Week in Review: Making Sense of the World Around Us

Skulduggery

While the world is gripped by news of the coronavirus' destructive spread, in Kosovo the fall of the Kurti government - and all the political and diplomatic wrangling which has come with it - competes for the attention of journalists and analysts.

Our Regional Director, Marija Ristic, takes a look at what is going on behind the scenes in Kosovo. In particular, she highlights the nexus between political rivalry, a secretive deal possibly being negotiated with Serbia and impending war crimes indictments due to be issued by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in unwrapping what is happening in Kosovo.

Read more: Kosovo's Ousted Government, Secret Deals and War Crimes Charges (March 27, 2020)

Early Frost

Albin Kurti. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

To Albin Kurti and his supporters, Vetevendosje's victory in the October Parliamentary elections was the beginning of an 'Albanian Spring', bringing what they saw as a new style of government and battle against corrupt politics. Yet this 'Spring' has been brought down by an unexpected frost.

Doubtless the downfall of the Kurti Government has left its supporters feeling betrayed and deeply disappointed. Yet, as Johanna Deimel argues in her comment for Balkan Insight, Kurti's overconfidence, inexperience and rigidity have a lot to do with why it was brought down. Deimel offers a compelling post-mortem of what went wrong with the Kurti government.

Read more: Kosovo's 'Albanian Spring' Has Succumbed to Early Frost (March 27, 2020)

Freedom Under Pressure

A Moldovan journalist woman (L) smiles as one of her colleagues is wrapped over her eyes with a tape that reading 'Press Freedom Day'. Photo: EPA/Tudor Iovu

As the coronavirus wreaks havoc...