st Theater Sustainment Command, 7th Mission Support Command, and 361st Civil Affairs Brigade provided training to Civil-Military Cooperation professionals in preparation for Defender Europe 21 shared operations. The country will need to pay 110 million Euros for politically motivated Agon Channel Tv closure in 2015.

Bosnia-Herzegovina
Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) should discuss election law reform, Turkey sent Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, and gas pipe installation on the border with Croatia without state-level approval. The US and EU welcomed the establishment of IAWG to amend the election legislation and include civil society and other stakeholders in the process. Some 30,000 doses of Sinovac arrived. Bosniak and Croat Presidency members called the pipes’ installation for the refinery in Brod illegal as it came without the Council of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, or the Presidency’s approval.

Croatia
The earthquake reconstruction financial aid increased, vaccinated travelers waiver introduced, and Phase 3 vaccination plan on the way. Applicants will receive from $2500 to $4000 for a family house, residential, and commercial buildings. Visitors from any country vaccinated at least 14 days before their departure will be exempt from current travel restrictions. Starting from mid-April, there should be vaccinated everyone over the age of 65 with one dose of the vaccine, 55 percent of the total adult population by late June, and 70 percent by the end of the summer.

Kosovo
Backlash over a proposed amendment on Election Law, Acting President Osmani likely to be new President, and the World Bank’s GDP growth forecast. Vetevendsoje has faced backlash by political parties and civil society on the amendment allowing the diaspora to vote in embassies instead of by post. Osmani is expected to receive the necessary majority in the third round from the MPs who support the newly-elected government. After it shrunk by 6.9% in 2020, the economy should increase by 4% in 2021.

Montenegro
The EU ready to help repay a debt to China, journalists about to receive more protection, and the World Bank’s GDP growth forecast. European Commission spokeswoman Pisonero Hernandes said the EU is ready to help the country repay the $809 million loan maturing in a few months. After the attack on the weekly Monitor’s editor-in-chief, Esad Kocan, Interior Ministry promised to consider granting journalists the same status as state officials. The country’s economy is expected to grow by 7.1% in 2021 before rising by 4.5% in 2022.

North Macedonia
Prime Minister Zaev met Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, mass vaccination on the way, and lawmakers voted to postpone census due to COVID-19. Besides urging 200,000 Sinopharm vaccines arrival, Zaev said that the abolition of visas would help realize the ambition of the two countries trade to reach $ 1 billion next year. The first batch of 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived through COVAX, of which 20,000 doses will serve to inoculate citizens above the age of 77. Ninety-five lawmakers voted in favor and 12 against the postponement to September this year.

Serbia
President Vucic commented on EU Parliament’s report, Nis-Pristina motorway construction about to start, and 22,000 foreign nationals received COVID-19 vaccine. Vucic called the report a “naked lie” after asking for a more decisive fight against corruption and organized crime and working on the rule of law. The motorway construction will be co-financed with a 100 million Euros loan from the European Investment Bank and a 40.6 million Euros EU investment grant, funding project preparation through the Western Balkans Investment Framework. Prime Minister Brnabic said that some 20,000-25,000 AstraZeneca vaccines would have expired in early April, which prompted the decision to vaccinate foreigners.