@balkandesk.bsky.social
Tudjman to Thompson: Croatia’s Growing Struggle with Extremism and Identity
Tudjman to Thompson: Croatia’s Growing Struggle with Extremism and Identity
In flirting with and sometimes embracing the far-right, critics say Croatia’s ruling HDZ party is playing with fire.
dlvr.it
September 10, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Tudjman to Thompson: Croatia’s Growing Struggle with Extremism and Identity
European Commission, MEPs Criticise Serbia Over Protest Crackdown
European Commission, MEPs Criticise Serbia Over Protest Crackdown
The European bloc’s enlargement commissioner questioned whether Serbia remains committed to achieving EU membership, as MEPs debating the protests in the Balkan state condemned what they called “police brutality”.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 8:29 PM
European Commission, MEPs Criticise Serbia Over Protest Crackdown
Israeli Minister’s Visit Amid Gaza War Sparks Dispute in Croatia
Israeli Minister’s Visit Amid Gaza War Sparks Dispute in Croatia
President and some opposition parties condemn Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's visit to Croatia, accusing the Zagreb government of supporting Israel's 'policy of violence'.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Israeli Minister’s Visit Amid Gaza War Sparks Dispute in Croatia
Bulgaria Rights Activists Win Case at ECHR Over Online Threats
Bulgaria Rights Activists Win Case at ECHR Over Online Threats
Strasbourg court says Bulgarian authorities failed to investigate online death threats posted in 2015 about three Bulgarian human rights activists.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Bulgaria Rights Activists Win Case at ECHR Over Online Threats
Turkish Lawfare: Erdogan Uses Courts to Crack Opposition Party’s Resolve
Turkish Lawfare: Erdogan Uses Courts to Crack Opposition Party’s Resolve
Government strategy against its main rival is to use court rulings to divide it and replace its leaders, rather than supress it altogether.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Turkish Lawfare: Erdogan Uses Courts to Crack Opposition Party’s Resolve
Romania Grills Moldovan Ex-Intelligence Official Suspected of Spying for Belarus
Romania Grills Moldovan Ex-Intelligence Official Suspected of Spying for Belarus
Alexandru Balan's detention in Romania forms part of a wider crackdown on a suspected Belarusian spy network.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Romania Grills Moldovan Ex-Intelligence Official Suspected of Spying for Belarus
From Putin’s Pal to Zelensky’s Frosty Neighbour: Slovak PM’s Awkward Double Life
From Putin’s Pal to Zelensky’s Frosty Neighbour: Slovak PM’s Awkward Double Life
Prime Minister Robert Fico appeared at ease with Russia’s leader in Beijing, only to strike a far more cautious tone days later in Uzhhorod with Ukraine’s president.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 6:14 AM
From Putin’s Pal to Zelensky’s Frosty Neighbour: Slovak PM’s Awkward Double Life
Recent Arrests in Bosnia Underscore Threat from AI-Generated Explicit Images
Recent Arrests in Bosnia Underscore Threat from AI-Generated Explicit Images
A helpline in Bosnia and Herzegovina says it is receiving more and more calls from mainly girls reporting image-based sexual abuse, sometimes involving artificial intelligence.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Recent Arrests in Bosnia Underscore Threat from AI-Generated Explicit Images
Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas
Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas
Instead of stimulating investment in agriculture or energy, critics say a 2015 ‘special law’ on strategic investment in Albania has simply made it easier and more profitable for certain privileged businesspeople to build luxury villas on the coast.
dlvr.it
September 9, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Clan Capitalism: Albania’s Privileged Investors and Their Seaside Villas
Turkish Police Enter Opposition HQ to Disperse Protesters and MPs
Turkish Police Enter Opposition HQ to Disperse Protesters and MPs
Riot police used tear gas to enter the main opposition party’s Istanbul headquarters, where MPs and party leaders barricaded themselves inside.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Turkish Police Enter Opposition HQ to Disperse Protesters and MPs
Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch’s Extradition From Greece Faces Delays
Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch’s Extradition From Greece Faces Delays
Greece has confirmed it intends to extradite Vladimir Plahotniuc back to Moldova – but no date for the transfer has been set, amid claims that Moldova's authorities are playing politics with the timing.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Fugitive Moldovan Oligarch’s Extradition From Greece Faces Delays
EU Data Show Asylum Applications Fall 23% in First Half of 2025
EU Data Show Asylum Applications Fall 23% in First Half of 2025
The new data comes as anti-immigration parties across Europe gain support, including in Czechia where a general election will be held next month.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 10:17 AM
EU Data Show Asylum Applications Fall 23% in First Half of 2025
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: September 8, 2025
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: September 8, 2025
Catch up on the weekend’s most important developments with Balkan Insight’s digest of news from countries across the region.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Monday Briefing from the Balkans: September 8, 2025
Hate Speech Grips Divided Moldova Ahead of Key Election
Hate Speech Grips Divided Moldova Ahead of Key Election
Experts warn that a wave of hate speech spreading from online platforms in the runup to September’s elections risks ending in serious acts of violence.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Hate Speech Grips Divided Moldova Ahead of Key Election
Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM
Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM
Halfway into a 12-month ban on TikTok in Albania, anecdotal evidence suggests the prohibition is being widely flouted while the government remains silent on promised filters to weed out ‘undesirable’ content.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Albania’s TikTok Ban Widely Flouted, Even by Allies of PM
North Macedonia’s Rival Albanian Parties Battle for Supremacy in Election
North Macedonia’s Rival Albanian Parties Battle for Supremacy in Election
October’s local polls are shaping into a bareknuckle fight between two ethnic Albanian blocs, each claiming to be the community’s ‘authentic’ representative.
dlvr.it
September 8, 2025 at 5:32 AM
North Macedonia’s Rival Albanian Parties Battle for Supremacy in Election
Violence Erupts After Police Move on Serbia Protest
Violence Erupts After Police Move on Serbia Protest
Police made multiple arrests at a student-led demonstration in Novi Sad on Friday night, which descended into violence following a police intervention.
dlvr.it
September 6, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Violence Erupts After Police Move on Serbia Protest
Despite Court Rulings, School Segregation Endures in Parts of Bosnia
Despite Court Rulings, School Segregation Endures in Parts of Bosnia
In two of 10 cantons in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Federation entity, ethnic segregation persists in primary and secondary schools three decades after the end of the war.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Despite Court Rulings, School Segregation Endures in Parts of Bosnia
Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam
Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam
Court again bans MPs from forming institutions deriving from the February elections while it considers a complaint about the failure to elect a deputy speaker from the Serb community, as guaranteed in the constitution.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Kosovo Court Imposes New Ban on Parliament Over Deputy Speaker Logjam
Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches
Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches
Our selection of Premium stories this week looks at the challenges facing the region as the summer season winds down and business-as-usual resumes.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Week in Review: Deadlocks, Unexpected Twists and New Approaches
ARTE Europe Weekly: How Do We Save Europe’s Universities?
ARTE Europe Weekly: How Do We Save Europe’s Universities?
Government budget cuts and spiralling costs mean that many universities across Europe have severe financial deficits.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 11:54 AM
ARTE Europe Weekly: How Do We Save Europe’s Universities?
Albanian-Language Film’s Disruption in Montenegro Alarms EU
Albanian-Language Film’s Disruption in Montenegro Alarms EU
EU Delegation voices concern for freedom of expression after young men halt screening of movie shown as part of street film festival.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Albanian-Language Film’s Disruption in Montenegro Alarms EU
Report Raises Fears for Serbia’s Last Dissenting Media Voices
Report Raises Fears for Serbia’s Last Dissenting Media Voices
A leaked recording has triggered alarm over the fate of a group of media outlets in Serbia that represent some of the last voices of dissent, just as President Aleksandar Vucic is mulling elections.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Report Raises Fears for Serbia’s Last Dissenting Media Voices
Democracy Digest: Fico Laughs with a Tyrant in Beijing
Democracy Digest: Fico Laughs with a Tyrant in Beijing
Elsewhere, Trump suggests to Nawrocki that US could even increase the number of troops it has stationed in Poland; Babis injured on campaign trail after elderly Czech man hits him on the head with a crutch; and Hungarians are still strong EU supporters.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Democracy Digest: Fico Laughs with a Tyrant in Beijing
Balkan Political Discourse ‘Encouraging’ Online Hate Towards LGBTQ+ People
Balkan Political Discourse ‘Encouraging’ Online Hate Towards LGBTQ+ People
LGBTQ+ Pride events in the Balkans are attracting waves of online hatred from social media users who, directly or not, take their cue from political leaders who are openly hostile to diversity.
dlvr.it
September 5, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Balkan Political Discourse ‘Encouraging’ Online Hate Towards LGBTQ+ People