Balkan Developments

Protests in Albania against construction in protected areas continue

Thousands of Albanian citizens protest in Tirana every evening to express their dissatisfaction with a project for a luxury resort on the southern Albanian coast in the Zvërnec region (Vlora County), BTA has reported. The dissatisfied are gathering in the central Skanderbeg Square in the Albanian capital with a demand for the cancellation of the project and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a television interview, quoted by the Albanian Radio and Television, that the project for a luxury resort in Zvërnec will be continued, regardless of the protests and controversies. He added that such an investment of 4 billion euros in a country with a GDP of about 27 billion euros has great weight and speaks for itself. The resort is a project linked to the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner. The dissatisfaction of local residents is caused by the fact that the construction is near the Vjosa–Narta protected area - home to hundreds of bird species, including flamingos, as well as critically endangered Mediterranean monk seals, birdlife.org points out.

Serbian President Vučić announces plans for resignation

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced that he plans to resign. He said this in an interview with Serbian public broadcaster RTS. "I plan to resign, I will let you know when. There will be no surprises for anyone," Vučić said. He indicated that he was considering who the presidential candidate from his party, the Serbian Progressive Party, would be. According to him, this would certainly be a winning candidate. Commenting on the ongoing student protests, Vucic said that he understood the young people, but accused his political opponents of trying to use their discontent for political purposes. He claimed that the authorities had opposed attempts to "undermine the constitutional order" and rejected allegations that a sound cannon was used against protesters, calling them untrue. Student protests in Serbia began after the collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad train station on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people.

United States, Cyprus, Greece and Israel to establish Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center

Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States (the so-called 3+1 cooperation format) will create Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center, BNR correspondent in Cyprus Branislava Bobanac has reported. The center is being created on the basis of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, with which Washington formalized its strategic partnership with Cyprus, Greece and Israel in 2019. The Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center will be a permanent transatlantic platform for cooperation in the field of energy, technology, innovation and scientific research, uniting institutions and companies from the public and private sectors, the Ministry of Energy said. It will also play an important geopolitical role as a mechanism for strategic analysis of the situation in the region.

Five Greek beaches in Europe's Top 10

Five beaches in Greece are among the ten best in Europe according to the website europeanbestdestinations.com. These are Voutoumi Beach on Antipaxos, which holds second place, Fteri Beach in Kefalonia - 3rd place, Elafonissi Beach in Crete -4th place, Rovinia Beach -8th place and Paleokastritsa in Corfu - 10th place. The rating was prepared after reviewing hundreds of beaches based on natural beauty, water quality, accessibility, authenticity, environmental protection, beach services, quality of nearby accommodation and the overall atmosphere. After experts sifted through 30 of them, the ten winners were determined by the votes of travellers and tourists from all over the world.

Compiled by: Miglena Ivanova