but i'm talking more about the criteria for the west balkan countries to join the e.u. more likely. mansel economic criteria also have been put forward and very tough why are they so tough because last time when you previously offered western balkans to become part of the union only one state crush it became like what two thousand and three no no other western balkan states. frankly speaking joining the european union is a complex process and it implies progress and reforms to be made in all segments there's thirty five chapters to cover but as far as serbia is concerned i have to be very frank i don't think they're really interested in how much progress serbia has made they're more interested in how much progress was made regarding course of them so even the dialogue was burdened with political connotations and that's what really bothers us to make it the only thing that they're going to consider is whether or not we're going to accept some sort of concessions in dialogue with. them because the e.u. strategy also says that none of the western balkan states can be considered as a fu

but i'm talking more about the criteria for the west balkan countries to join the e.u. more likely. economic criteria is that also have been put forward and very tough why are they so tough because last time when you previously offered western balkans to become part of the union only one state crush it became like what two thousand and three no no other western balkan states. frankly speaking joining the european union is a complex process and it implies progress and reforms to be made in all segments there's thirty five chapters to cover but as far as serbia is concerned i have to be very frank i don't think they're really interested in how much progress serbia has made they're more interested in how much progress was made regarding course of them so even the dialogue was burdened with political connotations and that's what really bothers us the only thing that they're going to consider is whether or not we're going to accept some sort of concessions in dialogue with pristina. because the e.u. strategy also says that none of the western balkan states can be considered as a function

but balkans have a lot of absorptive potential for powers to do things. i think for russia it's more an area to stall and create problems. for the west, always trying to expand, integrate them. >> and just to add on to that. we can tie some of the activities of russia elsewhere in europe, stoking discontent and dysfunction in the european union, make it look not as attractive to some of the things you see in the balkans. also agree with michael. see a lot of activity and promises of loans but not seeing as much follow-through on the loans. looks active and potentially a problem, but i think russia could be stretched. i think in some places it is trying to stoke dysfunction between different ethnic groups and states. trying to stoke problems with macedonia, on the verge of overcoming name issue and there's russian media heightening that. some of this is very dangerous. another thing, take it back to discussion about corruption. wunt countries with huge problems of corruption facilitate russian influence. footprint in energy, retail, banking in this region

>> the balkans. also other ones if that's where you're more familiar with. >> geographically, you're probably the closest, and then whoever else, michael. >> so mehi first. we've seen the reports about the alleged coupe attempt in have a done ya and the problems in serbia. they're trying to sop serbia from join. that is very much a problem for us, or more romania. i mean, myself and many others also, citizens of romania. so we the balkans is known as the powder cake of europe. and russian influence is important. and in an attempt to influence their pro western ambitions, it feels very much as sort of trying to encircle eastern europe and i'm sure you're aware of russia having special relations with the governments and in hungary and czech republic and a feeling of encirclement. it's a problem, and hopefully we've seen the attempt in sedonia failed and hopefully serbia is able to withstand the pressure and able to deliver on its commitments and start actually a meaningful negotiations toward joining t

my answer is this, this has led to war in the balkans. i'm not in favour of another one.ctim, as kosovo albanians. the whole world stood to stop what happened at the time. in changing borders and mixing territories, that is how tragedies happen. there is a window of opportunity here. we have a prime minister in serbia. yes, he was a nationalist in the past that he has become a man determined to take serbia towards a european future. to many people, that means he appears more ready for compromise than serbian leaders of the past. he has talked about wanting to respect the needs of serbia's children rather than serbia's ancestors. he, for you, is a window of opportunity. are you prepared to reach out to him? we are interested to sit at the table, and to finish what is left between kosovo and serbia. that is the recognition. they are part of the forgiveness. not to forget, but forgiveness. i believe it is the time to do so. we are prepared for that, but this is not a trade of territories. this is not... you are categorical about that. some people talk about a land swap that

yelena is a member of the balkan investigative reporting network together with the organized crime and corruption reporting project they have spent two years tracking the pentagon secret weapon shipments into syria we have set up a joint investigation this one was produced in serbia it's ok our team a shingle up in the syrian battleground the u.s. government publishes information about federal contracts online. yelena and her colleagues have used this database to calculate the u.s. government's expenditure on soviet style weapons. since two thousand and fifteen until two thousand and twenty two pending will spend or two point two billion us dollars what do you know about the routes how weapons from balkan countries go to the middle east they go through turkey jordan provide qatar and saudi arabia so that's all u.s. allies u.s. allies exactly exactly yelena had been investigating a plane they departed from reactor airport five days earlier which she believes carried weapons to the middle east. you can see tongue fight where there are the words that this plane took several times and you

dollars what do you know about the roots how weapons from balkan countries go to the middle east they go through turkey jordan. qatar and saudi arabia because so that's all u.s. allies u.s. allies exactly exactly yeah and i had been investigating a plane they departed from reactor airport five days earlier she believes carried weapons to the middle east. fight where there are the words that this plane took several times and you can see places such as our. our ryan got exactly and also has flights number mark which is very specific for the planes that are actually transporting military goods. this is footage of the plane yellow not tracked it has been loaded with crates at least twenty u.s. military flights have left this airport in the past six months. and when we arrive at the airport we to see a plane hold its bag and this is one of the busiest airports when it comes to playing such as this one. is from the same airline yelena had been investigating various really is pretty nuts it's just in the middle of a traffic junction. there are. there are weapons there there probably. there i

in the western balkans is and stressful travelling like this is something that we are quite used to be able to see out there is a days and seasons the end given if you know because the last stop in serbia is a meeting with prime minister and up on average well. it's scheduled. last an hour a relative luxury. but then it's on to the next stop want to nag grow another country hoping keenly for the green light. for commission president claude young. now europeans might be surprised to learn that spring has begun at least according to the calendar used by weather experts because the continent still remains in the grip of an icy front from siberia and although the sun is shining in some places looks out deceptive. the sun rises over renishaw in western germany the clear skies belie the freezing temperatures across the rest of the country. it may be meteorological spring but winter isn't going away without a fight like here on lake constance in southern germany where the beach is frozen solid. even the sun is no match for the so-called beast from the east the siberian cold front blanketing m

was this you called us to afghanistan we came you called us to somalia we came you called us to the balkans we came now calling on them so come to syria turkey with nine hundred eleven kilometers of border with syria is under threat right now so why aren't you coming . north korea has promised to hold missile tests ahead of the meeting between its leader kim jong un and the us president that's according to donald trump who is speaking at a rally in pennsylvania to praise china and south korea for helping to build a dialogue with the north there's been no official comment from pyongyang on the proposed meeting nor the tests mike hanna has more from washington d.c. . throughout the day president trump was upbeat about the proposed face to face meeting with the north korean leader he tweeted about phone calls he made with various world leaders including the prime minister of japan the president of china the president of france getting international support for this unprecedented meeting also in the course of the day he tweeted that north korea had not carried out any missile test since the twe

. >> business news is not abou sami: in the early 2000s, the balkan music boom happed around the globe. it also hit in my hometown of new york, e nds ke g bordello and balkan beat box startedo m gypsy rhythms with pu, reggae, and world music. originally, my mind was blown to saturn in the mid-nineties by the gypsy soundtracks of emir kusturica's flicks "black cat, white cat" and "underground." my love for this particular kind of music has brought me to serbia.

and we saw that in the balkans, in bosnia and in kosovo, throughout the 1990s. (ominous music) - [yelchenko] when the kosovo crisis was on the agenda, russia step by step started to come back to their own understanding of the place which russia should have in the world. - it was rocky, frankly, because one of the reasons that we went to nato was it was very clear that the russians were going to veto any mandate that was coming through the security council. - [williams] there was a lot of concern and aggravation in the kremlin over what they saw as revisionist behavior by nato intervening in russia's backyard. using the idea of crimes against humanity as a pretext to redraw the map of the world in this region to the detriment of russian allies. (suspenseful music) - [narrator] at home the appeal of democracy was wearing thin for many russians who witnessed a rise in organized crime, poverty, food shortages, homelessness, and corruption. - [lynch] something close to hyper-inflation hit the russian economy. the result being an increase in seventy-something-odd time

and it's bad for you know so the recent you western balkans strategy includes kosovo as a potential member but the cost of our president toci says terry's no clear path written out for his country does do you really want kosovo as a member. that's a very good question event much depends how you define the e.u. . the e.u. as a entity of twenty eight countries they don't have a consensual view on this question because as you know five member states have consistently their fuel to recognize the independence of kosovo and therefore they would hold if a membership of course or indeed of the union under the current going to sions and as you know at the moment only a hundred and sixteen countries member states of the united nations have agreed to the independence of kosovo and even that took almost any is for many years it was less than one and less than fifty percent of the membership of the un . so this is a major problem for corso and a future but it's also a problem for the utopian union european union should be honest and consistent and follow its own good idea. ranging from some rhyt

clashes erupted after two thousand protesters from across the balkan region marched through thessaloniki in protest against nationalism dozens of mass protesters threw petrol bombs at officers and police then responded with tear gas and stun grenades reports suggest balkan acts and kissed groups came together after far right nationalists allegedly burned down a building occupied by a fascist activists intestinal mickey back in january. now another milestone in the countdown to the world cup was passed this week with the one hundred days to go mark reached r.t. has been building its own team of football legends to to host our special coverage of the tournament and former liverpool striker stan collymore and former mine she ninety goalkeeper peevish michael are already on board but this week r.t. did announce another world class side. for a world cup twenty eight team coverage we've signed one of the greatest goalkeepers of all but there was one more question by the way was going to be our coach. guys i know you are nervous he's a huge star among us and the huge amount of pressure you have

and it's bad for you know so the recent you western balkans strategy includes kosovo as a potential member but the cost of our president toci says terry's no clear path written out for his country this do you really want kosovo as a member. that's a very good question event much depends how you define the e.u. . the u.s. . entity of twenty eight countries they don't have a consensual view on this question because as you know five member states have consistently there for you to recognize the independence of kosovo and therefore they would hold if a membership of course or in the european union under the got it going to shouldn't and as you know at the moment only a hundred and sixteen countries member states of the united nations have agreed to the independence of kosovo and even that took almost ten years for many years it was less than one and less than fifty percent of the membership of the un . so this is a major problem focus away and a future but it's also a problem for the utopian union european union should be honest and consistent and follow its own good idea. ranging from

threw petrol bombs at officers police responded with tear gas and stun grenades reports suggested balkan anarchist groups came together after far right nationalists allegedly burned down a building occupied by anti fascist activists in testimony came in january. now the french president emmanuel macron is on a trip to india at the moment and despite the visit being hailed a success by both sides there were some protests seen in the west of the country. was. the. locals there demonstrated against the building of a new nuclear power plant which is a joint project between india and france the deal was struck during that crohn's visit and the plans of raised safety concerns as the site lies in india's seismically active region concerns of also being expressed about how it could impact on the livelihood of thousands of locals who reportedly depend directly on fishing and also and sciri activity it's. so let's discuss this a bit further we're joined now by dr charley he's a professor and dean of the general school of international affairs and you're very welcome firstly just outlined to us the

the mediterranean route has gained more importance over the last two years or so after the western balkans route where many people from syria fled through originally had been close so you had about one hundred nineteen thousand migrants making their way over the mediterranean route to italy last year which is a drop but on a high level so that's not the only reason why this is such an important topic of course the right wing parties are trying to make an important topic of it but you also had a public couple of high profile events terrible events happening in the last months in italy for example a drive by shooting by a right wing extremist of six african migrants and then there was also a gruesome killing of an italian girl where african migrants are being investigated so all this put the feeling the sentiment that was preval and in italy but on the back burner back on the front and of course the island of sicily where a capital palermo is located of course is very important in this whole thing because most migrants that come over the mediterranean from north africa at some point at least

out of saddam hussein or any other strong arab leadership in the region but also to effectively balkanize the entire region and what we see right now in syria libya and the entire region is that plan a strategy for israel in the one nine hundred eighty s. and this chaos that we see is not an accident and if people really want to learn something here they need to understand that none of this is an accident actually what's happened in iraq is exactly what was intended not only to take out saddam hussein but to break up iraq which we see three different segments we see the same thing happening in syria right now so. if people really want to have an understanding they need to know that those that are in power which are all basically puppets and government who are underneath the bankers who always want war who finance generally all sides of war they have a major incentive to keep going with war and now you know very well sitting there in russia that we're trying to pick a fight with russia and look at the embarrassing reality of u.k. politics with boris johnson and the prime minister themselve

this takes us to the whole question of the balkanization., it seems to me -- let's put special counsel, independent counsel in the rearview mirror for a second -- but just say that the point where we're at now is, we believe it is so balkanized, there's so much division, so much partisan antipathy, that the system is broken down, doesn't work, and this counsel thing is kind of a fix-it. has it broken down? is it worse than it's ever been? >> i don't think it's worse than it's ever been. i mean, we had a civil war in this country. >> yeah, okay, okay. >> we had... you talk about partisan, having duels on the south lawn of the white house or the west wall of the congress or the capitol building, i mean, every time everybody says, "it couldn't get any worse than this," yeah, it can. i mean, things could get a lot worse, particularly when bad things happen overseas. we tend to divide ourselves when we're comfortable. we tend to pull together, i mean, 9/11 being the perfect lost opportunity. i mean, quite frankly, if i think george w. bush had go

pattern of russian aggression against europe and its near neighbours, as i said from the western balkanse have discussed before and i look forward to further discussions with my european collea g u es discussions with my european colleagues and i'm gratefulfor the solidarity and support they have shown united kingdom. theresa may on her way into the eu summit. well, a lot of that was about the poisoning in salisbury and let's just hear some of what the russian ambassador to london has had to say at that press briefing that i reference a little earlier. he was very critical of boris johnson's little earlier. he was very critical of borisjohnson‘s remarks when the foreign secretary compared russia's hosting of the world cup to add off at the's 1936 olympics. the russian ambassador said that comment was totally irresponsible. he also said that the british government has not provided any evidence that his country is responsible for the poisoning in salisbury. let's hear what part of what he had to say. ladies and gentlemen, number one rule in britain is to start any statement with a joke. u

was this you called us to afghanistan we came you called us to somalia we came you called us to the balkans we came so now i'm calling on them so come to syria turkey with its nine hundred eleven kilometers of border with syria is under threat right now so why aren't you coming. britain is holding a second meeting of its national emergency committee in response to the poisoning of a russian spy with a nerve agent ministers arrived a few hours ago for the meeting chaired by the home secretary and a rod in salzburg investigators focusing their attention on the victim's house and the cemetery where his wife and son are buried x. agent and his daughter remain in a critical condition so i'm going to go is live outside the cabinet office and what he says sonia some big issues for them to discuss. absolutely and it's not based determining exactly what. agents is exactly where it was produced but also indeed who was behind this attack which they should be able to deduce from finding out where it was indeed created but there is so so a lot of this lot at stake a diplomatic too even though the britis

veasey: i wanted to talk to you about russia and the balkans. i know there have been several things they wanted to make in the balkans that didn't quite work out the way they anticipated. there have been some credit issues and some other foreign trade things that didn't go the russians' way, but it's clear they want to have influence there. in your opinion, how far are they willing to go to make sure they can continue to have a certain amount of influence in that region even though some of the things they are working on economically, haven't borne any fruit? general scaparrotti: what i see are offers of military equipment and military assistance and sometimes the equipment is surely below the cost to them. but as you watch them work in europe in countries that they'll work with, they offer that equipment at a low cost to ensure they will take it and bring in troops and decide that the troops need to stay. as a matter of influence and some leverage, i would say over time. those are the things i see on the military side. beyond that, very common d

the balkan state is one of the world's largest producers of cannabis. both growing and selling are firmly in the hands of criminal organizations plaintiff issues seem powerless against them kept fighting the cannabis mafia albanians flourishing drug cartels. in forty five on t.w. . what does a football loving country need to reach its goals. we'll tell you how the german soccer made it back to the top. in our web special on dot com for. ball made in germany. a news alice. deal on some. of the so-called shake us up to this concept. but. people have put big dreams on the big screen. movie magazine on the w. hello and welcome to arts twenty one today will be focusing on books. new books are out again reading has not gone out of style and book fairs prove it the like to book fair in germany offers a stage for important themes interesting authors it's a mecca for book lovers a healthy drug which i can use to be myself into completely different worlds. and i wish i had room for all the books that i'd like to have. visions trends discussions such as.

was part of a passionate russian aggression against europe and its new neighbors from the western balkans to the middle east. and for more let's bring in our correspondent mattis who is covering that summit for us and joins us now from brussels welcome to you garrick thanks for being with us to reason may we just saw there looking for support from her colleagues at brussels today is she likely to get it. a shallow show of solitary t. here when leaders arrive for this summit a lot of expressions that they are fully on the side of the u.k. on that issue and if you look at the draft conclusions for this summit there is of course a condemnation of that attack in the u.k. no way endorsement of any finger pointing towards russia though so the e.u. here is a little more careful because they want to wait for the analysis of of international experts sourced but it is a stronger message than has been sent out by foreign ministers or at least that is expected in the conclusions at the end of what is going to be a long summit day absolutely because there are so many topics on the agenda because at th

dependent on russia and in fact a lot of eastern europe and in fact a lot of eastern europe and the balkans on russia. this means that vladimir putin has a strong case in his hand when it comes to negotiating with various european countries when it comes to... so the other countries say they thought of support our point of view, but when reality comes, well... i think what ruthis reality comes, well... i think what ruth is saying, i'm sure, you know, they have to be careful, germany has to be careful, france has to be careful, but if it happened the way it looks, this is an attack on sovereignty and our partners have to stand up and they have to do it for national integrity and let the chips fall where they may actually, vladimir putin doesn't expect that to happen because part of what he is dealing with is dealing with dissension which is a natural state of democracy and he is coming in and trying to disrupt that so it has to be done. we do and how it will end but it has to be done. he has a very strong hand of cards. absolutely. however, the sunday times talking about another side issue c

tensions a simmering in the balkans a day after cost of the expelled a senior serbian politician goes first prime minister has defended the move than the official have entered the country illegally and political party representing cost of serve minority responded by saying it would be droll from the government he used calling for calm and dialogue and has dispatched its top diplomats to the region. here in germany the lawyer for detained catalogs separatist leader khan's putumayo says he will never surrender in the fight for independence from spain comment on so quick yes i spoke to the press after visiting his clients at the jail in northern germany first of all has been held essence being arrested are you hearing that warrant while travelling through the country it could take weeks for german calls to move on by the vama kotla made should be extradited to spain to face charges of rebellion if convicted he could face twenty five years behind bars . so i stuck a closer look at the legal aspects of this case christiane tanishaa is a professor of law at the humboldt university in berlin

people from that which is fulfilling themselves and developing but we need to concentrate on the balkans we need to be strong and work hard but. when you otherwise will have no future our children will have no future our country will have no future i don't mean necessarily the somebody will invade us no will be lagging behind this is the biggest threat. unless we do something that the situation will only get worse this is like a chronic disease that that you would gradually undermines your body from within. sometimes you don't even feel it. we. focus on development so that no obstacle prevents us from making progress so you it's up to us to define our future. colleagues. which. is what our priorities are like i said. i think the welfare of our people is our top priority in. the year two thousand and. forty two million people living below the poverty line this is almost thirty percent of our population twenty nine percent to be exact twenty two world cup will reduce this number to ten percent because of the economic crisis poverty went up again when we have twenty million and of our peopl

desire among the populations in the balkans to come west. we have to show them we are just as interested in back as they are. rep. thornberry: mr. scott. cott: it is nice to see you again, mr. general. i want to follow-up on a bite of questions that my colleague was asking. country of land mass. they border, dpeending -- them,ing on how you count over 12 countries, including north korea and china on the eastern side. then you come back to the part of the world you are in charge of. the border a number of countries in the european theater. my question is, are they engaging in a line of activities against all of them? and which countries are they not engaging in these activities against? curtis m. scaparotti: i have seen some activity in most countries. they don't have a focus on certain ones. you can see that activity in their media, because they are anti-western kinds of undercutting democratic countries and governments they are in. this focuses more particularly in the east, countries that were once a part of soviet -- of the soviet union.

muslim minorities who remained in the balkans and greece began to suffer persecution and expulsion. large numbers of muslims were expelled or killed. in one nine hundred thirteen the ottomans also began the expulsion of up to two hundred thousand greek off the docks christians from the aegean region saying that they were a security threat. when the autumn is were defeated in world war one in one thousand nine hundred eighty the european allies maneuvered to divide up their old empire under a series of treaties and agreements as a result of the greek army occupied smyrna and the surrounding area in may nine hundred nineteen triggering a three year war. the killings and massacres continued on both sides. however in one thousand nine hundred twenty two the greeks were forced to withdraw by the turkish nationalist forces of most of a calm ataturk. at the conference of lasagna nine hundred twenty two and twenty three britain france italy and turkey meant to agree and new regional order the conference addressed the difficult relationship between greece and turkey and as part of the treaty

i wanted to specifically talk with you about russia and the balkans. i know there have been several investments that russians have wanted to make in the balkans. there was a pipeline project, i believe, about a year or so ago that didn't quite work out the way they anticipated. there have also been some credit and remittance issues, some other foreign trade things that didn't quite go the russians' way, but it's definitely is clear that they want to continue to have influence there. in in your opinion, how far are they willing to go to make sure that they can continue to have a certain amount of influence there in that region, even though some of the thing that they're working on economically just haven't beared any fruit. >> well, what i see is offers, for instance, of military equipment, military assistance and sometimes the military equipment is surely below the cost to them. but as you watch them work in europe and on the periphery, in countries that they work with, they'll offer that equipment at a very low cost in order to ensure that they will t