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

I like the fact that the Serbian government is starting to place restrictions on gun laws in the country. More specifically, in recent days the country has been plunged into mourning following the murder of eleven people by a thirteen-year-old boy with a gun. President Aleksandar Vucic has announced a temporary halt to the issuing of licenses, the checking of all licenses already granted, and a host of new strict gun control measures, including more frequent background checks on gun owners. Certainly, this cannot reverse the current situation, but it is a positive step because Serbia has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe. In this situation, the government has taken a stand and created a stricter legal framework in order to prevent the recurrence of such accidents.

I like the news that on May 3 the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, raised the issue of press freedom. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, international organizations and journalistic associations expressed their concerns about the intimidation, imprisonment, and killing of journalists. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 55 journalists and four media collaborators were killed in the line of duty in 2022 worldwide. Also, public manipulation by a few journalists dependent on governments is a problem. These days, the protection and promotion of independent, free, and pluralistic media is a necessity.

I dislike the news about the drone that crashed in the Kremlin. This move gave the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the political cover to deepen the war in Ukraine. The drone is believed to have been launched from Ukraine and Russian authorities have used the incident to portray Ukraine as a threat to Russian security. The incident comes amid heightened conflict between Ukrainian forces and the Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and growing fears that Russia could launch a new offensive. The international community called for a de-escalation of the conflict and urged Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

I dislike that an American Navy aircraft flew over the Taiwan Strait, during a period of increased tension in the region. China stated that Chinese war aircrafts recorded the flight of the American P-8A Poseidon and added that this provocative action by the USA risks the stability of the region. The US replied that this action attempts to preserve the freedom of navigation in the Indian-Pacific Ocean.