Balkans

As Kosovo Honours Its Guerrillas, Civilian War Victims Are Often Overlooked

A dispute about engraving civilians’ names on a monument to deceased fighters in a small Kosovo town highlighted a wider problem: although most people killed in the 1998-99 war were civilians, most war memorials commemorate guerrillas. For more than 20 years, the name of Adem Ahmetaj’s nephew Jeton could be …

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In Belgian-Serbian Arms Deals, Costly ‘Anomalies’ and a Whiff of Fraud

Auditors have flagged “anomalies” worth almost 14 million euros in deals between a Serbian arms factory and a Belgian machinery manufacturer, BIRN can report. In 2017, in the southwestern Serbian town of Pozega, President Aleksandar Vucic cut the ribbon on a factory built to produce ammunition. “Out of nothing, out …

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Debacle Of International Community In Kosovo – Analysis

Fight against roots of crime in Kosovo Crime in Kosovo has its roots in the period of Kosovo’s government-in-exile. The epicenter of crime includes the former commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK-OVK) and (para)intelligence services (ShIK), who acted in cooperation with political structures. Although the ShIK was officially dissolved …

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As Kosovo Honors Its Guerrillas, Civilian War Victims Are Often Overlooked – Analysis

A dispute about engraving civilians’ names on a monument to deceased fighters in a small Kosovo town highlighted a wider problem: although most people killed in the 1998-99 war were civilians, most war memorials commemorate guerrillas. For more than 20 years, the name of Adem Ahmetaj’s nephew Jeton could be …

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Russian Money Flowing Illicitly Through Western Balkans

New report from Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime says the Western Balkans has become a key gateway for Russian cash to flow illicitly across borders thanks to the weak rule of law and high presence of orgnised crime there. A new report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized …

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“Unfortunately for Kurti, the truth is a little different”: Danas interlocutors on the Kosovo Prime Minister’s statement that Serbs in Kosovo live better than Serbs in Serbia

Does Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti have official data that proves his statement? Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live in a mixture of segregation and intimidation, total insecurity for their children, their property and themselves. It is about another lie and manipulation by Kurti, aimed primarily at the public in the …

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Montenegro: Spajić’s Dual Citizenship A Serious Problem For NATO? – Analysis

Landslide victory of anti-Đukanović block Early parliamentary elections in Montenegro were held on 11 June 2023. However, the official election results were publicized only on 14 July 2023. The parties that won the largest number of votes from the voters for the Parliament of Montenegro, which has 81 representatives, include …

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Money Troubles: Albania’s Strange Currency Crisis Defies Easy Solutions

As the sustained rise in the value of the lek causes a crisis in exports, action is needed – but will a country that seemingly turns a blind eye to manifest criminality in whole sectors of the economy bite the bullet?Albania’s government acknowledged lately that the country’s exporters are facing …

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The End Of The Vucic Era – OpEd

In the clash of geopolitical agendas between Russia and the West, the biggest loser turns out to be the EU. But in this downward spiral of European geopolitics and a tragic end, Putin’s lawyer, Serbian President Aleksandër Vučić, is bound to slip. For several weeks, citizens have been protesting regularly, …

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Battle For Balkan Cybersecurity: Threats And Implications Of Biometrics And Digital Identity – Analysis

A surge in cyberattacks, particularly phishing and ransomware, has left Balkan countries to improve their defences against cybercrime, BIRN research shows. The Balkan region has witnessed a significant increase in internet penetration and the integration of Biometrics and Digital Identity BDI technologies into various sectors, BIRN research shows. Between 2020 …

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