Balkans

The President of the European Council said on Friday the bloc will be holding intensive discussions in coming weeks on how future enlargement should be managed.

Charles Michel, who was in the Albanian capital, Tirana, to meet with Prime Minister Edi Rama, said all member countries "are unanimous on one point — that the Western Balkans' future should be toward Europe."

As protests continue in Montenegro over the recently adopted freedom of religion law, the government and Serbian Orthodox Church have both called for talks on resolving the dispute.

Ahmetspahic, however, is unique; he is the only repatriated Bosnian fighter to be medically certified in court as 'deradicalised'.

Experts say his case offers hope for state efforts to 'deradicalise' returning fighters, but caution against over-optimism, saying that the process of radicalisation and deradicalisation are complex and unique to each individual.

According to him, President of the European Council Charles Michel announced the gathering of Western Balkans leaders in February.
"I expect Michel to soon organize some kind of rally in February that will bring together all the leaders in the Western Balkans, so that we can continue dialogue", Vucic told Television Pink.

A Serbian Orthodox Church protest in Montenegro against the newly adopted law on religion, due to take place in Cetinje on Thursday night, has been canceled over security concerns. The Church has since announced that it is shifting the event from a protest walk in the town to an event inside the local monastery.

The Balkan region is full of easy targets for Iran in its confrontation with the US.

The United States considers Greece a major ally and participant in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, cited by BGNES.

"We consider Athens a key ally and a crucial player in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the Balkans,", the letter stated.

The US remains committed to supporting democracy, prosperity and security in Greece, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said in a letter to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made public Tuesday in which he describes bilateral ties between the two NATO allies as "extraordinary."

Daniel Serwer, Professor at Washington State University John Hopkins also notes that citizens will benefit most from the introduction of the airline.

Rocked by protests over a controversial law on religion, the Montenegrin government says it is the target of 'hybrid warfare' and is taking the media to task.