Balkans

La frontière serbe : l’espoir renouvelé des jeunes de Tataouine

“Notre pays souffre du chômage, et mon fils rêve comme ses pairs de fonder une famille. C’est mieux de migrer que de rester ici et de voir les gens se développer, alors que lui est impuissant et humilié, parce qu’il n’a pas qui l’aider. Je n’attendrai pas jusqu’à ce qu’il se suicide.” C’est ainsi que Mahmoud résume les raisons qui l’ont poussé à collecter de l’argent pour financer la migration irrégulière de son fils, à travers la Serbie, jusqu’en France, suivant ainsi l’exemple de plusieurs jeunes de Tataouine.

Open Balkan 2022: A Crisis Response Tool – Analysis

From 1 September to 2 September 2022, a summit of the Open Balkan initiative, which is a joint project of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania based on the idea of free flow of people, goods, capital and services, was organized in Belgrade. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski participated at the summit of the leaders of the Open Balkan regional initiative. The political leaders primarily came together to consider the future and look for optimal solutions for the complex situation in which the Western Balkans region is currently embroiled.

Cyprus’s ‘State of Emergency’: Turkey’s ‘Weaponization’ of Illegal Mass Migration

The Cypriot government says that Turkey is orchestrating this illegal immigration crisis, as most migrants coming to Cyprus travel from Turkey. They reportedly fly from Istanbul or Ankara to the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, are then smuggled to the free, southern part of the Republic of Cyprus, and from there, under EU law, can apply for asylum.

Bosnia’s peace envoy imposes changes to election law

Bosnia’s international peace overseer imposed changes to the election law aimed to prevent blockades of a regional government after polls closed in presidential and parliamentary vote on Sunday.

Former German politician Christian Schmidt, who has vast powers as international High Representative in Bosnia, acted to enable a more effective work of the government and parliament of the country’s autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation.

EU overlooks Azeri energy graft risk

As the EU talks of ‘freedom’ from Russian gas for central and eastern Europe and the Balkans, brought by increased imports from Azerbaijan, sceptics warn it comes at a cost: increased reliance on a country engaged in a conflict and with a recent history of bribery and corruption in Europe.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Hot Summer

A pre-election standoff between Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken an ugly turn, with rhetoric from the 1990s war reappearing. Ideally, politicians would make the reforms needed to settle the quarrel but, if not, the internationally appointed high representative should do so.

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 we need it most in the winter,” he told state television BNT.

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 European countries expressed ‘serious doubts’ about Iran’s intentions.