Balkan developments

Students take to the streets in Tirana and Athens

Student protests that began in France and Spain have spread to the Balkans. Clashes between protesters and police broke out in Tirana on 13 October. Thousands of young people took to the streets, demanding better conditions at universities and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The anti-government protests in the Albanian capital led to acts of vandalism targeting private and public buildings, the news website Shqiptarja.com reports. Students are dissatisfied with poor conditions at universities, high education costs, inadequate financial support and limited employment prospects after graduation.

Prime Minister Edi Rama accused the opposition of diverting the country from its European path but said he was open to dialogue.

Meanwhile, dozens of tents have been set up in Syntagma Square in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, as students protest against high rents and the cost of higher education. Greek student unions are calling for rent caps, increased financial assistance, more housing support and the construction of additional student dormitories, according to in.gr and To Vima.

US Ambassador to Athens Kimberly Guilfoyle resigns

US Ambassador to Athens Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned but says she will “defend her name vigorously”, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported, citing the Associated Press.

The resignation of the 57-year-old former prosecutor and television host, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, follows reports in the US press about alleged ethical violations and links to business interests. The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal also reported on her alleged remarks concerning the possibility of US involvement in Greece’s political affairs. Guilfoyle dismissed the allegations as false and said she would defend her reputation.

‘''These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation and mu integrity. I have dedicated my professional life to fighting for justice, standing up for what is right, and defending the values that make America exceptional. I will not allow false accusations to define my decades of public service'', Kimberly Guilfoyle wrote on X.

Zagreb sets eight conditions for Montenegro’s EU accession

Croatia has sent EU member states a document setting out eight conditions that Montenegro must meet before joining the bloc, Radio Free Europe reports, citing diplomatic sources. The demands concern negotiating Chapters 23 and 31, which cover fundamental rights and foreign policy, security and defence.

The conditions include compensation for Croatian citizens held by the Yugoslav army at the Morinj camp near Kotor in 1991–1992. Zagreb is also calling for clarification of the fate of 14 missing Croatian citizens, access to archives, the prosecution of war crimes and the settlement of property claims by Croatian families in Montenegro. Another demand concerns the return of the Yugoslav training ship Jadran.

Turkish police raid opposition TV

On 14 October, police raided the Istanbul offices of Halk TV, a leading Turkish television channel close to the opposition. The broadcaster will be placed under the management of a trustee. The operation took place in the early morning, when the channel’s broadcasts were suspened, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.

According to a statement by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Halk TV Board Chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu is under investigation on suspicion of bribery and bid-rigging in Izmir.

Last year, Halk TV was also sanctioned by Türkiye’s media regulator, with a court ordering the channel to suspend broadcasting for 10 days.

The channel’s journalists issued a joint statement saying that “the appointment of a trustee and the suspension of the channel’s broadcasts constitute an attack on freedom of expression and the public’s right to receive information.”

Romanian government ordered to pay judiciary nearly EUR 1 billion

Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice has upheld a ruling by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in a case brought by the judiciary against the government and the Ministry of Finance over the back payment of overdue salaries to magistrates.

The government now owes nearly EUR 1 billion. The High Court’s ruling is final, and Romania’s Constitutional Court has also dismissed the government’s appeal in the case.

The funds must be allocated, even if this means amending the state budget. The government has 10 days to comply with the court order. It it fails to meet the deadline, it will face a penalty of 1% of the amount owed for each day of delay, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov