Jared Kushner’s investment ambitions in the Balkans are running into political turbulence. His firm, Affinity Partners, abandoned plans for a luxury hotel and Trump Tower in Belgrade after sustained protests, legal controversy, and the indictment of a Serbian official tied to the project. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić blamed activists, calling it a missed opportunity.

In contrast, Kushner is moving forward with a $1.4 billion luxury resort and marina on Albania’s Sazan Island, a former military base. The project is a flagship investment for Prime Minister Edi Rama, who sees it as key to transforming Albania into a high-end tourist destination. However, it is unfolding amid sweeping corruption probes targeting senior officials, major infrastructure projects, and the nearby Vlora airport meant to support the resort.

Despite investigations and governance concerns, Albanian officials insist Kushner’s project will proceed and could improve the country’s global image and attract further foreign investment. Critics and opposition figures say the investment’s success depends on transparency, as Albania continues to grapple with corruption while trying to rebrand itself as a stable destination for international capital.

Serbia and the European Union have signed a €219.9 million Financing Agreement under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) for 2025–2027. Of the total amount, €139.4 million is a non-repayable EU contribution, while Serbia will provide an additional €80.5 million.

The agreement was signed by Serbia’s National IPA Coordinator Mira Radenović Bojić and European Commission official Valentina Superti. Officials emphasized that the funding supports Serbia’s EU accession path by strengthening democratic institutions, improving public services, and advancing key reforms.

Funds will "focus" on the rule of law, good governance, economic development, anti-corruption efforts, crime prevention (including environmental crime), human rights protection, legal aid for displaced persons, and alignment with EU regulations. Additional priorities include support for small and medium-sized enterprises, local development, science, innovation, digital transformation, and protection of vulnerable groups and farmers.

🇪🇺 - Reportedly, Bulgaria, Malta, and Italy sided with Belgium against the EU when it comes to confiscation of the frozen Russian assets.

While Slovakia and Hungary did not voice their position this time, there is certainty that when the time comes both countries will be happy to obstruct the Brussels plans as well.

⚡️🇱🇧🇹🇷🇨🇾 Anka News: Turkish Foreign Ministry sources speaking to Anka News denied the claims made by Lebanese news outlet Al-Akhbar regarding the Lebanon-Cyprus maritime border agreement and the alleged tension it created between Lebanon and Turkey, adding that none of the claims presented are true.

@wfwitness

Recent YouTube videos have exposed physical abuse of minors in Hungary’s state-run juvenile facilities. Opposition leader Péter Magyar released a government report detailing over 3,000 child abuse cases ranging from sexual to physical in nature while in state care, prompting mass protests in Budapest.

The issue echoes a 2024 scandal that led to President Katalin Novák’s resignation after she pardoned an accomplice to sexual child abuse. The judge who assisted Novak in that cover up was Peter Magyar's wife at the time.

While Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has condemned the abuses, the government’s long-term response and the political impact ahead of next spring’s election remain uncertain.

On one hand, this is a clear attempt to dislodge Orban by Eurocentric politicians who see Orban as an obstacle.

On the other, there was a real cover up by members of Orban's government to hide sexual and physical abuse of children in state care.

In The Laws, Plato argued that capital punishment was justified in limited cases: for “incurable” criminals whose souls were beyond reform, as a civic purging and deterrent; for grave offenses that irreparably harmed the state, such as murder, sexual abuse, temple theft, child abuse or treason; and for persistent heresy, after failed reeducation.

Plato viewed execution as the “least of evils,” benefiting both the city and, paradoxically, the irredeemable offender by ending a life of escalating vice.

—Happy Friday, friends!

Serbia is seeking answers from Russia over the death of Radomir Kurtic, a representative of state-owned arms exporter Yugoimport SDPR, who was found dead in Moscow on November 17, 2025 under what Serbian officials call suspicious circumstances.

Serbian authorities say Russia has not provided forensic findings or official explanations, while an internal review found company documents and computer hard drives missing from Yugoimport’s Moscow office.

President Aleksandar Vučić has urged caution against premature conclusions but confirmed formal requests have been sent to Moscow and pledged to pursue clarity. The case has raised concern in Serbia due to Yugoimport’s strategic role and parallels drawn to past unexplained deaths linked to the defense sector.

Tirana’s Smart City project is inseparable from Albania’s history of mass surveillance under the Sigurimi from 1944-1991. During communist rule, 15,000–20,000 informants (1 in 150-200) monitored a population under 3 million, producing 120,000–200,000 political files and enabling 33,000 imprisonments and 5,500–6,000 executions. Control relied less on force than on secrecy and constant observation.

Per capita political imprisonment between East Germany, Albania and Yugoslavia:

EG (Stasi): 1,200-1,500 per 100k
Alb (Sigurimi): 1,100-1,200 per 100k
Yug (UDBA): 430-500 per 100k

Safeguards issued by the Albanian Data Protection Commissioner for the 5,000 AI-Enabled CCTV cameras—including anonymization and restricted access—are not encouraging.

Anonymization can be undone through data linkage, access controls depend on trust, and the project’s initial secrecy echoes historical patterns.

🇻🇦 - Italian press reports that, at nights, the pope is busy learning German using online apps.