Weekly Brief

Albania
Journalists warn of reduced access to Parliament, Parliament to vote on President Meta’s impeachment on June 9th, and a fin-tech company Rubicon is about to launch its innovative platform providing financial solutions. The new regulation signed by Speaker Gramoz Ruci stipulates that accredited journalists can only be accommodated in the newsroom, the building where parliamentary sessions are held, and the room for press statements. Founder of Rubicon, Dr. Armand Brahaj, aims to transform the present 60% of the unbanked population into 70% of the banked population by the end of 2022.

Bosnia-Herzegovina
Demolition of an illegally built Orthodox Church reveals a strong Serb-Bosniak intolerance, resumed electoral reform talks between leading Bosniak and Croat parties, and a step forward in constructing the Banja Luka-Prijedor motorway. While Serbs condemn, Bosniaks praise the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg’s verdict execution after two decades of the legal battle. Izetbegovic and Covic discussed how to carry out limited changes to the Constitution, leaning on the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Sejdic-Finci case. Chinese construction company SDHS CSI BH commissioned the study of the 41 km long motorway project.

Croatia
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Plenkovic declared his party as the absolute winner of the local elections, the We Can! leader Tomislav Tomasevic became a new major of Zagreb, and car manufacturer Rimac Automobili reveals a new all-electric supercar. Plenkovic praised HDZ’s victory in 15 out of the 20 counties. Tomasevic won 65.25% (199,630) of the vote. Rimac has unveiled Nevera, costing two million euros, reaching zero to 60 miles per hour (96 kph) with the 1914 horsepower from four surface-mounted magnet motors.

Kosovo
Prime Minister Kurti refuses Association of Serb-Only municipalities, top EU and US envoys expect to see better relations with Serbia, and Government to start mass vaccinations on June 15th. Kurti said that there could not be any “one-ethnic” association of municipalities. Lajcak and Palmer said that the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is essential for their further integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. The Government aims to have 60% of the population vaccinated by the end of 2021.

Montenegro
Democratic Front (DF) threatens to recall its support for Prime Minister Krivokapic, the voting on the country’s budget still on hold by the ruling majority, and the first EU-Montenegro Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC) since the August 2020 elections. DF’s Predrag Bulatovic said there is a great antagonism between the Government, the Prime Minister, and the DF, calling on Krivokapic to discuss the Basic Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church and the budget’s adoption. SAPC meeting referred to the importance of accelerating judiciary reforms, concerns about the country’s credit portfolio, and the current stage in managing the COVID-19 crisis.

North Macedonia
Prime Minister Zaev met President Erdogan in Istanbul, the net foreign direct investment (FDI) plunged in the first quarter of 2021, and the country heads towards a green energy transition. Accompanied by Health Minister Venko Filipce, Zaev discussed issues of mutual interest, including the economy, trade, and the healthcare system. FDI plunged sharply to 25.7 million euros ($30 million) from 140.7 euros ($170 million) in the same period a year earlier. The country is moving away from coal-fired power plants while executing an ambitious national energy strategy, which foresees a 66% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector compared to 1990 by 2030.

Serbia
President Vucic is optimistic about restarting EU-led Belgrade-Pristina negotiations, the economy should grow by at least 10% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2021 according to Finance Minister Mali, and Parliament Speaker Dacic met Foreign Minister Lavrov in Moscow. After meeting Lajcak and Palmer in Belgrade, Vucic said the negotiations would resume within days. Dacic said that Serbia would never support sanctions against Russia while Lavrov assured him Moscow would continue to support a solution for Kosovo that suits Belgrade.