Balkan developments

Stoimen Pavlov and Alexander Markov from BNR deliver short review of media in Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Montenegro concerning the recent Berlin Conference on Libya

Turkish press welcomes results of Berlin Conference on Libya

Media in Turkey have called the International Conference on Libya, which ended yesterday in Berlin, successful. Under the headline "Wind of Peace in Libya", the Turkiye newspaper writes that the main message of the forum was "farewell to weapons". The Ortadoğu newspaper has quoted Turkish President Recep Erdogan's warning to Europe that if the internationally recognized government in Libya fell, the Old Continent would face the threat of terrorism.

Media in Athens express reserved attitude towards Berlin meeting

The results of the International Conference in Berlin, dedicated to finding a way out of the crisis in Libya have been subject to restrained comments in Greek press. Ta Nea daily newspaper has pointed out that Athens' explicit request for the annulment of the Memorandum on the delimitation of maritime spaces between Ankara and Tripoli was not accepted. However, the Kathimerini newspaper quoted Greek diplomatic sources as saying it was positive that the Berlin conference had confirmed the will for finding a political solution to the crisis in Libya and that all participants had committed themselves to respecting the arms embargo. Greece's official position will be announced today in Brussels after the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

Cyprus has accused Turkey of piracy

Regarding Ankara's new plans for oil and gas drilling in the waters off Cyprus, the presidency of the divided island said that "Turkey is turning into a pirate state in the Eastern Mediterranean." Late last week, Ankara announced that the Yavuz drilling vessel would return to the waters near Cyprus for new exploration activities. The latest entry into Cypriot waters was in block 8, for which Nicosia licensed energy giants Total from France and Eni from Italy. Last year, Turkey sent two oil and gas exploration vessels, prompting EU leaders to say that unless illegal activities were stopped, Turkey would become subject to appropriate sanctions.

Deutsche Welle reporter beaten at rally in Athens

During a far-right anti-migrant rally in Athens, participants in the event beat and took away the camera of Deutsche Welle's reporter Thomas Jacobi. The Association of Foreign Correspondents and the Greek government have condemned the attack. The journalist organization has called on authorities to take actions in order to ensure the safety of journalists, correspondents and other press members.

Montenegro would not change its law on religious freedom

In an interview with TANJUG, Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović said his country did not plan to change its religion law. Recently the law has sparked protests in Serbia, which Đukanović described as political but "masked" in church attire. The president called on the Serbian Orthodox Church for a dialogue over the way of implementing the law. According to the head of state, claims that the law legitimized state's intentions to seize the assets of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro were fabrication and the Serbian Orthodox Church was actually property of the state of Montenegro and was usurped from 1986 to 2000.