The Guardian view on Kosovoโ€™s election result: a gateway to rapprochement with the EU

A new coalition government may seek to rebuild bridges with western partners, at a perilous geopolitical momentSeventeen years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, its future remains shadowed and compromised by relations with Belgrade. More …

Kosovo’s incumbent party set to win most seats in parliamentary election

Kosovo’s electoral commission announced that Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party was on track to win 41% of the vote, leaving it ahead but without a majority government, which could lead to coalition talks.

Exit polls show incumbent PM Albin Kurti’s party in lead in Kosovo legislative elections

Kosovans headed to the polls against a backdrop of a stagnant economy and renewed ethnic tensions but the Central Election Commission says turnout was low.

Kosovo faces political uncertainty as ruling party fails to secure election majority

PM Albin Kurti claims โ€˜victoryโ€™ and vows to form government but analysts warn of prolonged crisis and instabilityThe governing party of the prime minister, Albin Kurti, is on track to secure the most seats in Kosovoโ€™s parliament but will lack the numbe…

Kosovo PM Albin Kurti wins election amid tensions with Brussels and Washington

His ruling party fell short of a majority and will need to find a coalition partner if it hopes to continue in power.

Kosovo’s PM party leads in parliamentary polls, may fall of majority

In Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party led with the most seats but faced uncertainty in forming a majority. The election highlighted Kurti’s anti-Serbian agenda against the opposition’s economic promises. Withou…

Kosovoโ€™s Kurti tops polls as second term likely to revive Belgrade-Pristina talks

After Sunday’s polls, Kosovoโ€™s stalled normalisation talks with neighbouring Serbia could see a revival but not become any easier. Exit polls showed incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurtiโ€™s Vetรซvendosje party in first place, with 38.2% of Sundayโ€™s vote, …

Parliamentary elections in Kosovo: ‘Key issue is relationship with Serbia’

Polls opened in Kosovo on Sunday after a combative election campaign in which opposition candidates clashed with Prime Minister Albin Kurti over the economy, corruption and relations with the country’s old foe and neighbour Serbia. “As ever, with Koso…

Kosovo votes in parliamentary elections amid tensions with Serbia

Voters began casting ballots in Kosovo elections Sunday in a contest that pits combative incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s quest to stamp out Serbian influence against a fractured opposition’s vow to boost the economy. Condemned by the EU and the…

Kosovo votes in legislative elections seen as key test for PM Kurti

Kosovars cast their votes Sunday in a parliamentary election considered a key test for Prime Minister Albin Kurti as talks on normalising ties with rival Serbia remain stalled and foreign funding for one of Europe’s poorest countries in question.

Kosovo goes to the polls as the shadow of Trump looms large

Fears of partition that arose during Trumpโ€™s first administration have re-emerged as PM Albin Kurti navigates tense relations with both US and EUKosovo goes to the polls on Sunday in an election that could mark a crossroads in the young countryโ€™s hist…

Kosovo votes in parliamentary elections clouded by tensions with Serbia

Kosovars are voting Sunday in parliamentary elections that could determine who will lead the Kosovo side in negotiations with Serbia, which stalled last year. Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party campaigned on a tough line with Serbia while the oppositi…

Britainโ€™s Karen Pierce swaps DC embassy for the Balkans

Former British ambassador in Washington will help lead a summit this fall tackling illegal migration.

Kosovo bans ethnic-Serb party from election, drawing Western criticism

Serbian President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡ accused Albanian PM Albin Kurti of attempting to “remove the Serbian List as the only political opponent”.
The post Kosovo bans ethnic-Serb party from election, drawing Western criticism appeared first on Euractiv.

EU leaders to pledge closer ties with Western Balkans counterparts

“It’s clear that CFSP alignment is becoming more important,” a senior EU official said.
The post EU leaders to pledge closer ties with Western Balkans counterparts appeared first on Euractiv.

Kosovo, Serbia reach agreement implementing search for war missing

Of the 6,065 cases of people who have gone missing following the 1998-99 war, 1,607 remain unresolved, according to the European Union’s diplomatic service.
The post Kosovo, Serbia reach agreement implementing search for war missing appeared first on E…

Trump taps top ally Richard Grenell as envoy for โ€˜special missionsโ€™

Speculation swirled for weeks as Grenell was seemingly snubbed for the role of secretary of State.

In the case of Trump loyalist Ric Grenell, loyalty did not trump all

He and his allies mounted an aggressive effort for the top diplomat role.

Accusations fly after blast hits key Kosovo water system

A detonation on a critical aqueduct comes after a series of smaller incidents in the tense Serb-majority north of the country.

Kosovo arrests eight linked to canal explosion as tensions with Serbia rise

Pristina labels incident โ€˜terrorist actโ€™ by neighbouring country, activating armed forces to prevent more attacksKosovoโ€™s interior minister, Xhelal Sveรงla, said on Saturday that police had arrested eight people after an explosion hit a canal that sends…

Kosovo blames Serbia for blast at key water canal as tensions escalate

Kosovo on Saturday worked to restore water and power supplies following an explosion at a canal critical to its energy infrastructure, which Pristina denounced as a “terrorist act” by Serbia. While Belgrade denied involvement and pointed fingers at Ko…

Explosion damages Kosovo power infrastructure, PM accuses Serbia of terrorism

In a sign of ethnic tensions between the two Balkan countries, Prime Minister Albin Kurti blamed Serbian criminal gangs without providing proof.

UK to sign new agreements on people smuggling with Western Balkan countries

The UK government says that almost 100,000 migrants from third countries transited through the Western Balkans last year, making it “a key route used by those who end up in the EU or UK illegally”.

Hungary flirts with Putin and snubs NATO meeting

NATO diplomats based in Budapest wanted to chat with Hungary about its ambiguous policy toward the Atlantic alliance, but were ignored.

Von der Leyen tours Western Balkans in latest EU enlargement drive

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen kicked off a four-day trip to the Western Balkans, where she will meet with the leaders of Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Montenegro to discuss their progress tow…

Albaniaโ€™s former president arrested on corruption allegations

Relations between the country’s former president and current PM have deteriorated.

Kosovoโ€™s Kurti opposes replication of Italy-Albania migration deals in Balkans

EU enlargement “is the best response to those who seek to fracture Europe’s security and unity,” Kosovo’s prime minister added.

North Kosovo ethnic tensions remain risk for violence, NATO official says

US Navy Admiral Stuart B. Munsch, commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples – which oversees NATO’s peacekeeping in force in Kosovo – said the alliance remained concerned about the risk of repeated violence in north Kosovo.

Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡โ€™s diplomacy ร  la carte

The Serbian leader has proved adept at balancing the West versus China and Russia.

Silence over Kosovoโ€™s stalled Council of Europe bid as France, Italy dig in their heels

As momentum around Kosovoโ€™s bid to join the Council of Europe stagnates, stakeholders have refused to comment on reports suggesting the process is being hampered by France and Italy, two previously staunch supporters of their accession.

War of words between Serbia and Kosovo intensifies as EU talks stall

Serbian President Vuฤiฤ‡ says he has โ€œno relationshipโ€ to Kosovo leaders as EU-led talks fail to produce results.

Brain drain in Western Balkans spikes amid absence of opportunities

Youth brain drain is becoming a worrisome problem for the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia.

The EU must soon open its doors to new members โ€“ its survival depends on it | Nathalie Tocci

The days when Viktor Orbรกn could block negotiations on a whim should be over โ€“ and the western Balkans should finally benefit Russiaโ€™s invasion of Ukraine has revived EU expansion as an imperative. For years, โ€œenlargementโ€ has been a low priority โ€“ Cro…

Kosovo closes two border crossings with Serbia after activists stage blockade

Northern Kosovo, with a predominantly ethnic Serb population, has long been a flashpoint of tensions between Pristina and Belgrade and the border blockade comes on the same day an EU envoy said both sides should work to normalise relations if they hope…

The other European proxy war

Serbia gets pulled โ€” and pulls itself โ€” sharply between East and West. Where it ends up will help decide which Great Power emerges triumphant.

Protest from US after Kosovo closes Serbian offices

Risk of raising tensions after parallel institutions serving Serb minority are declared illegal and shuttered by ethnic Albanian-led governmentKosovo authorities on Friday closed five parallel institutions working with the ethnic Serb minority, a move …

Macron wishes Serbia was more eager to join the EU

French president says Serbians “should not fear” a loss of national identity if they join the bloc.

The other K-pop: Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and the Kosovan chart takeover

After wartime trauma, Europeโ€™s youngest country has developed an outsize musical clout that packed this yearโ€™s Sunny Hill festival in Pristina. What fuels its pop success?The fields above the Kosovan village of Bรซrnicรซ e Poshtme offer a spectacular vie…

Kosovo police raid on Serb post offices ‘violates’ EU-facilitated dialogue, Commission warns

Brussels has warned both Belgrade and Pristina that refusal to compromise jeopardises Serbia and Kosovoโ€™s chances of joining the European Union.

Macedonian ministry employee arrested for mass-producing fake โ‚ฌ2 coins

The arrest comes as Kosovo faces an epidemic of counterfeit euro coins.

Kosovoโ€™s president involved in Macedonian airport scuffle, sparking diplomatic row

The incident was โ€œunprecedented,โ€ Vjosa Osmani’s spokesperson said.

Kosovoโ€™s president involved in Macedonian airport scuffle, sparking diplomatic row

The incident was โ€œunprecedented,โ€ Vjosa Osmani’s spokesperson said.

Three review โ€“ Yugoslavian trilogy of tales tracks the horrors of the second world war

Aleksandar Petroviฤ‡โ€™s 1965 interlinked stories focus on the changes wrought in one young Yugoslavian by the brutality of the war and its aftermathSerbian film-maker Aleksandar Petroviฤ‡ was a member of the former Yugoslaviaโ€™s insurgent Black Wave cinema…

Germanyโ€™s Scholz set for rare meeting with Serbiaโ€™s isolated Vuฤiฤ‡ to finalize lithium deal

European Commission to also attend signature in Belgrade on Friday

NATOโ€™s in denial about deterrence by denial

Taking the necessary steps to fully operationalize deterrence by denial is critical โ€” especially before a possible change in Americaโ€™s relationship with NATO.

EU wields stick and carrot to drive South-Eastern Europe energy integration

Formerly sedate attempts at electricity market integration in South-Eastern Europe have been given a new dynamism amid a concrete EU perspective โ€“ and a looming punitive CO2 duty.

Belgrade authorities cancel ethnic bridge-building arts festival after nationalist protests

Youth groups from Serbia and Kosovo who organise the Mirรซdita Dobar Dan cultural event accuse Serbiaโ€™s interior ministry of failing to protect them from intimidationOrganisers of a festival designed to promote cultural exchange between Kosovo and Serbi…

Serbian police shut down festival promoting cultural exchange with Kosovo

The festival ban comes a day after the EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell said no progress had been made during talks in Brussels towards implementing an EU-backed agreement towards normalising ties between Belgrade and Pristina.

Only one bite at the cherry: Appealing a default judgment of the General Court to the Court of Justice, and simultaneously asking the General Court under the specific remedy to set aside its own default judgment is not permitted: Eulex Kosovo v SC (Case C-785/22 P)

 

 

Antje Kunst*

* Antje Kunst is an
international lawyer and barrister of Pavocat Chambers, admitted to the Bar of
England and Wales, and the Bar of Berlin, advising and representing individuals
in a wide range of matters related to …

Bitter Balkan feuds spill into Euros once again

An Albanian player leads fans in chants against North Macedonia. Rival supporters unite to chant “Kill the Serbs”. A journalist from Kosovo receives death threats for an eagle gesture.

Balkan tensions burst onto the pitch at Euro 2024

‘Kill the Serb!’ ‘F**k Macedonia!’ Violent chants and regional rivalries tarnish Europe’s summer football tournament.

Balkan drama sizzles as Serbia threatens to quit Euro 2024

Punish Croatia and Albania or we’re leaving, Serbian football chief told UEFA.

Serbian parliament approves cabinet including politicians under US sanctions

The Serbian parliament approved a coalition government which newly elected Prime Minister Miloลก Vuฤeviฤ‡ described as a “government of continuity” that will lead the Balkan country through geopolitical challenges and tensions with Kosovo.

Jericho Ridge review โ€“ shades of Rio Bravo in tense siege thriller with old-timey charm

Nikki Amuka-Bird gives a powerful performance as a gritty deputy defending her remote sheriffโ€™s office from armed invadersThereโ€™s an old-timey charm about this, a (mostly) one-location action movie in the tradition of Rio Bravo, or its sort-of remake A…

Kosovo closer to joining Council of Europe, Serbia attacks Greek delegate

Kosovo took another step towards becoming a member of the Council of Europe (CoE), a pan-European human rights body, on Tuesday (16 April) as its parliamentary assembly overwhelmingly passed a report recommending membership, with even representatives f…

โ€˜This is still tabooโ€™: queer teens and their families embrace gay comedy in Serbia

Audiences are finding sharp resonance and emotional comfort in Patrik Laziฤ‡โ€™s moving and funny play Our Son, about topics still sensitive in the BalkansThe hurling of a salad bowl to the floor might not sound like the most dramatic of moments, but it s…

Kosovo accused of raising ethnic tensions by banning use of Serbian dinar

US and EU officials express concern about Pristina forcing ethnic Serb minority to use the euroThe US has accused authorities in Kosovo of โ€œunnecessarily raising ethnic tensionsโ€ after the government imposed a ban on Serbiaโ€™s currency and instructed it…

โ€˜They hit me so hard I lost consciousnessโ€™: Serbian opposition leader tells of secret service ordeal

Arrest of pro-west politician Nikola Sanduloviฤ‡, who dared to apologise over Kosovo crimes, exposes tensions still festering in the BalkansBed-bound in the gargantuan brick and marble villa that is his home, Nikola Sanduloviฤ‡ recounts the attack that h…

Vuฤiฤ‡ declares victory in Serbia election, opposition cries foul

President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡ declared victory in a snap parliamentary election on Sunday (17 December), after pollsters projected his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was on track to easily win.

Time for the EU to take ownership of the Serbia-Kosovo process

In the Western Balkans, good things happen when the West is resolute, and the opposite is true when there is drift or apathy sets in. EU leaders would do well to bear this in mind when they meet for the EU-Western Balkans summit this week, write Michae…

Judicial control over alleged breaches of fundamental rights in the implementation of Eulex Kosovo and Advocate Generalโ€™s ฤ†apeta’s Opinion in Joined Cases C-29/22 P and C-44/22 P

 Antje
Kunst*

Photo
credit: Sharon Hahn Darlin, via Wikimedia Commons

Advocate
General (โ€˜AGโ€™) ฤ†apeta delivered her Opinion in
Joined Cases Cโ€‘29/22 P and Cโ€‘44/22, KS and KD, on 23 November 2023.
She proposed that individuals may bring an act…

David Cameron to visit Brussels in official role for first time since Brexit

One diplomat likens ex-PMโ€™s trip to EU headquarters for Nato talks to a โ€˜divorcee returning to the family homeโ€™David Cameron will return to Brussels on Tuesday in an official capacity for the first time since his doomed campaign for Britain to remain i…

Former Yugoslavia countries must face past horrors or risk return to conflict, Council of Europe official says

Councilโ€™s commissioner for human rights says some people prosecuted in the Hague for war crimes โ€˜return to their communities as heroesโ€™The failure of the countries of the former Yugoslavia to address their violent past has had devastating consequences …

EU rebukes Serbia, Kosovo for limited progress on dialogue and membership reforms

The European Commission urged both Belgrade and Pristina on Wednesday (8 November) to begin implementing their obligations under past agreements, including a revival of their stalled normalisation talks, stressing this was vital for their future EU path.

Germany proposes giving EU candidate countries observer status at summits

Roadmap for expansion suggests integrating countries such as Ukraine into sections of EU before negotiations are completeGermany has proposed a detailed and innovative roadmap to expand the EU that would give candidate countries such as Ukraine early b…

Serbiaโ€™s president dissolves parliament and calls early election

Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡โ€™s party won last vote less than two years ago but has been under pressure over ties with Kosovo and shootings in MayEurope live โ€“ latest updatesSerbiaโ€™s president, Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ‡, has dissolved parliament and called early parliamenta…

Vain generals, mix-ups and Elvis: Kosovan play turns peace talks into farce

Jeton Nezirajโ€™s Negotiating Peace is a frenzied comedy drawing on Bosnian and Kosovan wars When political leaders present war as the only solution, it is up to artists to remind people that finding peace is still possible. That is the starting point fo…