The Balkan Press Review

Headlines: Is Serbia ready to 'normalize' relations with Kosovo?

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a press conference in his office in Belgrade, Serbia, January 23, 2023. REUTERS - MARKO DJURICA

Text by: Courrier des Balkans Follow |

Marion Roussey

4 mins

A press review prepared with 

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Eventful week for the Serbian government in Belgrade.

After receiving the American and European envoys last week, Aleksandar Vučić took part in a government session devoted to Kosovo on Monday morning.

Then he addressed the nation in the evening, to explain that Serbia was "

"

. 

However, the Serbian president's “theatrical” performance did not convince the Kosovo Serbs.

Despite multiple attempts at negotiations, tensions are still high between Belgrade and Pristina.

Among the stumbling blocks, the creation of an “

”, which some fear will become a “Republika Srpska of Kosovo”. 

►Also read: Serbia says it wants to “normalize” its relations with Kosovo

In Greece, political scandals follow one another

A few months before the legislative elections scheduled for the spring, the political climate is tense in Greece.

Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the opposition at the head of Syriza, tabled a motion of no confidence against the conservative government of Kyriákos Mitsotákis, accusing the Prime Minister of having played a significant role in the scandal of illegal tapping of political opponents , journalists, ministers and military leaders.

If the government camp has a sufficiently comfortable majority in Parliament not to be worried, the motion of censure is the

. 

A few days earlier, the former anti-corruption prosecutor, Eleni Touloupaki, was heard before the Greek Supreme Court.

She is being prosecuted for abuse of power and misrepresentation, and accused of wrongfully exposing politicians in

.

In Romania, passenger trains return to Ukraine

“

Passenger trains are running again between Romania and Ukraine.

The war

to modernize sections of a line connecting Rakhiv to Valea Vișeului, after 17 years of interruption.

The war in Ukraine could also encourage Bulgaria and Romania to

to enhance their common border and develop new sources of energy.

In particular, the two countries are planning the construction of two new hydroelectric power stations and new bridges spanning the Danube. 

In Croatia, authorities are investigating the

.

The Irina VU, owned by the wife of Russian oligarch Usman Alishanov.

He disappeared three months ago from the marina of Betina, on the Dalmatian island of Murter, "

".

Zagreb buried under rubbish?

A scenario feared by the mayor of the red-green coalition of Možemo.

However, for months, anger has been brewing among the employees responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of the Croatian capital.

Their

received support from opposition parties.

Croatia in Schengen: a headache for cross-border workers

Even more controls, even more rules.

For the inhabitants of Neum, a coastal town with Bosnia and Herzegovina's only access to the sea, the integration of Croatia into the Schengen area on January 1, 2023 complicates daily life.

.

Since 1996 and the end of the conflict, more than 96,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have left to live abroad.

For practical reasons, they often had to renounce their original nationality.

Today, many of them would like to return and

.

But the process turns out to be extremely complex, if not impossible, because their country of origin has not signed any agreement allowing it.

Fifteen years ago, Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured that judging war crimes was an absolute priority.

This transitional justice process quickly became

.

Without succeeding in promoting reconciliation.

►Also read: Green light for Croatia's entry into the Schengen area, Romania and Bulgaria failed

In Albania, the roots of the exodus

Purchasing power in Albania is among

, according to a report published in mid-January by Eurostat.

This is one of the main reasons that push more and more young people to leave their country.

Many of them emigrate to the UK, where they are not welcome.

These stories of exile, Enri Canaj tells them in pictures.

At 42, he is one of the most respected contemporary photographers of his generation.

A member of the famous Magnum agency, he is always behind the camera to tell the stories of others.

For Kosovo 2.0, he agreed to put into words his own story as an Albanian child who immigrated to Greece and his beginnings in photography.

.

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