Southeastern Europe
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Weekly Review // September 09 - 15, 2015 SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE Observatory Southeastern Europe Intelligence Unit is formed by an ambitious group of young scientists which focuses on the political, economic, defense and security developments in the wider region of Southeastern Europe. Our main task is the “Southeastern Europe Observatory” to become a credible, detailed, objective and flexible “tool” of information and short analysis targeted at researchers and professionals who are interested in current affairs of this sensitive and crucial part of the European continent. In each weekly review, you will find the most significant news of the previous week in the region. TOP NEWS FROM THE REGION ALBANIA: - September 9th, The publication of the of the voter registration system, and the voters’ ability to final report by OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission cast their vote freely were the most important irregularities regarding the local elections in Albania on June 21st, 2015 during the elections. Finally, the report underlines that the raised different reactions in the country. Leader of the main elections were an important test of ongoing reform of local opposition party, the Democratic Party of Albania (Partia government and of Albania’s recent attainment of Demokratike e Shqipërisë – PD), Lulzim Basha stated that European Union candidate status. the report is the “black spot” of the electoral process in (www.albaniannews.com, www.osce.org) Albania since 2003 emphasizing that OSCE concludes that the elections were not free and fair, voters’ freedom was - September 9th , Leader of the opposition, Lulzim Basha violated and finally during the elections the state fought invited all Albanians to join DP’s largest protest ever against its own citizens. On the other side, Edi Rama, organized against the Government and especially against Prime Minister of Albania and leader of the ruling Socialist the duo Rama and Meta (Edi Rama, Prime Minister and Ilir Party of Albania (Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë – PS) Meta, Speaker of the Parliament). According to Basha the reacted claiming that “DP leader is talking a lot of two men “have made alliance with the most dangerous nonsense” . According to OSCE/ ODIHR Election gangs”. (www.albaniannews.com) Observation Mission final report although the fundamental freedoms and rights were generally respected and the - September 14th, Albanian police announced that has elections day was assessed positively some important destroyed more than 650,000 cannabis trees worth seven procedural irregularities were observed. Politicization of billion Euros since the beginning of the year. Police were state institutions, gaps and ambiguities in the legislation on helped by their Italian counterparts who provided several important aspects of the electoral process, the information as well as helicopters for some operations. politicized nature of the Central Electoral Committee (CEC) Police Chief, Haki Cako said "Due to large-scale operations which undermined public confidence in the independence conducted last year, we had a decrease in the number of of the electoral administration, concerns about the integrity 1 Weekly Review // September 09 - 15, 2015 large areas where cannabis was grown". months we will stabilize the parliamentary majority in the (www.nation.com.pk) FB&H”. (www.sarajevotimes.com) BULGARIA: - September 9th, A major diplomatic BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: - September 9th, case broke out between Bulgaria and Russia when the first The Constitutional Court of Republica Srpska (RS) rejected refused to allow the Russian military aircrafts to overfly via the veto of Bosniak Muslims on the decision of National the Bulgarian airspace. Bulgarian Government announced Assembly on calling a referendum regarding the function of that had reliable information that the aircrafts did not carry the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of B&H. After the humanitarian aid to Syria but weapons and troops. Constitutional Court’s decision the referendum might enter Although the Bulgarian Deputy Defense Minister, Dimitar into force. Bosniaks raised questions over the referendum Kyumyurdzhiev said that there was not diplomatic pressure claiming violation of vital national interest but the Court had from other countries to Bulgaria Russian officials reacted different opinion. There are a lot of questions regarding the claiming that “Bulgaria acted like a vassal to United States”. constitutionality of the referendum since there is a Minister of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Mitov, stated that his controversy over the jurisdiction of RS’s National Assembly country will allow the Russians aircrafts to overfly over to call a referendum about this issue. The Party of Bulgaria only if Moscow agrees to inspections. Democratic Action (Stranka demokratske akcije – SDA) (www.novinite.com) which represents Bosniaks’ interests strongly reacted in Court’s decision and condemned it while it invited the September 13th, Bulgarian Minister of Defense, Nikolay international community and especially the Office of High Nenchev claimed that the armed forces will need millions of Representative in B&H (OHR) to take measures against a Euros to meet their current needs and expenses over the decision which violates the “Dayton Agreement” and next few years. More specifically he stated that the destabilizes the country. (www.sarajevotimes.com) increase of the minimum salary next year will require almost 29 million Euros more until 2018 while a - September 14th, The ruling coalition of SDA and Croatian modernization program for the improvement of the defense Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Hrvatska capabilities requires almost 77 million Euros. Finally 51 demokratska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovine – HDZ B&H) million Euros are required for the debt of the Military tries to resolve the governmental crisis which broke out last Medical Academy which occurred after a financial scandal June after the withdrawal of the third part, the Democratic earlier this year. Nenchev underlined once again that the Front (Demokratska fronta – DF). The coalition lost its armed forces does not receive enough funding to respond parliamentary majority and plans to replace DF with to their obligations and needs. Defense Minister has an ally another party. After a meeting which was held between the in his claims; the Bulgarian President, Rosen Plenveliev leaders of the two parties, Bakir Izetbegovic (SDA) and who strongly supports the increase of defense budget in Dragan Covic (HDZ B&H) in Mostar it was announced that order Bulgaria to reach the NATO requirements. On the the Alliance for Better Future (Savez za bolju budućnost other hand Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov has the opinion BiH – SBB B&H) is an option since both leaders agreed that increase of the military expenditure is not possible that SBB B&H has the necessary capacities to become a before next year. (www.novinite.com) governmental partner. Covic stated: “In the next two 2 Weekly Review // September 09 - 15, 2015 CROATIA: - September 12th, President of Croatia, model that has been used in Egypt in order to reassess the Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic paid a three day visit to Bosnia & results in Cypriot blocks. During the visit ENI – KOGAS Herzegovina from September 10th to 12th, 2015. During her had asked the Cypriot government for an extension earlier stay President Grabar-Kitarovic visited Republica Srpska in the year to re-evaluate its geological model after it twice (RS) where she met with representatives of the Croat failed to find exploitable hydrocarbons in Cyprus’ Block 9. community living in the Bosnian Serb entity. According to More specifically, the company had asked for an extension them Croatian state and its Governments did not help until February 2018 to reassess the energy potential in the Croats in RS sufficiently since only 3% of Croat refugees East Levant where it operates. Finally the Descalzi claimed have returned in their pre – war homes. According to data that natural gas found in Cyprus may enter the European from the Roman Catholic diocese of Banja Luka, around market through the company’s facilities in Egypt. 10,000 Croats live today in RS as against 220,000 before (www.cyprus-mail.com) the 1992-95 war. Croatian President expressed her disappointment for what Croatia does for Croats in RS and - September 14th, United Nations (UN) announced expressed the opinion that Croatia should increase its intensity of actions regarding the reunification process of financial aid and other assistance in order to facilitate the the island in the coming months since the two leaders of return of refugees to their home. (www.dalje.com) the devided communities, President Nikos Anastasiades and the self – proclaimed “President” of the occupied part CYPRUS: - September 9th, President Nikos of Cyprus, Mustafa Akinci agreed to intensify their work in a Anastasiades appointed Chief Superintendent Marios bid to reach a settlement as soon as possible. Special Christofides as the interim chief of the state’s intelligence Adviser of the Secretary-General Espen Barth Eide service. Christofides is the successor of Antreas Pentaras announced that Anastasiades and Akinci will next meet on who resigned last July due to a phone surveillance scandal. October 12th, and October 30th. President Anastasiades According to the Government Christofides will remain as expressed his determination “to work intensively in a bid to interim chief since the intelligence service “law” pending find an agreement that is acceptable to both communities,