The following media round up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 13 May to 19 May 2022.
Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia . Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 13 May 2022
The state prosecution in Sarajevo charged ex-policemen Milenko Samardzija and Kosta Stanic with willingly participating in the murders of 22 Bosniak civilians in the village of Balatun in 1992. The full article can be found here.
Romania – 14 May 2022
The former mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu, who is on the run from justice, was jailed for ten years and eight months for corruption by the Bucharest Court of Appeal. The full article can be found here.
Serbia – 17 May 2022
The high-profile Strpci train massacre case suffered another setback at Belgrade Higher Court as a hearing was postponed yet again due to the illness of one of the defendants accused of abducting 20 people from a train in Strpci in Bosnia and Herzegovina in February 1993 and killing them. The full article can be found here.
Serbia – 17 May 2022
The Journalists’ Association of Serbia, UNS asked the International Federation of Journalists to adopt a resolution at its upcoming assembly to call on the Serbian authorities to ensure that the murderers of reporter Milan Pantic are finally found and punished. The full article can be found here.
Bosnia and Herzegovina – 17 May 2022
The Bosnian state court handed down a first-instance verdict acquitting Agan Ramic, ruling that the crime was incorrectly classified as a crime against humanity in the indictment. The full article can be found here.
Ukraine – 17 May 2022
A Russian soldier has pleaded guilty to murdering a 62-year-old civilian in northeastern Ukraine in the first war crimes trial of the conflict. "I was ordered to shoot," he said. "I shot one (round) at him. He falls. And we kept on going." The 21-year-old Russian tank commander could face life in prison. The full article can be found here.
Kosovo – 18 May 2022
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague found the leader and deputy leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans’ Organisation, Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj, guilty of obstruction of justice, intimidation and the unauthorised revelation of court information and personal information about protected witnesses in war crimes cases. The full article can be found here.
Albania – 19 May 2022
Albania’s Special Prosecution SPAK issued 32 arrest orders for the most notorious underworld figures in the country following investigations into murders and attempted murders. The full article can be found here.
Serbia – 19 May 2022
Reports that four high-ranking Croatian Army members have been charged in Serbia, in their absence, with committing war crimes against civilians, have sparked questions about the usefulness of bringing such a case against suspects who may never be available to stand trial in person. The full article can be found here.
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