Balkan Unscripted #17 - While the World Is on Fire, the Balkans Are Bracing for Russian Saboteurs and Peter Gillis
This year has all the hallmarks of becoming a chaotic one — from the Epstein files, to Trump’s Greenland plans and Molotov coktails in Tirana. While the world’s eyes are fixed on Trump’s latest, a real “canary in the coal mine” is screaming in the Balkans.
It was a municipal court in Moldova that brought the news.
Last week, as Balkan Insight reported, a court in Chinsinau convicted three Moldovan citizens to multiple years in prison for participating in a Russian-led paramilitary training camp in Republika Srpska and Serbia. These camps were designed to incite “mass unrest” and destabilize Moldova during elections and the 2024 EU referendum.
So, what happend back in 2024 in Glamocani, a Bosnian village north of Banja Luka As reported by Irvin Pekmez & Enes Hodzic for Balkan Insight: “In September 2024, Chisinau’s intelligence service, the SIS, received information that Moldovan citizens were being trained in camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia by Russian instructors. The alleged goal was to create chaos during that year’s presidential elections and the simultaneous referendum on Moldova’s commitment to joining the EU, which Russia opposes.” “A month later, Moldovan police arrested several hundred people in raids.”
The defendants “pleaded not guilty to charges of plotting unrest, but admitted to attending the camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” “The participants were brought to the camp from Serbia, but were not told the full details before arrival. Testimonies described training in drone control. In addition to standard equipment, the drones were equipped with mechanisms for dropping smoke devices or shock bombs.”
Oh, and there is more. Apparently Russian mercenaries previously linked to the Wagner group were involved. Then there was another alleged training camp in Western Serbia, found by the Serbian police in September 2025. Balkan Insight again: “Serbian authorities said more than 150 Moldovan and Romanian citizens were trained at a holiday camp in western Serbia.” “Around the same time, Moldovan authorities launched a major series of raids targeting the network allegedly responsible for training people in Serbia, under the supervision of Russian agents, to sabotage the parliamentary elections.”
While Dodik and the Kremlin issue blanket denials, the state Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo is still digging. The question we have to ask is – how is this not bigger news?
Ingrid and Marjolein
Ps. The Netherlands is also seeking to expand its influence in the Balkans. But while the Kremlin is busy setting up tactical training opportunities, our own infamous Peter Gillis is exporting a different kind of chaos. Fresh off being squeezed out of the Dutch market by permit denials and mounting legal battles, the reality TV-star has set his sights on the Adriatic. Gillis is planning an expansion of nine holiday parks across Croatia.
What else is new?
Silos. A beautiful project from the Bosnian BIRN partner Detektor about ‘Silos’, the name of a place near Sarajevo where Serb and Croat civilians, who were accused of collaborating with the enemy, were kept during the war. They were tortured, humiliated and some people died from hunger. This beautifully done multimedia story sheds a light on this horrible history that is being commemorated each year on January 27.
Croatia Parcs. There are moments when we are not proud to see the Netherlands in Balkan news, and this is one of them. Dutch reality star and entrepreneur Peter Gillis has plans to open several large holiday parks in Croatia, but citizens are not amused. Gillis’s motto is “massa is kassa” – basically, centering his business around mass tourism and big dollars. The Croatian press is highlighting the issues with his business model —for example, that Gillis doesn’t have the right permits — while also digging into his criminal past.
“Massa is Kassa” star in Croatia. Peter Gillis was sentenced to one year in prison, for leading a systematic tax fraud scheme that involved hiding at least €500,000 in “black” rental income. Beyond financial crimes, he has also faced legal proceedings regarding the alleged physical abuse of his ex-partner and has seen several of his holiday parks closed by local authorities due to permit violations and organized crime concerns
Research by local Dutch broadcaster Omroep Brabant has further revealed more about Gillis’s ‘Croatia Parcs’ plans. While his website advertises exclusive private beaches and a luxury marina, Croatian law strictly prohibits private beaches, mandating that the entire coastline remains public property. Furthermore, the broadcaster found that Gillis does not own the land for eight of his nine proposed resorts — the plots are owned by the state or private individuals who have not sold — and some of the locations are situated in protected Natura 2000 nature reserves where construction is banned.
Math whizz cryptocurrency thief. The type of story that you normally only see on Netlix, only this one is real. Andean Medjedovic, a 21-year-old Canadian “math whizz” accused of stealing $65 million in cryptocurrency, has reportedly surfaced in Bosnia after slipping through a legal dragnet in Serbia. Despite a Dutch extradition request following his 2024 arrest in Belgrade, Serbian courts released him, citing insufficient evidence and light domestic sentencing. Medjedovic, who allegedly used fake passports to evade capture, remains at large as international authorities continue their search.
Foreign workers, legal mazes. The last time Marjolein visited Sarajevo, she noticed the fast growing number of foreign workers, particularly working in the service and construction sectors. Despite significant bureaucratic obstacles and restrictive government quotas, businesses increasingly depend on international labor. With public tolerance high, a Balkan Diskurs article argues that streamlining work permit processes is essential for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economic stability as it progresses toward EU integration.
Molotov cocktails and a Montenegrian court chief convicted for abuse of position – Whilst opposition supporters kicked off this year’s first bout of political turmoil in Albania by throwing Molotov cocktails and fireworks in protest of corruption charges of PM Belinda Balluku, Montenegro Ex-Supreme Court Chief was convicted of abusing her position to protect a criminal network allegedly led by her son in a first instance ruling.
Euro’s, missing people and lines of traffic jams for the EU borders. Besides the usual political madness, there was also positive news. Bulgaria finally implemented the euro. Kosovo and Serbia signed an agreement on a long awaited commission for missing persons from the 1990’s Kosovo war. Less positive? A long line of freight traffic came to a standstill at tens of border crossings in Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro in protest against the EU’s strict enforcement of Schengen stay limits.
Tips of the month
All Aboard the Balkan Express! 🚂 If you loved The Balkan Man podcast, it’s time to hop on a new ride. The show is evolving into the Balkan Express, and they have a new conductor! Join our new host, Marjolein, as she takes us deep into the Balkans. Expect a fresh perspective on the stories, culture, and people that make the region so vibrant.
Meme of the month
Not really a meme, but this video is so wholesome and feels peak Balkan to us, that we want to share it with you.
Hi, from us
We’re Ingrid & Marjolein, two journalists writing about the Balkan and beyond. One Saturday night — after a few glasses of rakija, yes — this newsletter was born. In each edition, we share stories that catch our eye, the ones that are worth reading, along with our observations from reporting in the region. So grab a coffee (or a rakija) and join us.
