Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Vucic wants revenge, we need to be prepared (media)

• Sylejmani: Banjska was prepared; actions are not over (RTK)

• EU: Implementation of normalisation agreement requires concrete steps, not just statements (media)

• EU: Implementation of normalisation agreement requires concrete steps, not just statements (Reporteri)

• Bislimi in Poland speaks about Kosovo’s goals for EU, NATO and CoE membership (media)

• American Chamber of Commerce discusses Washington agreement (media)

• Kamberi: Serbia blocking Kosovo government’s help for Presevo Valley (media)

• Vulin: No one can stop the Serbian World, it has started (Gazeta Express)

Serbian Language Media: 

• Robert Fico: Serbia is ready for the EU; it's just a matter of political will (RTS)

• Petkovic says Kurti promotes “Great Albania” which is a direct threat to peace in WB (Tanjug)

• KPA action: Workers remove inventory from Serbian Post Office in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, Blic)

• Milojevic: We have lease agreements, KAP raided Post Office without any notice (Kosovo Online)

• Office for KiM: House of Dragica Gasic, the only Serb woman returnee in Djakovica stoned again (Kosovo Online, media)

• “UÇK” label on Google maps appears near Church of St. Dimitrije and Kukavica hill monument (KoSSev)

• Stop Serbia silent protest for 15 victims of Novi Sad tragedy (N1)

International: 

• Osmani: Preserving alliances and constitutional values key to Kosovo future (PI)

• Women for Women: Kosovo MPs commit to combating gender-based violence (PI)

• Slovakia’s Fico backs Serbia over Kosovo, pledges to increase KFOR troops (Euractive)

• Serbia steps closer to the EU, but will its reforms go far enough? (Balkan Insight)

• Western Balkans biodiversity threatened by development, mismanagement (BIRN)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Western Balkan countries face growing toxic-waste crises (Video) (RFE)

 

 

                                  Albanian Language Media  

 

Kurti: Vucic wants revenge, we need to be prepared (media)

 

Most news websites cover an interview that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti gave to Swiss NZZ, highlighting his remarks that the political elite in Belgrade has not given up on the idea of a Greater Serbia and that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wants revenge against Kosovo. “Vucic is deceiving the West. The elite that dominates the country [Serbia] has never given up on the project of a Greater Serbia. It is now simply called a different name, ‘Serbian World’. This means the unification of all Serbs in one country. This would mean the dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo,” Kurti argued.

 

Kurti also said that Serbia wants revenge against Kosovo and that Kosovo needs to be prepared. “You just have to listen carefully to what Vucic says. For example when it comes to the South Caucasus. In 2023, the Serbian President commended the actions of Azerbaijan to ‘bring back’ Nagorno-Karabakh. The region declared independence in 1991. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev then took his time. He focused on economic development and systematically rearmed the army. Only when the geopolitical situation allowed, he struck and regained the region. Patience, according to Vucic, is rewarded. This is exactly what Vucic wants to do with Kosovo. He is strategically patient, but his goal remains revenge. We need to be prepared for this,” he said.

 

Asked about Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential elections, Kurti said that “Kosovo has worked well with presidents of both parties. Kosovo was liberated in 1999 under the democrat Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, a republican, was President when Kosovo became independent in 2008”.

 

Sylejmani: Banjska was prepared; actions are not over (RTK)

 

Rrahman Sylejmani, former lieutenant with the Kosovo Police, in an interview with the public broadcaster, said that Kosovo’s security and intelligence institutions must inspect the situation more intensively, after the recent confiscation of weapons that are linked to the September 2023 attack in Banjska. “A large number of weapons since 2017 and the escalation of the Banjska case, everything was previously prepared. The actions are not over yet, there is still a large number of weapons, and although there is an increased presence of KFOR and the police, the situation remains fragile,” he argued.

EU: Implementation of normalisation agreement requires concrete steps, not just statements (media)

The European Union has welcomed the readiness of the Kosovo government to implement the agreement to normalise relations with Serbia. However, Eu Spokesperson Peter Stano said concrete steps are required, not just statements.

“We welcome Kosovo’s declared readiness to start implementing the Agreement on the Road to Normalisation, we demand that the declaration be matched by concrete actions and that it starts doing so immediately. Both Kosovo and Serbia must implement all their dialogue obligations without any further delay or the imposition of new preconditions in order to make progress on their respective European paths,” Stano said.

Failure to implement what has been agreed will affect their ability to advance in their European aspirations. The EU is the facilitator of the dialogue to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia, not a party to the agreement,” Stano told RTV21.

Bislimi in Poland speaks about Kosovo’s goals for EU, NATO and CoE membership (media)

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, met during his official visit in Poland with several members of the Polish Parliament, who are also members of the Poland-Balkans parliamentary group. A press release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister informs that Bislimi spoke about Kosovo’s goals regarding the membership in the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe.

“Regarding membership in the EU, he stressed that Kosovo’s application in December 2022 and the need for important steps forward, with the acceptance of the questionnaire, the assessment on meritocratic basis and obtaining the status of a candidate country, for which our institutions remain fully prepared to meet the deadlines and standards set by the European Union,” the press release noted, adding that the chairman of the Poland-Balkan Parliamentary Group, Tomasz Glogowski, expressed the importance of the partnership between Kosovo and Poland.

American Chamber of Commerce discusses Washington agreement (media)

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo held a roundtable discussion regarding the four-year anniversary of the historic agreement for economic normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by President Donald Trump.

Avdullah Hoti, who was Prime Minister of Kosovo at that time, said that despite the fact that over four years have passed since the agreement was reached, Kosovo has not managed to implement important projects that would have an impact on its economy. He said that during his time as Prime Minister, he worked with allies so that Kosovo moves forward in terms of integration and reaches a final agreement with Serbia.

"Now I fear that during these years we have returned to ground zero where Kosovo is treated at the allies' tables as a security problem. There is no longer a dialogue for mutual recognition, an agreement has been reached in Brussels and an annex in Ohrid. Today, in 2024, I believe that we should be at the peak of investments in both the railway and the highways, and in the creation of the port at the exit of Pristina, and I am very sorry that we have not advanced in the gas project. These projects have not been cancelled, but we have lost a lot of valuable time. I believe that after the next elections we will return to this agenda. It does not seem that we can reach an agreement with Serbia in the near future, so we should focus on the country's economy," he added. Hoti said that he expects the new Trump administration to have a more pragmatic approach to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

The director of the American Chamber of Commerce also spoke about the importance of the Washington agreement. He said that they are organising activities to bring Kosovar and Serbian businesses closer together.

Journalist Adriatik Kelmendi on the other hand said that Kosovo is currently at the lowest point in relations with its allies. "This is a loss for Kosovo. Economic importance cannot be separated from politics. The only country that does not sanction Russia but benefits all this time is Serbia," he added.

Kamberi: Serbia blocking Kosovo government’s help for Presevo Valley (media)

 

Albanian member of the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi, argued in a Facebook post that Serbia has started a process to block the implementation of the Kosovo government’s fund for Presevo Valley. He said that Serbian Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, Tomislav Zigmanov, is preparing a new discriminatory measure against Albanians in Presevo Valley. Zigmanov, according to Kamberi, has called on the Albanian National Council to cancel a vacancy announced for subsidies in agriculture from funds allocated by the Kosovo government. “Zigmanov has threatened that he and his ministry will cancel the vacancy if the National Council does not cancel it. It is apparent that with this new threat, Belgrade is trying to block the influence of the Republic of Kosovo in Presevo Valley, to kill every hope for a better future for Albanians, and to block the rejuvenation of the farmer, the herder, media, civil society and any other area that can be aided by Kosovo’s budget in the Valley,” he said.

 

Kamberi also called on the international community not to remain silent “to these inhumane acts”. “Serbia does not invest in any development sector in Presevo Valley and at the same time it blocks any initiative aimed at improving the situation which would be a result of our cooperation with Kosovo. Serbia wants to leave Albanians to the mercy of fate, by blocking any initiative that would improve their grave position. This is pure racism,” he said.

 

Vulin: No one can stop the Serbian World, it has started (Gazeta Express)

 

Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vulin, said during his visit in Banja Luka on Thursday that the process of the unification of all Serbs has started and that no one can stop it. After meeting the president of the Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, Vulin said that Republika Srpska is the most important priority of Serbia’s foreign policy. “It is no longer impossible to stop it [in reference to Serbian World]. The process of creating a Serbian World, the process of unification, has started,” he was quoted as saying. 

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Robert Fico: Serbia is ready for the EU; it's just a matter of political will (RTS)

Serbia is ready for membership in the European Union, but the policy of double standards is slowing down the process. Slovakia's experience shows that it is important to make decisions in the interest of citizens, and not to make the mistakes that some countries made before joining the EU, said the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, in an interview with RTS today.

Fico thanked President Vucic and the PM of Serbia for their warm Serbian hospitality, saying that President Vucic is his friend and that he deeply respects the expressions of solidarity after the events of May 15. He added that the relationship between the two countries is significant because Vucic leads an independent, sovereign policy that is oriented towards all four corners of the world, which he considers endearing. He also referred to, as he said, the extraordinary economic results achieved by Serbia.

When asked if it is possible to establish some form of cooperation between Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia like the Visegrad Group, given the good communication and cooperation between Vucic, Orban and himself, Fico replied that he would be happy but that not everyone supports that platform such as the Visegrad Four. 

The cooperation of the three countries, he says, is unique. He emphasized the issue of communication between three politicians who have the same opinion when it comes to sovereign politics and migration.

"I said today that the EU should kiss the hands of Serbia and thank the political leadership for what Serbia has done to protect the borders of the European Union as such," Fico said. He added that he will do everything to ensure that V4 remains, and that there is also a discussion to change that format to V5.

When asked about Serbia's accession process to the EU, Fico said that one should be prepared for the fact that there is a double standard in the EU. According to Fico, there are pampered countries and there are countries which ''butt is kicked''.

''Serbia is a country that does not belong to the countries that will be pampered. Because it is a sovereign country, it speaks its mind, and it is a country that respects territorial integrity. I am, of course, against the recognition of Kosovo, because someone cannot just come and declare independence like that. Serbia has long been prepared for joining the EU, so this is a political question of when and if, and as we know, "patiently bring red roses", that's how we say in Slovakia. Now, what date is current? I don't know because there are other big players in the European Union''.

When asked if the pressure on Slovakia regarding non-recognition of Kosovo increased, Fico answered that there is nothing to change, and when being asked whether it will change, he would always say no. He also mentioned that he "has information" that Slovak soldiers want to return to the KFOR mission in Kosovo, adding that this is important to receive objective information. He said that the number of Slovak soldiers will be around 150, announcing that it should happen early next year with the first group of 60 soldiers. 

On the Moscow visit, he mentioned yesterday, and whether he is afraid of criticism from other European leaders, Fico replied: “No, I am not afraid. Because I'm already being criticized, so it's already started. Let me tell you, we are either sovereign, and it is not necessary for us to obtain the consent of some major countries for our decisions, or sovereignty does not exist and then we will only do what the big players on the international scene want''.

''I belong to people who clearly stand behind the issue of the fight against fascism. So, I know what role the Red Army played when it was liberating Slovakia, Czechoslovakia. I, for example, was in Normandy this year because I really respect every victory in the Second World War, as well as the sacrifices that were made. So, next year is 80 years since we defeated fascism. And considering that I received an official invitation from the Russian Federation, and if my state of health allows it, I will accept it. Because the events of 80 years ago really deserve attention and respect''.

Petkovic says Kurti promotes “Great Albania” which is a direct threat to peace in WB (Tanjug)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic said today Kosovo Prime Minister Albin openly promotes creation of "Greater Albania", which represents a direct threat to peace in the Western Balkans, Tanjug news agency reported.

"The only one who dreams of ethnically cleansed territories is Albin Kurti, for whom the so-called “Greater Albania” is the axis of his ideology and the core of his party's political program. Demonstrating his fascist orientation every day, terrorising Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, Kurti persecutes even Serbian children, women and elderly, wanting to expel everything Serbian, and the biggest obstacle to his anti-Serbian policy is President Aleksandar Vucic, which is why he obsessively attacks him", he said.

Petkovic pointed out that Kurti not only promotes "Greater Albania", but interferes in the electoral processes of neighbouring countries, generating crisis after crisis, wanting to ignite the powder keg again in these areas, because he only knows how to conduct his politics through conflicts, while Belgrade leads policy of peace, compromise and dialogue.

Petkovic made those remarks reacting to the interview Kurti gave to a Swiss media outlet claiming that Serbia “wants revenge” and it did not give up on the “Greater Serbia project”.

KPA action: Workers remove inventory from Serbian Post Office in Mitrovica North (Kosovo Online, Blic)

Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) has started this morning the action of removing inventory from the Serbian Post Office at King Peter Street in Mitrovica North, Kosovo Online portal reported.

The action was secured by Kosovo police members. A truck was parked In front of the Post Office, previously closed by KPA, in which inventory is loaded.

Pristina authorities on August 5 this year, closed all nine premises of the Serbian Post Office in the four northern municipalities. 

Milojevic: We have lease agreements, KAP raided Post Office without any notice (Kosovo Online)

Director of the Serbian Post Office branches in Kosovo, Ivan Milojevic assessed today’s action of Kosovo Privatization Agency (PIK) to confiscate inventory from a branch office in North Mitrovica, as violence, stressing that it happened without any notice from the agency, Kosovo Online portal reported.

He added they only received an email from Kosovo police, even though they have valid contracts for the use of the buildings they are tenants of.

“It is very difficult to comment under emotions, today we suffer violence again, unfortunately, by an institution from Pristina. We, as a working unit in KiM, and I as the director, received an email from the Kosovo police that we should leave all nine sealed buildings of the Post of Serbia in the north. Although we have been leasing from the company Trepca Sever for many years, they claim that it is under the management of PAK, which gives us an order without any paper or notice. We received an email from the police, not from Kosovo Privatization Agency, that we need to remove the inventory and that we have no business being there”, Milojevic said.

He repeated that this represents violence, especially since everything took place without notice, although, on the other hand, there is a valid contract with Trepca. “What is the ultimate goal?" Should we bring in PTK instead of the Post of Serbia? Obviously. The Post of Serbia is being negotiated in Brussels and they raided us in this cowardly way, using force and the police, and without any paper. Even today, when they presented the things, they did not deliver any paper to our colleagues. I physically could not be there, because I was travelling from Leposavic. I am afraid that, according to the police officers, the same situation awaits us in the coming period with other buildings owned by the Post of Serbia, for which we have papers”, he pointed out.

He added that an additional problem is that access to those papers is blocked, because the archive is in one of the buildings of the Post of Serbia, which is sealed. “I appeal, we will not allow that, we will fight with all legal means”, he said.

Office for KiM: House of Dragica Gasic, the only Serb woman returnee in Djakovica stoned again (Kosovo Online, media)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said the house of Dragica Gasic, the only Serb woman returnee in Djakovica, had been stoned last night on a day of her family saint patron’s celebration.

“Each anti-Serbian statement and act of Albin Kurti, affects the lives of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, and therefore Albanian extremists have stoned again the apartment of the only Serb woman returnee in Djakovica, Dragica Gasic. This happened on Saint Archangel Michael’s Day which she marks as her family celebration”, Office said in a statement.

Gasic said she found stones on the balcony, while the Office recalled that her apartment was stoned in mid August and a window broken on that occasion. Perpetrators have never been found. Recalling hardships facing Dragica, including the ban on her to buy groceries in a local store, denial of medications, breaks into her apartment, threats and attacks, Office said the aim of this attack is clear, to force her out of Djakovica.

The case had been reported to Kosovo police, while the Office offered her all necessary support. The Office said they expect the international community in Kosovo to deal with the  rights of the Serb returnee woman, and not turn blind eye to the violations of her rights.  

“UÇK” label on Google maps appears near Church of St. Dimitrije and Kukavica hill monument (KoSSev)

North Mitrovica recently became the subject of controversy after a new marker appeared on Google Maps. The label “UÇK,“ referencing the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), was placed near prominent landmarks, including the Church of St. Dimitrije and the monument on Kukavica Hill, KoSSev portal reported.

The unexpected addition has sparked confusion and concern among locals.

The Marker’s Location

The contentious marker is positioned in a historically significant area that typically attracts visitors for its cultural heritage. However, the addition of the “UÇK“ label has shifted attention from its historical importance to political and social debates.

The Google Maps marker, specifically, directs users to a wooded area bordering the path from the church to Partizansko Brdo (Partisan Hill). Upon visiting the pinpointed location, it turns out to be a municipal water reservoir managed by the city’s waterworks, devoid of any physical indication connecting it to the “UÇK“ label.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/pH8Ee

Stop Serbia silent protest for 15 victims of Novi Sad tragedy (N1)

People gathered across Serbia on Friday to observe 15 minutes of silence for the victims of the Novi Sad Railway Station tragedy, N1 reported. The collapse of a canopy roof at the entrance to the station claimed 14 lives and left three people seriously injured, one of who died in hospital bringing the total number of deaths to 15. The opposition and the public have been calling for resignations and a full investigation into the tragedy. Two cabinet ministers resigned and 12 people were arrested and are being questioned by prosecutors in Novi Sad.

Friday’s Stop Serbia commemoration/protest event was held in Novi Sad, Belgrade, Krusevac, Nis and several other places exactly 3 weeks after the tragedy. People gathered in front of the Novi Sad railway station and in front of the University Law school as well as at central crossroads. In Belgrade, people stood silently at an intersection between parliament and the government headquarters, in front of the University Law School, at Student Square and in front of the School of Drama Arts. A crowd gathered in front of the city courthouse in the southern city of Nis and on the bridge to the city fortress. In Krusevac, the crowd carried banners saying “Corruption Kills”.

 

International

 

Osmani: Preserving alliances and constitutional values key to Kosovo future (PI)

 

Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani underscored the critical importance of upholding constitutional patriotism, strengthening international alliances, advancing dialogue with Serbia, and advocating for the rights of Albanians in the region in her yearly address to the assembly.

 

In her annual parliament address on Thursday, Kosovo President Osmani highlighted the importance of constitutional patriotism and safeguarding alliances with nations that contributed to Kosovo’s creation and state-building. 

 

“At the heart of constitutional patriotism lies the belief that our Constitution is more than a legal document. We must remain united in defending our Constitution, which remains the most modern and advanced in Europe concerning human rights, particularly for non-majority communities.”

 

Osmani stated that weakening alliances is a strategic mistake while maintaining them is not a sign of submission. “No nation has succeeded alone, and no state thrives in isolation. Political history teaches us that weakening alliances is a strategic mistake. Working with those who helped secure freedom and statehood is never submission or blackmail,” the President said.

 

“Jeopardizing alliances, gambling with them, or undermining them compromises the self-defense of the republic,” Osmani further stressed, adding that she has never “understood nor condoned the mockery made at the expense of allies, the attacks on them, or the misuse of their names for political gain.”

 

In 2020, Vjosa Osmani broke ties with her party, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, instead aligning with Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti. Her decision was prompted after the LDK, as the junior coalition partner, initiated and passed a no-confidence vote against Kurti’s government during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Osmani refused to support an LDK-led cabinet in early June, she was removed from all party positions. Later that year, she launched her own political initiative, Guxo, which ran in coalition with Vetevendosje in the February 14, 2021 elections. Osmani subsequently became Kosovo’s fifth head of state in the 13 years since its independence. 

 

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/h4jsO

 

Women for Women: Kosovo MPs commit to combating gender-based violence (PI)

 

Women members of the Kosovo parliament, with support from the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, signed an official declaration to combat violence against women in politics and public life.

 

Kosovo women MPs, on November 19, 2024, signed an official declaration pledging to actively combat gender based violence against women in public and political life.

 

Cornelia Taylor, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, which supported the declaration, called it “a commitment to solidarity and a call to safeguard women’s dignity and rights.”

 

“As a woman, I deeply understand the importance of this cause. I am inspired by the courage and determination of those making this initiative possible. The support and experiences shared from across the region highlight the strength of women uniting and learning from one another,” Taylor said.

 

“When people witness women leaders facing harassment or threats simply because they are women, it reinforces negative attitudes and also discourages participation of women. When harmful behaviour is normalised in public life it affects how society as a whole treats women,” Taylor added.

 

She stressed that this declaration marks only the beginning and called for broader actions from other actors, including politicians and media.

 

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/ACK58

 

Slovakia’s Fico backs Serbia over Kosovo, pledges to increase KFOR troops (Euractive)

 

Slovakia has reinforced its support for Serbia amid the ongoing tensions with Kosovo, adding it intends to send troops to the NATO-led peacekeeping mission (KFOR) for the first time in 15 years, a move likely to worry Prishtina. 

 

On a visit to Serbia to meet with President Aleksander Vucic, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he respects Serbia's territorial integrity and supports its stance on Kosovo, a dog whistle for non-acceptance of Kosovo's independence.

 

Kosovo declared unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008 following the Serbia-Kosovo war in 1998-1999, which was ended by the NATO bombing of Slobodan Milosevic's forces. Belgrade has since refused to accept Kosovo's independence, and EU-brokered talks to normalise relations have failed to progress significantly.

 

During the Belgrade meeting, the two leaders also discussed migration and a planned visit to Moscow.

 

Fico also announced that Slovakia would deploy troops to KFOR, which may potentially cause concern in Prishtina as Slovakia, along with Romania, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus, does not recognise Kosovo's independence.

 

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yzpkpy2k

Serbia steps closer to the EU, but will its reforms go far enough? (Balkan Insight)

The benefits of entering the European Union’s single market are a bigger motivator for Serbia to fulfil conditions imposed under the EU’s growth and reform plan than the money the bloc will provide, Bojana Selakovic, an expert on Serbia’s accession process, tells BIRN. Serbia has outlined the reforms it will carry out in order to reap the benefits of closer ties to the European Union such as joining the single market, but an expert says they are not ambitious enough.

In what was billed as a significant step towards Serbia’s eventual integration into the European Union, the Ministry of European Integration in Belgrade announced earlier this month plans to “accelerate all ongoing reforms”.  The reform is divided into four segments: rule of law and other fundamentals, the digital and green transition, human capital development and the business environment. The carrot on offer, if all goes well, is that Serbia should get 1.58 billion euros in funds by the end of 2027.

In return, Serbia has signed up to boost the transparency and competitiveness of public enterprises, accelerate digitalisation, work on the green transition, and provide support for young people in the labour market with the aim of preventing ‘brain drain’.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/dHsLD

Western Balkans biodiversity threatened by development, mismanagement (BIRN)

 

German-based EuroNatur Foundation report highlights escalating threats to ecosystems im Western Balkans, saying development pressures, policy gaps and poor enforcement of rules jeopardise their future.

 

Flamingos in the abandoned salt plantations near Ulcinj, Montenegro. Photo: Center for the Protection and Study of Birds.

 

A new report on biodiversity in the Western Balkans published on Thursday by the German EuroNatur Foundation, a nature conservation organisation, highlights the need for urgent action to conserve threatened natural habitats.

 

The report highlights areas where the natural habitat is under threat and animal species in need of conservation in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

 

Albania’s Vjose-Narte region, renowned for its birdlife and wetlands, faces severe threats from the construction of the Vlora International Airport, it notes. Over 200 bird species, including the rare Dalmatian Pelican and Greater Flamingo, rely on the habitat there. 

 

The government’s redefinition of protected areas to facilitate the airport project has excluded 310 hectares of crucial habitat in the south of the country, alarming conservationists. 

 

“The construction of the Vlora International Airport, part of a sweeping vision to transform this biodiverse haven into a hub of tourism and infrastructure, threatens to mute the lagoon’s vibrant voice,” the report warns.

 

The report also focuses on the vast karst field of Livanjsko Polje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Ramsar site and Important Bird Area, which remains unprotected at national level. Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention.

 

Seasonal flooding supports diverse habitats and agriculture but unregulated water management, peat extraction and inadequate legal frameworks threaten its future.

 

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/GLbxp

 

 

 

Humanitarian/Development

 

Western Balkan countries face growing toxic-waste crises (Video) (RFE)

 

Fishermen in Albania and residents of Kosovo and Montenegro say toxic waste is ruining their environment. People who live near overflowing landfills get sick from toxic gasses, according to local doctors, but the costs of cleanup and new facilities remain out of reach for them. 

 

See at: https://tinyurl.com/yvbcv4h6