Balkans

Israel, Greece advance major defense deal

Israel and Greece will soon sign a $1.68 billion agreement for the purchase of Israeli jets and the opening of a military flight school operated by an Israeli company. Israel’s Defense Ministry announced this morning that it is set to sign a $1.68 billion security agreement with Greece effective for …

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Kosovo: Top Politicians Sent to Hague to Face War Charges

Kosovo experienced a watershed moment in 2020 when four guerrilla leaders who became political heavyweights in the post-war years, including President Hashim Thaci, were sent to stand trial for wartime and post-war crimes. Adecade after explosive allegations were made against Kosovo Liberation Army fighters in a report by Council of …

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Germany’s Push for New High Representative to Bosnia is Worrying

At a time when the West desperately needs to coordinate its policy towards Bosnia, Berlin’s unilateral push to appoint a new international overseer for the country is a troubling development. Berlin wants to replace Bosnia and Herzegovina’s long-serving High Representative Valentin Inzko – responsible for monitoring implementation of the 1995 …

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In Muslim Region of Serbia, Ottoman-era Mosques Perish

Razed or ‘restored’ with little regard for their original form, Ottoman-era mosques in a mainly Muslim pocket of Serbia face extinction. In mid-December, a group of men, some of them armed, set up a roadblock at a construction site in the southern Serbian town of Novi Pazar, where an Islamic …

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Promised Montenegrin Lustration Law May Prove Mission Impossible

Can Montenegro succeed where its Balkan peers failed in conducting a fair process of lustration? Not likely, say analysts and experts. Montenegro’s new coalition government is promising a law on lustration to weed out public officials guilty of past human rights violations, but political analysts and legal experts say it …

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Share This Now! How Conspiracy Theories Swamped North Macedonia

The fight against the spread of fake news is becoming more sophisticated in North Macedonia – but those involved in disseminating misinformation are upping their game as well. The day starts with coffee and unread messages: a few from friends, a few work related, a paid furniture ad, and one …

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Albanians Search Anxiously for Youngsters Arrested in Street Protests

Parents of the youthful protesters arrested during the latest anti-government rallies are hunting in police stations across Tirana for their children – some accusing the police of making arbitrary arrests. Emin Basha, uncle of Ibrahim Basha, a police officer killed on duty while fighting drug lords in southern Albania four …

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