BIRN presents its selection of photos of some of the events and processes that marked a difficult year in the Balkans.
Bulgaria
People demonstrate in support of Ukraine in Sofia, April 7, 2022. On February 24, Russian troops invaded Ukraine in what the Russian president declared was a ‘special military operation’. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV
In 2022, Bulgarian politics were heavily shaped by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Rumen Radev and the Bulgarian Socialist Party pledged neutrality and grew more and more distant from the pro-West reformist politics of PM Kiril Petkov’s “We Continue the Change” party.
His shaky coalition was ousted in June, resulting in the fourth general election held in less than two years and amid concern that developments might further compromise Bulgaria’s role in EU and NATO – as the current interim government was chosen by the President and the last election winner is Boyko Borissov’s GERB party, which is marred by corruption allegations. Amid parliamentary tensions, a fifth election, in early 2023, is likely.
The war highlighted the geopolitical divide in Bulgaria where pro-Russia sentiments often intertwine with nationalist rhetoric, both on the far-left and right. In contrast, pro-Ukraine marches took place in the first half of 2022 and Ukrainian refugees were welcomed by activists amid a slow, disorganised state response.
Moldova
Moldovan President Maia Sandu (C) flanked by the Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu (L) and Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita (R) as they pose with documents seeking EU candidate status on March 3, 2022. Photo: EPA/Stringer
Moldova received candidate country status from the European Union on June 23, 2022, following a vote in Brussels by the European Council. It gained this status after the pro-European government in Chisinau signed an application for membership of the EU on March 3, 2022.
EU candidate status will likely bring the country concrete benefits, making it more attractive for investment. As a result, trade flows are more accessible, and economic stability more assured.
Greece
Greek Journalist Thanasis Koukakis attends a hearing by the European Parliament Inquiry Committee amid an investigation into the use of the Pegasus surveillance spyware in Greece, in Brussels, September 8, 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET
It was the year of surveillance for Greece, when the secret services monitored journalists, politicians and civil society activists. Some people, such as the journalist Thanasis Koukakis and the president of PASOK Nikos Androulakis, were targeted by malicious and illegal software called Predator.
The independent media initially revealed the “Predator Gate” scandal. The scandal continues to concern the press but not so much the government and justice system, which is a blow to Greek democracy. Revelations about new persons found under surveillance by Greek and foreign media continued, without the government confirming them. The year 2023 is an election year and Predator Gate will continue to preoccupy the political scene.
Montenegro
Montenegrin officials at the first phase of Bar-Boljare highway opening ceremony. Photo: Government of Montenegro
On July 13, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and President Milo Djukanovic opened the first section of the Bar-Boljare highway, seven years after the Chinese-financed project started and drove up Montenegro’s public debt to 90.85 per cent of GDP. The highway represents the Montenegrin leg of a larger highway that will run from the Adriatic coast to the Serbian capital, Belgrade.
Despite calls by watchdogs, the government has never revealed the precise costs of the first section. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance on August 3 said it was negotiating with Hungarian Exim Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, and the European Investment Bank, EIB, on financing for the second phase, running from Matesevo to Andrijevica, which will likely cost some 552 million euros.
North Macedonia
Protesters in Skopje, on July 6, burned a poster with the pictures of North Macedonia’s politicians who support the French proposal to resolve the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. Photo EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI
North Macedonia formally launched its EU accession talks after a two-year blockade by neighbouring Bulgaria over the so-called “history” dispute. But the bitterness felt by many Macedonians over how the country made the breakthrough, by accepting the unpopular French proposal, is what marked the year.
A series of protest marches were staged in June and July in Skopje by the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party and the Levica [Left] party, some of them sparking clashes with the police. Protesters vented their anger over Bulgaria’s blockade and denial of Macedonian identity, resentment of the EU for allowing it all to happen and resentment of the governing Social Democrats who they said had betrayed the country by accepting a compromise that, among other things, should see a change to the constitution’s preamble to include Bulgarians among the state’s founding peoples.
Perhaps best portraying the level of anger, on July 6 protesters in front of the parliament burned a poster with the pictures of North Macedonian politicians who support the so-called French proposal.
Turkey
Turkish main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu (C-L) and Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu (C) attend a rally in front of the Istanbul Municipality, in Istanbul, Turkey, 15 December 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA
Turkey’s political and economic crises multiplied in 2022 and all sides made preparations for highly critical 2023 general and presidential elections.
Facing the greatest challenge to his 20-year-long rule, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proved that he is still full of political moves including early retirement plans, tax amnesties and pay increases as well as forming new alliances at home and abroad.
Erdogan again proved that he will do everything to win the 2023 elections, when Istanbul’s popular Mayor and possible Erdogan rival, Ekrem Imamoglu, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, CHP, was sentenced to more than two years in prison for insulting officials and given a “political ban” by a court.
Albania
Citizens protesting against the government in Tirana. Photo: Isa Myzyraj
In the first months of 2022 and last months of 2021 citizens, organised by civil society and supported by opposition parties, took to the streets to protest against price rises. Protesters called the rising oil and gas prices “absurd” and “unbearable”. Citizens also demanded more transparency, accountability and the break-up of monopolies.
Prime Minister, Edi Rama blamed the war in Ukraine for the rise in prices and declared that the government cannot interfere in the market. But after a while, a National Board for Managing Fuels was set up to oversee the market and prevent abuses over prices. However, no big change has happened, despite the new board’s creation.
Kosovo
Burned truck at a barricade near Zvecan. Photo: BIRN/Shkodrane Dakaj
Locals in Serb-majority north Kosovo used trucks to barricade roads leading to border crossings with Serbia twice during 2022, while negotiations between the two countries in Brussels hit deadlocks.
Kosovo Police announced on December 29 that the important Merdare border crossing point with Serbia had reopened, after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced the evening before that barricades set up at six locations in the north of Kosovo 20 days earlier will be removed. Unlike the Jarinje and Bernjak borders that were blocked with trucks placed in roads within Kosovo, the Merdare border crossing with Serbia was closed by barricades erected on Serbian territory. This border crossing was blocked for the first time.
The blocking of the roads was sparked by the arrest of an ethnic Serb former Kosovo police officer, Dejan Pantic, who is suspected of an attack on municipal election commission offices in North Mitrovica. The crisis erupted after months of tensions over Kosovo’s decision to stop recognising Serbian-issued vehicle plates and after Serb representatives staged a mass resignation from Kosovo institutions at the beginning of November.
Disinformation about the conflict spread on social media and several media platforms worldwide. On August 1, Kosovo was trending on Twitter with over 250,000 tweets.
Romania
Romanian swimmer David Popovici reacts after winning the men’s 200m freestyle final of the 19th FINA World Championships in Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on June 22, 2022. Photo: EPA/Tamas Kovacs
Romanian swimmer David Popovici, aged 17, won the gold medal in the 100-metre freestyle at the European Senior Swimming Championships in Rome in August and set a new world record in this race of 46.86 seconds.
Also, on December 15, David Popovici came fourth in the final of the 100-metre freestyle at the World Short Course Swimming Championship (25 metres) for seniors in Melbourne, Australia.
Popovici covered the four lengths of the pool in 45.64 seconds, representing a new world record for juniors and a new national record for seniors.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Protesters holding a flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina in front of the Office of the High Representative. Photo: BIRN/Azem Kurtic
Bosnia and Herzegovina saw street protests against changes to the election law imposed by Christian Schmidt, the High Representative of the International Community in Bosnia, who is tasked with overseeing civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-5 war.
His first intervention in July was heavily opposed by Bosniak parties that gathered thousands of supporters to protest the changes, claiming that they would “cement apartheid in the country.” Schmidt then gave up on the planned changes and imposed only partial changes.
But, on the day of the October 2 general elections, Schmidt imposed new election rules just minutes after the majority of the polling stations closed.
Serbia
Goran Miletic, one of the EuroPride 2022 organizers smiles ahead of the EuroPride march in Belgrade, Serbia, 17 September 2022. EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC
EuroPride, a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBTQ pride, is hosted by a different European city each year – and this year it was the turn of Belgrade, capital of a country still not part of the EU.
The announcement sparked controversies and a series of protests by right-wing forces in the country. The government then issued a decision to ban the march, citing threats from right-wing extremist groups and fears of clashes. However, in a last-minute announcement, officials allowed the event to be held on September 17, with a drastically shorter route, sending heavy police forces to secure the event.
Football hooligans and far right groups clashed with the police on the day, destroying patrol cars, and attacking several participants of Europride, but no major incidents were reported.
Croatia
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson gives a press conference on the readiness of Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to join the Schengen area at the European Commission, in Brussels, 16 November 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/STEPHANIE LECOCQ
Justice ministers of the European Union’s 27 member states endorsed Croatia’s accession to the passport-free Schengen zone, which currently encompasses 26 states and 420 million people.
The decision will enter into force on January 1, 2023, when Croatia joins the Eurozone. It marks a major milestone in Croatia’s European integration, almost a decade since it joined the EU and three decades since fighting a war for independence from Yugoslavia.
