Albania
BALKAN BLOG: Balkan divisions on display at bad-tempered Sarajevo summit
The brawl at Sarajevo airport between Bosnian border guards and Turkish President Erdogan’s security was the only time things turned physical, but it came on top of a whole series of acrimonious verbal clashes between Southeast European politicians.
Opposition mayors in Albania refuse to hand over mandates
The refusal by opposition mayors to leave their posts escalates the crisis sparked by President Ilir Meta’s decision to cancel the June 30 local election that was ignored by the government which went ahead with the vote.
EU takes measures to strengthen links with Western Balkans
€180mn of funding proposed at Poznan summit, shortly after the European Council deferred its decision on the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.
Rainbow flag flies over CEE, but attitudes to LGBT vary vastly
North Macedonia held its first ever gay pride march on June 29 with up to 1,000 people attending the event. There were pride marches in nearly all the CEE countries but the experience in each country is vastly different.
TANAP pipeline comes online, a major piece in Europe’s energy puzzle
Completion of the TANAP pipeline brings completion of the Southern Gas Corridor that will diversify Europe’s gas supplies away from Russia closer to reality — at a time when Russia is building its own new pipeline infrastructure.
COMMENT: Albania and North Macedonia's EU bids stymied by French political machinations
The bids from Albania and Northern Macedonia have been bogged down by France, which is using the desire of some EU members to let the two small countries in as a bargaining chip in the hope of screwing concessions for its own agenda, says OSW.
OPINION: The 29th state
As Tirana burns, Junker’s vision of a 29th European state in the Western Balkans smoulders.
Kosovo threatens new measures against CEFTA members if trade barriers are not removed
Threat of wider Balkan trade war as trade minister says reciprocal measure will be taken against CEFTA states that impose barriers against Kosovan imports.
Albania’s top election body decides local vote will go ahead
Electoral College weighs in on constitutional crisis after Albania's President Ilir Meta cancelled the local election, while Prime Minister Edi Rama insists it will go ahead.
BALKAN BLOG: Accession delays put EU’s credibility in the Western Balkans on the line
A failure by the EU to reward reforms in Albania and North Macedonia risks undermining the bloc’s ability to influence policy in the Western Balkans.
European Council delays decision on EU accession talks with Albania, North Macedonia until October
Council praised North Macedonia for its historic Prespa Agreement that resolved the long-standing name issue with Greece, but mentioned nothing about Albania.
EU enlargement debate: Waiting for a differentiated “North Macedonia breakthrough”
A move away from the “package solution” of a simultaneous start to accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia is needed. North Macedonia is the less politically controversial candidate and is in a better position economically.
Albanian prosecutors file criminal charges against opposition leader Basha
Opposition says case concerning $675,000 of funding for the Democratic Party ahead of the 2017 general election is intended to distract from the political crisis in Albania.