Photo : AP Photo
29 March 2025, Saturday | NIAS Europe Daily Brief #1100
By Fleur Elizabeth Philip
GREENLAND
Vance accuses the Danish government of underspending in security
On 28 March, US Vice President JD Vance was at the US military base in Greenland, accusing Denmark of underinvesting in Greenland security and demanding Copenhagen change its approach as President Donald Trump talks of buying Greenland from the Danish. He said: “You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That must change.” He also added that the US has no other option but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland, as the US has encouraged Greenland to push for independence from Denmark. (Gavin Blackburn, “Vance says US could protect Greenland better, accuses Denmark of doing a bad job,” Euro News, 28 March 2025)
SERBIA
Court trial begins for four Croatian pilots after rockets fired at Serbian refugees
On 29 March, a court hearing began in the War Crimes Department of the High Court of Belgrade on the four Croatian Air Force pilots who were accused of firing rockets at the Serbian refugee column near Bosanski Petrovac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The four pilots will be tried without their presence, given that they have been unavailable to the Serbian judicial authorities. The Serbians accuse Zdenko Radulj, Željko Jelenić, Vladimir Mikac, and Danijel Borović. 13 people were killed in the shelling of the columns, six were children under the age of 13. (Malek Fouda, “Belgrade opens war crimes trial of Croatian Air Force Pilots,” Euro News, 29 March 2025)
THE UK
Collision with a US tanker at the Aberdeen triggers investigation
On 28 March, a marine accident occurred between a container ship and a US tanker in the North Sea, on the coast of Scotland’s Aberdeen. This was followed by a tug-assisted journey by a Portuguese-flagged Solong docked at Aberdeen for damage assessment. The Solong’s Russian captain, Vladimir M is charged with gross negligence manslaughter. 36 crew members of both ships were rescued, but one captain, Mark Angelo, is missing but presumed dead. Vladimir M is due to appear at the Central Criminal Court in London on 14 April 2025. Investigations are ongoing to check whether this accident is in connection to national security. (“North Sea collision: Damaged cargo ship towed to Scotland,” Deutsche Welle, 28 March 2025)
TÜRKIYE
Day 10 of protests: Journalists imprisoned amid the ongoing protests in Istanbul
On 28 March, two journalists were detained in Istanbul for covering Turkey’s largest protests in more than a decade. Elif Bayburt from the Etkin news agency and Nisa Sude Demirel from the Evrensel news website were arrested in the early morning raids that have seen political activists and trade unionists apprehended by police. The Turkish Journalists Union called for the journalist to do their jobs and demanded an end to their unlawful detentions. Initially, 11 journalists were imprisoned, they were released on Thursday and still face charges of taking part in illegal rallies and marches. Turkey’s broadcasting authority issued a 10-day airwave suspension on all the news channels. A BBC reporter was deported from Turkey as well. (Gavin Blackburn, “Two Turkish journalists detained as protests over İmamoğlu's arrest continue,” Euro News, 28 March 2025)