Albanian Language Media:

• COVID-19: 69 new cases, seven deaths (media)
• Decision on reopening of schools expected today (media)
• Kosovo and North Macedonia discuss easing of border restrictions (RFE)
• Minister Zemaj thanks OSF for donating funds to combat COVID-19 (media)
• Ambassador Szunyog meets Kosovo political leaders (media)
• Klinaku: Specialist Prosecutor’s Office communicated with authorities in Serbia (Klan)
• “Political instability, corruption hampering economic development” (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Putin with Vucic on Kosovo: Russia’s unchanged position (media)
• Borrell: Serbia expected to act in line with its aim – EU membership (N1)
• Palestine envoy to Serbia: I ask Vucic for audience and expect explanation (media)
• Peskov: Russia does not consider Serbia’s decision to postpone military exercises a consequence of Western pressure (Tanjug, Blic, TASS)
• Stano: Resolving the status of non-majority communities is crucial (Tanjug, Kontakt plus radio)
• Media: Bilcik raised the issue of the participation of the Serbian Armed Forces in the exercise in Belarus (NMagazin)
• Government of Serbia:  Decision to halt all military exercises and activities (Serbian media)
• Source tells Israeli daily Serbia won’t move embassy if Kosovo recognized (N1, The Times of Israel)
• EU diplomats: Belgrade-Pristina agreement within a year (Beta, N1)
• Property, one of the most difficult issues in Brussels (media) 

Opinion:

• Biserko: Serbia’s manoeuvring space regarding Kosovo issue has shrunk (N1)

International:

• Montenegro’s Change in Power has the Region Worried (Balkan Insight)
• How Israel justifies sudden recognition of Kosovo that has riled Serbia (The Times of Israel)
• ‘Living Yugoslavia’: Past Identity Becomes Present Political Statement (Balkan Insight)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Dramatic warning and gloomy forecast of experts: facing ecology threats started… (B92, Tanjug)

Albanian Language Media

COVID-19: 69 new cases, seven deaths (media)

Of 532 samples tested for coronavirus over the last 24 hours, 69 resulted positive, Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said. 

Meanwhile, 107 recoveries and seven deaths have been recorded over the same time period.

Decision on reopening of schools expected today (media)

The Ministry of Education is expected to announce today the decision on if and how to reopen schools in Kosovo after already postponing the start of the school year for two weeks. 

The decision is expected to be in line with recommendations presented by relevant health and local institutions.  

Minister Rame Likaj has most recently stated that based on information from the ground, majority of schools across Kosovo have made the necessary preparations for the start of the new school year. 

Kosovo and North Macedonia discuss easing of border restrictions (RFE)

Representatives of Kosovo and North Macedonia are discussing in Skopje the respective epidemiological situation and the possibility of easing border crossing restrictions put in place in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Kosovo’s Minister of Health Armend Zemaj said ahead of the meeting with North Macedonian counterpart Venko Filipce that Kosovo has recorded a decline in the number of new infections and has increased the responsibility in implementing protective measures.

Minister Zemaj thanks OSF for donating funds to combat COVID-19 (media)

The Open Society Foundations has donated $1,500,000 to assist Kosovo institutions in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to increase Kosovo’s testing capacities, Minister of Health Armend Zemaj announced today.

Zemaj said the donation represents a valuable contribution to Kosovo and thanked the head of the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) Luan Shllaku on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

Ambassador Szunyog meets Kosovo political leaders (media)

The head of the EU Office in Kosovo Tomas Szunyog met separately today political leaders, Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti and Democratic League of Kosovo’s Isa Mustafa. 

“Informed them of my priorities. Underlined EU assistance in fighting COVID-19 & to develop Kosovo economy. Urged them to work towards implementing the SAA & for European integration. Kosovo’s future is in the EU,” Szunyog wrote on Twitter after the meetings. 

The Vetevendosje Movement meanwhile issued a statement saying that Kurti informed the EU official that economic development and creation of new jobs along with the rule of law are the basis of the party’s platform for future governance. “With regards to Kosovo’s relations with the EU, Kurti expressed commitment for European integration and comprehensive reforms. Nevertheless, for Kosovo as well as for the other five Western Balkans countries, a stronger EU vision and leadership is required in these dynamic times of different crises,” LVV said. 

The Democratic League of Kosovo said Mustafa briefed Szunyog on recent political developments and expressed satisfaction with the Kosovo-Serbia agreement reached in Washington last week. According to a press release issued by the LDK, the two officials also discussed visa liberalisation and Kosovo’s European integration.

Klinaku: Specialist Prosecutor’s Office communicated with authorities in Serbia (Klan)

Faton Klinaku, secretary of the KLA war veterans’ associations, said that over 4,000 files that an anonymous person brought to their offices show a chain of communication between the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office and Serbia’s prosecution authorities.

“They continuously communicate with the prosecution of Serbia and the files not only of this court but of UNMIK and EULEX  show there was cooperation with Serbia to indict former KLA fighters,” he said adding that every case that Serbia has investigated, it has done so for certain purposes.

Klinaku said in the files, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office representatives request authorities in Serbia to enable them to interview witnesses that they spoke to throughout the years.

“Political instability, corruption hampering economic development” (Koha)

The U.S. State Department issued its most recent report on the investment climate in Kosovo stating that political instability, interference in the economy, corruption, and widespread informal sector are the main obstacles to Kosovo’s economic development.

Underlining that Kosovo has recorded an average of 4 percent economic growth in the last decade, the report stated that the potential for foreign direct investment has proven unsuccessful because of Kosovo’s failure to address serious issues. 

The U.S. State Department further said that international financial support and remittances are the main factors contributing to Kosovo’s economic growth.

See the report: https://bit.ly/32gmww1

Serbian Language Media

Putin with Vucic on Kosovo: Russia’s unchanged position (media)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic discussed the solution to the Kosovo problem in a telephone conversation today, the Kremlin announced.

“Aleksandar Vucic informed about the negotiations held in Washington on September 4 and in Brussels on September 7,” the Kremlin press service said in a statement, noting that the phone conversation was initiated by the Serbian side.

The announcement adds that the parties paid special attention to the Kosovo settlement. “Putin confirmed that Russia’s principled position remains unchanged regarding working out a compromise and balanced solution acceptable for Belgrade, which should be approved by the United Nations Security Council,” the Russian president’s press service said, noting that the phone conversation was initiated by the Serbian side. 

It is added that the current topics of the strategic partnership between Russia and Serbia were discussed.

On the Russian side, as it is written in the announcement, Vucic’s personal contribution to the strategic partnership is “highly appreciated”.

“The readiness for further close cooperation when it comes to bilateral relations, regional and international issues was emphasized,” the statement added.

Regional broadcaster N1 reports that the talks followed some media reports about change in geopolitics, adding Russia’s authorities were informed about the White House meetings’ agendas afterwards.

Earlier, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson mocked Vucic for sitting in front of the US President Donald Trump, comparing it to a scene from the ‘Basic Instincts’ film. She later apologized, saying her Facebook post was misinterpreted.

Serbia’s public learned about the talks on Vucic’s Instagram profile.

“Regardless of the severity and complexity of its geopolitical, military security and economic position, Serbia will protect its military neutrality and remain a true and honest partner to the Russian Federation,” Vucic wrote.

He quoted Putin as reiterating Russia’s support of Serbia in its effort to preserve the territorial integrity and that Moscow would coordinate its foreign policy activities with Serbia to protect the international law order.

However, neither statement mentioned Putin’s visit to Serbia in October for the celebration of the liberation of Belgrade in WWII, which Vucic announced in June.

Borrell: Serbia expected to act in line with its aim – EU membership (N1)

Josep Borrell, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Thursday that Serbia was expected to work in line with its strategic goal to join the bloc, but also to meet the commitments from the accession negotiations with the EU.

“The Commission is aware of the close ties between Serbia and the Russian Federation. Serbia is expected to act in line with its strategic objective of EU membership and the commitments arising from the accession process as well as the need for regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, in particular the need to make progress in the EU-facilitated Belgrade- Pristina Dialogue,” Borrel said, answering the questions “what steps will the Commission take to limit the harmful influence of third countries?” and “Does the Commission believe that Serbia belongs in the European Union?”

Borrell added that “in addition, Serbia needs to progressively align with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) in the period up to accession. The issue is raised regularly with Serbia, in informal CFSP political dialogue meetings, and other meetings within the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process.”

“In line with the Sofia Summit Declaration and the Sofia Priority Agenda1, the EU is stepping up its collaboration with the Western Balkans in resilience, cybersecurity and strategic communication. The recent Joint Communication on tackling COVID-19 disinformation2 notes that Russia and China have engaged in targeted influence operations and disinformation campaigns in the EU, its neighbourhood and globally., Borrel wrote in his answer.

He added, “the EU is funding programmes promoting critical thinking and media literacy in order to build resilience to disinformation.”

“Moreover, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Commission services offer voluntary, on request, hybrid risk surveys to Western Balkans partners to identify their critical vulnerabilities and project-based assistance to address these gaps,” Borrell said.  

See at: https://bit.ly/3ihrHRL

Palestine envoy to Serbia: I ask Vucic for audience and expect explanation (media)

The Palestine ambassador to Serbia Mohammed Nabhan said on Thursday he asked President Aleksandar Vucic for an audience to get an explanation for the decision to relocate the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“We respect President Vucic and Serbia who we have traditional, friendly and deep relations with. I believe the President did not want to harm our relations and the Palestine issue by accepting that agreement,” the ambassador said.

In a statement to the Belgrade NIN weekly, Nabhan said Serbia had always respected the UN 1244 Resolution regarding Kosovo, and that he expected it to honor the Resolution 478 which condemned the Israeli occupation during the six-day war in 1967.

He added he believed Vucic thought the agreement would be implemented after Israeli – Palestine conflict was solved in the establishment of the Palestine state on all those territories.

Nabhan also said that the news about the relocation of the embassy was met with bitterness in Palestine, “which had always stood by Serbia in its efforts to preserve sovereignty and integrity,” and caused many negative reactions in the region.

“Pristina also surprised me, because the (Washington) agreement could lead to the withdrawal of the recognition of Kosovo by 57 Arab League countries and the Islamic Organisation for Cooperation,” Nabhan told NIN weekly.

Earlier, he told Nova S TV that his country, although directly jeopardized by Serbia’s decision, would not implement any countermeasures, but added that one should show courage and say ‘no’ to great powers, “to the US in this case.”    

See at: https://bit.ly/3ihymeV

Peskov: Russia does not consider Serbia’s decision to postpone military exercises a consequence of Western pressure (Tanjug, Blic, TASS)

Moscow does not consider Belgrade’s decision to postpone military exercises with other countries as a consequence of pressure from the Western countries, Russian Presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today at a press conference, adding that Moscow respects the decision of the Serbian authorities.

Serbian media quoted Peskov saying that this was not the topic of a telephone conversation between Russian and Serbian presidents Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vucic, Russian agency TASS reported. 

– The fact is only that Serbia has decided to suspend all military exercises for six months, it has nothing to do with Russia or any other country – he said.

Stano: Resolving the status of non-majority communities is crucial (Tanjug, Kontakt plus radio)

European Union spokesman Peter Stano told Belgrade based news agency Tanjug that at the last round of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, a key topic was opened, which refers to resolving the status of non-majority communities.

Stano said that as part of the negotiations on a unique comprehensive agreement, it is crucial to resolve the issues of non-majority communities.

Stano adds that the Community/Association of Serbian Municipalities is an agreement from 2013, which aims to address the needs of the non-majority Serb community in Kosovo.

At the same time, he confirms that the EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, reiterated the position of the entire EU that it is high time to resolve all issues and find a mutually acceptable solution that would result in a binding agreement on normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations.

“We are trying to bring all the issues to a successful solution. Our desire and goal are to end these talks as soon as possible, and it is up to the two sides to find a mutually acceptable solution,” Stano concludes.

Media: Bilcik raised the issue of the participation of the Serbian Armed Forces in the exercise in Belarus (NMagazin)

The issue of the participation of the Serbian Army in the exercise with Belarus was raised by the envoy of the European Parliament, Vladimir Bilchik, and Germany immediately sided with him, Serbian media quotes article of daily Vecernje Novosti for today’s edition. 

As the daily reported, Serbia was threatened with sanctions and a blockade of the European path.

Yesterday, the Serbian government decided to suspend all military exercises and all military activities with all partners in the next six months, and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin announced that Serbia is under terrible and undeserved pressure from the EU due to the planned military exercise with Belarus.

Government of Serbia:  Decision to halt all military exercises and activities (Serbian media)

B92 portal reported that at yesterday’s session the Government of Serbia decided to freeze all military exercises and activities with all partners. 

“The Republic of Serbia is under terrible and undeserved pressure from the EU. Pressures that make no sense and are not grounded in our decisions and our actions, or even in reality. That resulted in a hysteria that determines the political decisions and directions of great powerful countries,” Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin said, adding:

“We are being asked to abandon the planned military exercises with Belarus at the cost of leaving our European future and at the cost of even exerting greater pressure on our policy and on our people in Kosovo and Metohija.”

As he further states, by the decision of the Assembly of Serbia, we are a military neutral country and in order to preserve that position, and avoid, or at least reduce the consequences of intensified attacks on our country, our politics and our economy, the Government decided at today’s session to cease all military exercises and all activities with all partners.

“In the coming period, we will not participate in any exercises or military activities with NATO, the CSTO, Russia, the United States, China, the EU, the East or the West,” said Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

He stated that our participation in peacekeeping operations will be specially considered and, if necessary, suspended.

“The process of equipping and strengthening our army will not be stopped, and we will work to increase our combat readiness more and more persistently than ever. This is the only way to preserve military neutrality and this painful decision obliges us to rely only on ourselves and our own”, Minister Vulin emphasized, concluding the statement with the message: “Long live Serbian Army, long live Serbia”.

See at: https://bit.ly/2DPilhk

A source tells Israeli daily tha Serbia won’t move embassy if Kosovo is recognized (N1, The Times of Israel)

The Times of Israel said on Wednesday that Serbia won’t move its embassy to Jerusalem if Israel recognizes Kosovo.

The English-language daily quoted an unnamed Serbian source who said that Serbia would not move its embassy to Jerusalem as it pledged to do by signing the White House Agreement if Israel recognizes Kosovo as an independent state.

The source, who insisted on anonymity, who said that “diplomatic relations with Kosovo are one thing, recognition as an independent country is another thing entirely”. “This would destroy the Israel-Serbia relationship,” the Serbian source said. The Times of Israel said the source made the comments after speaking to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic after he signed the agreement in the Oval Office last week. “This could end up being a real mess, unless there is a compromise on what sort of relationship Israel will end up having with Kosovo,” the source said.

The daily recalled that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet issued a statement last week saying that Kosovo and Israel had decided to “establish full diplomatic relations between the two countries.”

The Serbian source is quoted as saying that Israel’s recognition of Kosovo “would harm the otherwise intimate relationship between Israel and Serbia and it will never be the same”. “It’s that simple. Folks in Israel should understand this,” the source said.

Asked if Serbia had not tacitly agreed to Kosovo and Israel establishing relations, the source stressed that the two sides signed separate documents. “The document Vučić signed doesn’t say anything about Israel recognizing Kosovo.

”The daily said that the current legal status of Israel’s recognition of Kosovo is somewhat unclear. Netanyahu said repeatedly that Kosovo and Israel had agreed to recognize each other, but no formal documents establishing diplomatic relations have been signed. “Kosovo will be the first Muslim majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. As I have been saying in recent days, the circle of peace and recognition of Israel is expanding and additional countries are expected to join it,” it quoted Netanyahu as saying.

The Times of Israel said that Netanyahu and Vucic are expected to speak on the phone on Friday.

See at: https://bit.ly/2Fa1RB8

EU diplomats: Belgrade-Pristina agreement within a year (Beta, N1)

The Beta news agency reported on Wednesday that it was told by diplomats in Brussels that Belgrade and Pristina have to find solutions to all open issues and reach a comprehensive agreement within one year.

The unnamed diplomats are quoted as saying that the goal of everything that Belgrade and Pristina are discussing in the dialogue is a comprehensive agreement as soon as possible, adding that the agreement has to be acceptable to the European Union and has to be reached in no more than a year.

The diplomats said that the final agreement has to open the door to the EU for both sides and has to find solutions for all open issues. They added that the EU will disclose a strong economic and financial package of support and investments for the Western Balkans in the next few days.

See at: https://bit.ly/3k7xMB1

Property, one of the most difficult issues in Brussels (media) 

The issue of property is one of the most difficult topics in the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina at the negotiating table in Brussels, according to Serbian media reports. 

Both sides claim to have the right, but the material evidence is on the side of Serbia, claimed Radio television of Serbia (RTS). RTS reported that Belgrade continued to regularly pay loans worth hundreds of millions of euros for what Pristina has usurped. The value of the private property of Serbs, who are fighting for what was taken from them in the Kosovo institutions, was also measured in millions… 

Ljubisa Mijacic, an expert on environmental resources, told RTS that the only real solution would be to divide production and distribution, where Belgrade would absolutely control production, and Pristina would control the distribution. 

”Even in such market conditions, where one side buys and the other sells, both sides lose if there is no common interest, even financial. This would provide a market mechanism for reconciliation and the creation of economic cooperation between Pristina and Belgrade in the long run and thus create conditions for normalization in other fields,” Mijacic said.  

Marko Djuric, Director of the Office for KiM, stated that he was still discussing the concept of talks on property. 

According to the media, once the concept was adopted, negotiations will be held on Brezovica, the Sar/Shar Mountain National Park, the airport, property of EPS (Electric power industry of Serbia), the Post Office, Srbijašume (Serbian state Enterprise for Forest Management), and the Railways. 

Dusko Celic, assistant professor at the Faculty of Law in Pristina (North Mitrovica), opined that Serbia must insist on the restitution of state, public and social property. 

“In practice, that would mean returning in kind, and that is anywhere where it is physically possible. Where not possible, to return a replacement real estate, and where that is not possible either – then monetary compensation or monetary restitution would be considered,” he says.

“We have papers for every screw that we have invested, the previous generations in Kosovo and Metohija, and we are, when it comes to property, on our own, because Serbs have papers, deeds, land books that prove how extensive our presence is in Kosovo and Metohija,” Djuric said.  

According to the data collected by assistant professor Celic, about a million cadastral parcels were usurped. Serbs have been trying to reclaim thousands of hectares of arable land, apartments and houses for more than two decades. However, proceedings are pending before Kosovo’s courts and institutions. Celic said that Serbia must insist on the introduction of an international mechanism, that Serbia must not leave it to the Pristina’s authorities to deliberate and execute on these issues, and that some international executive mechanisms are necessary. 

According to RTS, the exact value of Serbian property in Kosovo was not known, but that it measured in billions of euros. The assets of EMS (Serbian national transmission system operator) and EPS (Electric power industry of Serbia) in Kosovo alone are worth almost three billion. 

Opinion

Biserko: Serbia’s manoeuvring space regarding Kosovo issue has shrunk (N1)

Serbian human rights advocate Sonja Biserko told N1 on Wednesday that Serbia’s manoeuvring space regarding negotiation with Kosovo has shrunk because the country alienated its allies with the recent agreement it signed in Washington.

“Serbia is now getting into a situation when it will have to make a choice. It has lost its relevance on the international scene and in some way its manoeuvring space is shrinking, not only when it comes to other actors within the region, but also in regard to Russia, China, the EU and the US,” Biserko said.

Serbia is now facing the reality that it will have to approach the dialogue with Kosovo in a serious manner, she said.

Commenting on the recent agreement signed in Washington between Serbia and Kosovo, Biseko said that “it all seems to have been in service of American interests and the ongoing presidential election campaign.”

“Judging by comments, it seems that Kosovo came out on top, Israel’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence is a step forward, while Serbia has clashed with all of its traditional partners – China, Russia and the European Union,” Biserko added.

Serbia clashed primarily with the EU which opposes any transfers of embassies to Jerusalem, while Serbia aspires to become an EU member, Biserko explained.

She also mentioned that the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, reacted to the agreement on social media which she said was “a demonstration of Russia’s hurt feelings.”

Relations with China also took a hit because Serbia was supposed to buy a 5G network from the country, but the agreement has excluded that possibility now, she said.

Biserko argued that Serbia has still not made a decision where it wants to belong and whether it wants to be part of the EU.

“If Serbia is not ready to opt for EU membership, then all this has a temporary value and no long-lasting, promising outcome,” she said.

The negotiation process between Pristina and Serbia was transferred to the EU two months ago when the meeting in Washington was cancelled after Kosovo President Hashim Thaci was indicted. That “was a sign that the EU is taking over that task, given that the Western Balkans are part of Europe and that it is in its interest to fix the issue of the Balkans,” she said.

“The Washington agreement is a first step focused on economic cooperation, which is important, but economic cooperation cannot be the answer to what is needed, and that is a political framework. Only when Serbia accepts Kosovo’s independence can other issues be resolved, given that many of them are on the agenda,” she concluded.

See at: https://bit.ly/3k6uRsm

International

Montenegro’s Change in Power has the Region Worried (Balkan Insight)

After the fall of Montenegrin strongman Milo Djukanovic’s party, the specter of alleged revived Serbian nationalism once again haunts liberals, intellectuals and some governments in the Balkans.

The recent fall in Montenegro of Milo Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the narrow victory of an opposition coalition mostly dominated by pro-Serbian parties has raised fears all over the region.

The ruler of Montenegro for three decades has admitted he lost the elections, but many outside the small country cannot truly accept it.

Politicians and intellectuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo have all expressed concern that revived Serbian nationalism will jeopardize both Montenegro’s sovereignty and the rights of its national minorities.

Some see the election outcome as a revival of the old “Greater Serbia” project, which can endanger Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo as well.

In Bosnia, where Serbian nationalism during the Nineties caused war and enormous destruction, culminating in the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, many fear for the Bosniak minority in Montenegro.

They also fear it will empower calls for the independence of Bosnia’s Serb majority entity, Republika Srpska.

In Kosovo, politicians fear the new government in Podgorica may undo recognition of Kosovo and worsen relations between two countries, and call Serbian nationalism a serious threat to peace in the Balkans.

See at: https://bit.ly/3imaeru

How Israel justifies sudden recognition of Kosovo that has riled Serbia (The Times of Israel)

For 12 years, Jerusalem eschewed ties with Pristina to avoid endorsing a unilateral statehood bid. Now officials cite various reasons why Kosovo and Palestine are not similar

For more than a decade, Israel bucked a Western trend and refused to recognize the Republic of Kosovo. The US, Canada, Australia and most of Europe recognized Pristina’s 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia, but Jerusalem didn’t — mainly because it didn’t want to support a separatist move by an ethnic majority, fearing such support could backfire should Palestinians attempt something similar.

On Friday, Israel surprisingly and without warning changed its policy, as the two states agreed to recognize each other, and Kosovo vowed to open an embassy in Tel Aviv. The announcement was hailed by the US and Israel as a great achievement for the Jewish state and indeed peace in the Middle East, but no explanation for Jerusalem’s sudden about-face was provided.

See at: https://bit.ly/2FhlEOP

‘Living Yugoslavia’: Past Identity Becomes Present Political Statement (Balkan Insight)

To many who trace their roots to socialist Yugoslavia, ‘Yugo-nostalgia’ isn’t just about how they or their families once lived, but about the life they want to live now.

Architect Mirza Vranjaković has two pictures on the wall of his office in the well-heeled Berlin district of Charlottenburg.

The first reads ‘A bas le caviar, vive le kebab’ [‘Down with caviar, long live kebab’], the slogan scrawled on Parisian buildings during the anti-establishment Yellow Vest protests that swept Emmanuel Macron’s France in 2018.

The other is a photograph of a uniformed and smoking Josip Broz Tito, the revolutionary and leader of socialist Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980.

“Once, my boss entered the office and was visibly shocked to see Tito’s picture,” said Vranjkovic. “He asked, ‘You have a photo of a dictator?’ I replied, ‘Er bleibt’ – ‘He stays.’”

See at: https://bit.ly/3ig7sE4

Humanitarian/Development

Dramatic warning and gloomy forecast of experts: facing ecology threats started… (B92, Tanjug)

More than a billion people could be displaced by 2050, due to accelerated world population growth, declining water and food supplies and natural disasters.

More than a billion people are at risk of being displaced by 2050 due to rapid population growth, shortage of food and water and increased exposure to natural disasters, which could lead to increased migration flows to Europe, according to a new report by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

In the latest report, the Register of Environmental Threats, the IEP grouped risks that threaten humanity into two categories: food and water shortages and population growth on the one hand, and natural disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, rising sea levels and rising temperatures, on the other.

According to the latest research conducted on the basis of data from the UN and other organizations, the 19 countries facing the largest number of environmental threats, including

Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Chad, India and Pakistan, are also among the 40 countries in the world that are most severely affected by violence and unrest.

Some of these countries “have already found themselves in a vicious circle in which the struggle for scarce resources breeds conflict, and conflicts, in turn, further deplete resources,” the Sydney-based IEP report said.

“It is a kind of devil’s wheel. Conflicts destroy the country’s natural resources, and scarcity, in turn, leads to new conflicts,” IEP founder Steve Killelea told the Brussels portal EURACTIV.

See at: https://bit.ly/3mfZUUv