Balkan Spectator
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Balkan Spectator
Who let my grandmother on the flotilla?
Bro she was so annoying I had to let her go
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Balkan Spectator
Bro she was so annoying I had to let her go
My grandmother (bless her soul) was the sweetest woman you'd ever met.

After my 13 yo cousin got blown up by a mortar; she walked over 5 miles to the nearest functioning hospital with what was left of my cousin's body. Despite everything that went on she was a very optimistic, god fearing woman.

She enjoyed watching Jerry Springer, smoking Marlboro's and calling black people on TV monkeys.

For those that have family (especially grandmother's) still alive, hug them. Tell them you love them and never forget where you came from.

P.S. I'm not the middle finger -- I thought it was funny.
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The UAE has grown its presence in the Balkans over the past 25 years, focusing on investments and infastructure. Key developments include:

🇲🇪 Montenegro: In March 2025, the UAE signed a controversial agreement with Montenegro to invest in real estate and tourism, including the Velika Plaža beach project. The deal, worth €35 billion, has faced criticism over transparency and potential EU compliance issues.

🇷🇸 Serbia: The UAE's involvement includes the €3.5 billion Belgrade Waterfront project and the purchase of 49% of Air Serbia in 2013. A CEPA signed in October 2024 deepened ties, marking the first with a non-WTO member state.

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina: The UAE has strong cultural and historical ties, with investments surpassing $170 million by May 2023. A visa exemption agreement in November 2023 further strengthened relations.

🇦🇱 Albania: UAE investments soared to €52 million in 2024, a 280% increase from 2023. The UAE is also involved in renewable energy and state surveillance projects, such as installing AI surveillance in Albanian cities.

Overall, the UAE’s influence in the region is justified by economic growth but is marked with ongoing controversies regarding transparency and compliance. The UAE is expected to stay active in the region.
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Forwarded from Eurointel+
🇲🇩🇬🇪 - Moldovan president Sandu calls Georgia 'Russia's colony'.
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Forwarded from Eurointel+
🇬🇷 - Greece leads the European Union in terms of the % of residents who claimed they failed to receive medical help that they needed in 2024: 21.9% of Greek residents struggled.
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73% of 880 migrants polled in August traveled through Turkey into the Balkans.
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64% of migrants reported paying human traffickers to smuggle them over borders.

The most common routes were:

Serbia > Bosnia €504
Greece > Bosnia €1,716
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123 days in transit for those exiting Greece 👀

99% of migrants decide Bosnia not to stay in Bosnia 🎉
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Balkan Spectator
123 days in transit for those exiting Greece 👀 99% of migrants decide Bosnia not to stay in Bosnia 🎉
>illegal arrives in Sarajevo
>confused by the poverty
>best I keep moving!
>hits landmine
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Forwarded from The Bosnian Kingdom
🪙 Spot Gold $3,895
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The Atlantic Council published a piece recently that covers the trial of Hashim Thaçi - the face of KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) which was formed in 1991 with the intent of creating a "Greater Albania" region and committed various war crimes from '98-99.

The most interesting part of this article is the legal defense case that is presented. If this case moves to acquittal - it will set a precedent for future cases.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/what-the-looming-verdict-in-thaci-war-crimes-trial-could-mean-for-kosovo-the-balkans-and-beyond/

"On September 15, the defense opened its case, announcing just fifteen witnesses—mostly senior Western officials with direct knowledge of events. The strategy is not to deny the alleged crimes, which do not implicate Thaçi directly. Instead, the defense is arguing that the KLA lacked a proper command structure and that Thaçi, often outside Kosovo and serving in a political role, had no authority over operations."

There are many scenarios and reasons where and why Thaçi's acquittal will only inflame the region.
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Balkan Spectator
The Atlantic Council published a piece recently that covers the trial of Hashim Thaçi - the face of KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) which was formed in 1991 with the intent of creating a "Greater Albania" region and committed various war crimes from '98-99. …
If you're wondering, "Who is the Atlantic Council?"

One only has to look at their public donor list to gain an understanding:

* U.S. Department of Defense
* U.S. Department of State
* Government of the United Kingdom
* Government of Norway
* Embassy of the UAE
* Adrienne Arsht
* Bahaa Hariri
* Rockefeller Foundation
* Craig Newmark Philanthropies
* Open Society Foundations
* Hewlett Foundation
* Smith Richardson Foundation
* Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
* Amazon Web Services
* Apple
* Google (Alphabet)
* Meta (Facebook)
* Goldman Sachs
* Chevron
* Airbus
* SAAB
* Raytheon (RTX)
* Lockheed Martin
* Northrop Grumman
* General Atomics
* MITRE
* Michael Fisch
* John F. W. Rogers
* Rawbank
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🇵🇱🇭🇺🇩🇰⚡- "Dear Prime Minister Donald Tusk,

Russia is at war. Ukraine is at war. Hungary is not.

I understand that you stand firmly on the side of Ukraine. Please understand that we stand firmly on the side of Hungary.

Your question is who will win the Russia–Ukraine war.

My question is how we can end the war, save tens of thousands of lives and provide security for Hungarians.

You seek to win a war you believe is yours. I want to ensure that peace prevails," - Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary.
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Rerum Novarum // Intel, Breaking News, and Alerts 🇺🇸
🇵🇱🇭🇺🇩🇰⚡- "Dear Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Russia is at war. Ukraine is at war. Hungary is not. I understand that you stand firmly on the side of Ukraine. Please understand that we stand firmly on the side of Hungary. Your question is who will win the Russia–Ukraine…
“Obviously the Hungarians are blocking the Ukrainians,”

“But that’s not all. The Bulgarians want to be able to block the Macedonians, the Croats want to be able to control the Serbs, Greece and Cyprus don’t want Turkey to come any closer to the EU, and Greece also would want to keep an eye on Albania,” - EU diplomat statement to Politico.


In public, EU leaders may oppose Hungary’s blocking of Ukraine. But behind closed doors, many find it a convenient cover for their own demands.
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—🇦🇱❌🇽🇰 NEW: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says Kosovo must prioritize meeting its EU obligations instead of fixating on Serbia, warning that continued neglect could deepen Kosovo’s international isolation.

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—🇵🇸❌🇽🇰 NEW: Palestinian officials reaffirm they do not recognize Kosovo’s independence, citing Kosovo’s decision to open its embassy in Jerusalem as a violation of international law.

➡️ No official statement supports claims that Palestine’s ministers are actively lobbying against Kosovo’s statehood, despite social media speculation.

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