Albania
A misused personal data collection revealed, a Social Party activist was killed a few days before the general elections, and Facebook whistleblower Sophie Zhang uncovered Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior. A database allegedly maintained by the ruling Socialist Party has contained personal data and private information of 910,000 individuals, many on the public sector payroll. A Social Party activist has been killed by an opposition activist in Elbasan, apparently over arguments related to vote-buying. Since 2019, Zhang has been asserting that the network of pages and activity appeared vast and well-coordinated, shaping public opinion online.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
The Republika Srpska (RS) issued 300 million euros ($360 million) of debt in London Stock Exchange, the European Investment Bank (EIB) allocated a grant for water infrastructure, and a senior UN migration official visited migrant camps. The RS government announced that bonds were sold with an interest rate of 4.75%. A 2.1 million euros ($2.5 million) package will finance the construction of Jajce and Zvornik wastewater and drinking water systems. IOM’s Eugenio Ambrosi called for an end to abuse against migrants and refugees trying to cross borders.
Croatia
US datacenter equipment and services provider Vertiv Co opened a factory, an Adriatic cooperation agreement signed with Slovenia and Italy, and opposition want the Health Minister Beros to resign. Vertiv Co has opened a new factory in Rugvica, worth 10 million euros ($12 million). The foreign ministers signed a joint statement on protecting the northern Adriatic and strengthening cooperation between the Trieste, Koper, and Rijeka ports. The biggest opposition party, the SDP, announced plans to force a vote of no-confidence in Beros, citing corruption and an inadequate coronavirus response as the reason.
Kosovo
The media associations criticized the call for state regulation of online content, the EU donated COVID-19 vaccines, and the NATO-led peacekeeping KFOR released a statement on Decani Monastery’s security. The Press Council of Kosovo and the Association of Journalists of Kosovo criticized the proposed regulation of online media content under the Law on the Independent Media Commission, deeming it a violation of “international rules of journalism.” KFOR said that no serious security incident was recorded in the last ten years against Decani Monastery.
Montenegro
Public debt spiked in 2020, politicians and magistrates used public money to buy properties, and notorious crime boss (re)arrested. With a public debt of 4.33 billion euros ($5.21 billion) at the end of 2020, the country reached 82.48% of the projected full-year GDP forecast. Previous governments gave out apartments and loans to 175 magistrates and political figures with a total cost of 25 million euros ($30 million). Slobodan Kascelan was arrested on “reasonable suspicion that he organized a criminal group suspected of being created to commit the most serious crimes.”
North Macedonia
Historians met with Bulgarian counterparts, the fifth package of measures on the way, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) approved a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Skopje. The Commission for Historical Issues held the 13th meeting discussing their stand on Tsar Samuel and Goce Delchev. President Pendarovski signed the Decree enabling thousands of citizens to receive a salary for February and March. EBRD has allocated 70 million euros ($85 million) for the first city in the Western Balkans to introduce a BRT.
Serbia
A Partnership, Trade, and Cooperation Agreement signed with the UK, inter-party dialogue commenced, and four laws on energy were adopted. The Agreement secures continued trade access for British businesses such as Unilever, AstraZeneca, JCB, Jaguar Land Rover, and Rio Tinto. The European Parliament mediators and the position representatives started an online dialogue on improving the election conditions. The National Assembly has adopted the Law on renewable energy sources, the Law on energy efficiency and rational use of energy, and the amendments to the Law on energy and the Law on mining and geological research.