MIDNIGHT NEWS BUREAU — BALKAN SPECTATOR

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇽🇰/🇷🇸 WATCH: The OSCE mission in Kosovo extended the employment contract of Jelena Djukanovic while she was being held in detention on espionage charges, according to reports from KOHA.

➡️ In a highly unusual move, mission staff reportedly visited the jail to ensure Djukanovic signed the contract extension. She has been sentenced to 6 years in prison.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇬🇷 WATCH: A pelican of around 37 years old, shows up every day at a Greek restaurant to receive his ration of fish.

➡️ The bird has become an essential local figure on the waterfront.

🔗 FranceNews24

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇦🇱 NEW: Albanian authorities have launched a search for a vehicle displaying Nazi symbols in the capital, Tirana, following a tip from foreign officials.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

#NEWS | 🇪🇸 — A Madrid court has approved mandatory quarantine for Spanish passengers from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship.

At the Spanish government's request, the court ordered the isolation of the 14 Spanish nationals (including one crew member) upon their transfer to the Gómez Ulla Military Hospital in Madrid. The measure follows the ship's arrival in Tenerife, Canary Islands, where all remaining passengers and crew are asymptomatic.

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#BREAKING | 🇪🇸 — The disembarkation of the first group of passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius has begun in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

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—🇽🇰 NEW: The Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV) has officially re-nominated Albin Kurti to lead the government following the upcoming June 9 snap elections.

➡️ During his announcement, Kurti set a 50% electoral threshold for the party, claiming they could potentially reach 60% of the vote.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇽🇰 NEW: Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has formally joined the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and is set to lead the party in the next snap elections.

➡️ In her first address, Osmani delivered a sharp critique of her former ally Albin Kurti and the Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV), accusing them of leading Kosovo toward international isolation through anti-American policies and the creation of permanent political crises.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

#BREAKING | 🇺🇸 🇧🇾 🇷🇺 🇵🇱 🇱🇹 🇲🇩 — U.S. President Donald Trump:

We just secured the release of three Polish, and two Moldovan, prisoners from Belarusian and Russian detention. Thanks to my Special Presidential Envoy, John Coale, we were able to push hard to make this release happen. My friend, President Karol Nawrocki, of Poland, met with me last September, and asked me to help secure Andrzej Poczobut from Belarusian prison. Today, Poczobut is free due to our efforts. The United States delivers for our Allies, and Friends. Thank you to President Aleksandr Lukashenko for his cooperation and friendship. So nice!

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—🇲🇪/🇷🇸/🇽🇰 NEW: The Mayor of Zubin Potok, a member of the Serbian List, participated in a Sunday rally in Podgorica urging the Montenegrin government to withdraw its recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

➡️ The official, who represents a municipality funded by the Kosovo budget, was seen openly backing the de-recognition campaign.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇹🇷/🇬🇭 A single Turkish powership generates over 25% of Ghana’s electricity

➡️ The MV Karadeniz Powership Osman Khan, a 299-meter vessel operated by the Turkish firm Karpowership, has been providing up to 480 MW of power to Ghana since 2017.

➡️ This floating power plant model allows countries with chronic energy deficits to bypass years of infrastructure delays associated with traditional land-based stations.

➡️ Turkey has successfully monetized Africa’s infrastructure gap by deploying these mobile engineering solutions across the continent and beyond.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—❗️🇧🇦 Christian Schmidt to step down as High Representative in Bosnia

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—❗️🇧🇦/🇺🇸 UPDATE: The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reports that Christian Schmidt is leaving his post as High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina following intense pressure from the United States.

➡️ The report suggests the resignation is not voluntary and may be linked to the business interests of the Trump family in the region.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—❗️🇧🇦/🇺🇸 WATCH: The United States ambassador to the UN Security Council stated that Bosnia and Herzegovina is entering a new stage, emphasizing that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) was never intended to be a permanent institution.

➡️ The ambassador noted that any future High Representative must possess the trust of all constituent communities in BiH.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English