In the news: Transnistria asks Russia for “protection”
Alexander Korshunov, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, addressing delegates and, below, delegates attending the session in Tiraspol, the capital of the breakaway Transnistria region, Moldova, Wednesday, February 28, 2024. AP
By: Courrier des Balkans Follow |
Simon Rico Follow
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A press review presented in partnership with Le Courrier des Balkans
In recent days, Transnistria has caused a lot of concern among Westerners: was the small separatist province of Moldova going to request, like Crimea and Donbass,
its attachment to Russia
?
A congress of “
all elected officials
” was held on February 28 in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, on the eve of Vladimir Putin's speech to the nation.
This
was ultimately not the case
, but the pro-European authorities in Chișinău are under more pressure than ever.
Especially in the run-up to the Russian presidential election on March 11.
Two years after the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Serbia's positioning still causes concern.
Belgrade still refuses to join Western sanctions against Russia and the Serbian capital hosts several tens of thousands of exiles, including many employees of Yandex, the Russian Google.
Is the country the bridgehead of Moscow's influence in Europe?
Interview with political scientist Igor Bandović
.
Very active in favor of Palestine, little Slovenia tries to make its voice heard at the United Nations Security Council, of which it is a non-permanent member.
Exclusive interview
with Social Democratic Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, who is fighting for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and respect for international law.
And claims to lead feminist diplomacy.
Albania, all the way to the west?
It is in this context that Albania
hosted a new Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit in Tirana
in the presence of Volodymyr Zelensky.
Nothing concrete was announced: the participants simply issued a joint declaration calling the Russian invasion “the
greatest threat to world peace
”.
Wooden language tailor-made to satisfy Westerners.
The next day, the Albanian capital organized a European Union-Western Balkans meeting called “Better Together”.
The opportunity to discuss the six billion euro recovery plan presented by Brussels last fall.
But will this financial aid be sufficient
to concretely relaunch the dynamic of enlargement
?
Turkey aims for the Moon
A few days earlier, Prime Minister Edi Rama visited Ankara to meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose close friendship he claims.
On this occasion, the public broadcasters of the two countries
signed a very symbolic partnership agreement
: Turkish TRT is one of the main relays of the Islamo-conservative propaganda of the AKP (The Justice and Development Party).
President Erdoğan
is also banking on space conquest
to assert Turkey's power on the international scene.
In January, the country sent its first man into space.
But the real objective is the Moon, by 2026. These very costly ambitions nevertheless make many people cringe as the economic crisis rages in the country.
More and more deaths on the “Balkan route”
The “Balkan route” has once again become the main route to the European Union.
But the blocking of borders makes the journey ever more perilous and more and more exiles die on the way without leaving a trace.
Their loved ones search for them amid chaos and corruption.
Investigation
.
And sad news, finally, for all Eurovision fans.
After Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey,
Romania joins the long list of Balkan countries
which will not participate in the 68th edition of the Eurovision contest, next May in Sweden.
Also read: Israel at Eurovision 2024: wave of protests in Nordic artistic circles
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