From golden passports to gambling, retroactive building permits to a ‘no-questions-asked’ policy on undeclared assets, Albania’s government is trying to unlock funds but risks unleashing criminality, experts warn. Seeking a quick fix to Albania’s economic woes, the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama wants to lift a ban on gambling, …
Read More »Bosnian Politicians Obsess Over– but Don’t Understand – Geopolitics
Like ‘corruption’ a few years ago, geopolitics has become a concept that is seen as explaining pretty much everything – but is it anything more than a cheap rhetorical ploy? As general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina draw near on October 2, much of the focus of the politicians seem …
Read More »Croatia’s Ethnic Homogenisation Continues as Serb Minority Dwindles
Recently-published census data shows that the number of Serbs and other ethnic groups living in Croatia has fallen – another sign that the country’s minorities need stronger legal protection amid continuing attacks on their rights. A long-awaited batch of data from last year’s population census in Croatia was finally released …
Read More »Political Veterans Dominate Race for Bosnian Presidency
Sunday’s election for the tripartite presidency is a race between some of the best-known faces on Bosnia’s much-maligned political scene. New faces are hard to find on ballot papers in this weekend’s race for the tripartite presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The October 2 vote, part of elections across the …
Read More »Turkey pledges to boost military presence in Cyprus
President Erdogan and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu say Turkey will send more troops and arms to northern Cyprus after the Biden administration lifts defense trade restrictions to Greek Cypriots. Turkey has vowed to reinforce its military presence in northern Cyprus, where it already has about 40,000 troops, adding to tensions with …
Read More »Lukoil abused dominant position in Bulgaria, watchdog finds
Lukoil Bulgaria abused its dominant position on the wholesale fuel market by pressuring prices, the country’s competition authority, following a complaint by OMV Bulgaria and Insa Oil. Lukoil Bulgaria gradually changed price conditions for the wholesale sale of oil and removed discounts – a pricing policy which, according to the …
Read More »Bulgaria offers Azerbaijan electricity for gas deal
Bulgaria has offered to export electricity to Azerbaijan in exchange for expanding gas supplies, acting Economy Minister Nikola Stoyanov announced during his visit to Baku on Sunday (11 September). “With such a scheme – bartering gas for electricity, Bulgaria could receive quantities in the next four to five months, when …
Read More »US-Iran clash in Albania as hopes of nuclear deal fade
Albanian authorities thwarted a second cyberattack over the weekend after Tirana, backed by the United States with pledges of support and fresh sanctions on Iran, severed all diplomatic ties with Tehran who it blames for the “sabotage”. Meanwhile, hopes of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal continue to fade as leading …
Read More »NATO gaffe sign of bigger strife between Turkey, Greece
The recent Turkish-Greek row over Twitter might be a taste of things to come Rising tensions between Greece and Turkey over a simple goodwill tweet indicates how alarmingly volatile the relations between two NATO allies are becoming. Allegations that Greece’s Russian-made S-300 air defense batteries locked on Turkish jet fighters …
Read More »Greek PM wants to keep channels with Turkey open despite “unacceptable” comments
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday that Athens would try to keep communication channels with Ankara open despite recent “unacceptable” comments from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan accused Greece of occupying demilitarised islands in the Aegean Sea and saying Turkey was ready to “do what is necessary” when …
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