—🇪🇺/🇷🇸🇧🇦 NEW: European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Tonino Picula said the participation of Serbian government representatives in Ratko Mladić’s funeral would show the extent to which Belgrade’s authorities identify with his crimes, calling for an “adequate” EU response.

➡️ The European Commission has separately warned that any glorification of convicted war criminals contradicts fundamental European values and has no place in the EU or candidate countries, putting the controversy increasingly in the context of Serbia’s accession process.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇷🇸❌🇪🇺 NEW: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accused Europe and the region of applying “double standards” over Ratko Mladić’s funeral, pointing to former Bosnian Army commander Rasim Delić, who was buried in Sarajevo in 2010 with full military honours and in the presence of senior state officials despite an ICTY war-crimes conviction.

➡️ Vučić has not confirmed that Mladić will receive official state honours, but his remarks defend the possibility of a prominent ceremonial funeral amid mounting regional criticism.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—“This shows just how divided and dysfunctional Bosnia and Herzegovina is,” he added.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇨🇿/🇧🇦 NEW: Sparta Prague fans paid tribute to General Ratko Mladić during the derby against Slavia Prague, displaying a banner reading "RIP General" alongside a Serbian flag.

🔗 Based Serbia

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇦/🇪🇸 Morocco strengthens military presence near the Strait

➡️ Morocco is continuing work on a military facility on Mount Gurugú, overlooking Melilla, reportedly intended for drones and missile systems, while reinforcing its north with additional radar and air-defence capabilities, according to EL ESPAÑOL.

➡️ The buildup comes as Rabat and Washington deepen military cooperation under their 2026–2036 defence roadmap.

➡️ EL ESPAÑOL, citing intelligence sources, says the US is expected to provide Morocco with additional ships, radars, drones and advanced military equipment, although public US documents do not confirm that these systems are specifically intended to strengthen Rabat’s position in the Strait of Gibraltar.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇹🇷/🇬🇷/🇮🇱 NEW: Turkish analysts and media are increasingly portraying Greece’s new €3 billion “Achilles Shield” agreement with Israel as part of a broader Greece-Cyprus-Israel security alignment directed at Turkey.

➡️ Signed in Tel Aviv on Monday, the deal will provide Athens with a multi-layered air and missile defence network based on Israeli systems.

➡️ Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis added to Ankara’s concerns by saying in parliament that Greece’s strategic alliance with Israel safeguards the country against the “Turkish threat” and other threats.

➡️ The deal comes amid Athens’ wider military modernisation programme and longstanding Greek-Turkish tensions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

🔗 Mario Nawfal

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇲🇩❌🇷🇺🇲🇩 NEW: Moldova has accused Russia of violating its sovereignty by planning 16 polling stations in Transnistria for Russia’s Duma elections.

➡️ Chisinau says it only authorized one polling station at the Russian Embassy, not additional sites in the breakaway region.

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—🇷🇸❌🇺🇳 WATCH: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic revealed today that former KLA terrorist organization leader Hashim Thaçi will receive “some kind of guilty verdict, just to cover time in pretrial detention,” but will be found not guilty of the most serious crimes against Serbs.

🔗 The National Independent

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—🇪🇸 Today, massive demonstrations in support of Ceuta are expected to take place across cities and towns throughout Spain.

➡️ Since what’s happening in Ceuta has generated so much interest among our audience, we will be covering them.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

🇧🇦 🏳️ Raif Dizdarević, former President of the Presidency of the SFRY, has died at the age of 99.

Dizdarević was a prominent Bosnian and Yugoslav diplomat and politician who also took part in the National Liberation War.

He served as President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia from 1988 to 1989, during the final years before the country’s breakup.

—❗️🇪🇸 WATCH: Footage shared from Madrid shows a large gathering around Cibeles, with demonstrators chanting “Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta is defended” and calling for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to resign.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English

—❗️🇪🇸 WATCH: Footage from Zaragoza shows Plaza del Pilar filled with demonstrators during protests over Ceuta, as rallies spread to several Spanish cities.

✅ @balkanspectator — the leading Balkan news channel in English