Violent Albanian criminal groups have "considerable control" over drug trafficking in Great Britain.

At the same time, Serbians and Turks "dominate high volume maritime cocaine logistics."

This is according to a BBC report, published under the headline, "Albanian gangs 'controlling' UK drug trafficking market," that cited the National Crime Agency (NCA) annual assessment document.

Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija head on Thursday suggested that the Balkans should adopt the slogan, "the Balkans for the Balkan people."

However, he continued, "this does not mean isolationism - but instead making connections with the West and the East, to the benefit of citizens."

A specific feature of the new Kosovo parliament is that party leaders have made sure to also bring in their family members.

Pristina-based Albanian language newspaper Zeri is reporting this, adding that brothers Daut and Ramush Haradinaj are both now members of the Assembly in Pristina - with the latter being one of the candidates to form the next government in Kosovo, on behalf of the coalition gathered around President Hashim Thaci's party, the PDK.

Vecernje Novosti is reporting that Aleksandar Vucic is under tremendous pressure from the US not to have Aleksandar Vulin become Serbia's defense minister.

However, continues the Belgrade-based newspaper, the Serbian president and leader of the ruling SNS party is determined to entrust him with that duty.

US President Donal Trump has made his first decision concerning the Western Balkans.

Namely, Trump signed the continuation for another year of "the National Emergency with Respect to the Western Balkans" - first introduced 16 years ago by George Bush.

Deputy Assistant of NATO Secretary General for Operations, John Manza stated that NATO will keep its presence in the Western Balkans region as it has strategic importance to the Alliance.

As it was posted on the KFOR web-site, security in this region contributes to the stability and safety in entire Europe, Manza stated, adding that NATO will stay present and focused on the Western Balkans.

Turkey's president says "the ideas of some about the unification of Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo into a Greater Albania" are "bad, and unacceptable to Turkey."

According to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey is loudly advocating "respecting sovereignty and integrity of countries in the Balkans."

A review of Petrit Imami's "Serbs and Albanians Through Centuries," published by Samizdat B92, and supported by the Kosovo Office of Community Affairs and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pristina.

The bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) was "NATO's experimental war."

This is according to retired Italian general and NATO military diplomat Biagio di Grazia.

In addition, Di Grazia says he saw parallels between the 1999 bombing, and the atomic bomb the US used against the Japanese town of Nagasaki.

The EU is pushing its enlargement policy into background; the strengthening of the front toward Russia and of investors' interests will follow in the Balkans.

At the same time, Serbia is "expected to give up Kosovo," Left Party member of the German parliament Sevim Dagdelen has told Deutsche Welle.