Every Monday, the Research Trainees of the CERESE assess the news of the previous week. You can read their opinions below:

I like…

…the news that hundreds of Roma living in settlements in Serbia now have safe drinking water as a result of the country’s first comprehensive data mapping exercise. This water supply initiative was taken by the UN in 2020, as more than 30,000 Roma had little or no access to drinking water, more than 15,000 were living without sanitation, and about 24,000 of them had limited or no electricity. Representing almost 2% of the national population, the Roma community also faces high unemployment, poverty and discrimination. This achievement is a foundation for improving the living conditions of the Roma Serbs.

…the fact that the Cypriot authorities rescued sixty Syrian migrants from a small boat off the coast of Cyprus who had been stranded at sea for days. Cypriot officials said the incident highlighted the dangers people face because of smuggling networks. They also said they would raise the migration issue again at the informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers, stating once again Cyprus’ view on reassessing the situation in Syria to facilitate the repatriation of Syrian refugees and to address their continued influx.

I dislike…

…the news that North Korea tore down the great arch -a symbol of reconciliation with South Korea- which was located in the capital of Pyongyang. The Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un last week called for the removal of the monument, while declaring that the North is abandoning long-held goals of peaceful unification with South Korea and ordering the rewriting of the North’s constitution to designate the South as the most hostile foreign opponent. This is an escalation of last year’s tension in the region, after North Korea’s new missile tests. Cruise missiles are among a wide range of weapons that North Korea has been testing in recent years as it seeks to create a viable nuclear threat against the United States and its Asian allies. Analysts say North Korea is trying to oust South Korea from its role as a regional power, and negotiate directly with the US on nuclear issues.

…the fact that Belarus has adopted a new military doctrine which, if adopted, will contribute to the development of nuclear weapons throughout the country. In the wake of this doctrine, even more distasteful were the government’s statements in this regard, according to which nuclear weapons are necessary for the country’s preparedness in case someone attacks its allies, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), namely the Russian Federation. Although approval is pending, the political trend is leaning in its favour, as the government aims to restore the influence of international organizations such as the UN and the OSCE to prevent armed conflict.