The Balkans were swept by powerful storms. According to authorities in Albania, two people lost their lives as a result of the bad weather.

In North Macedonia, dozens of people were injured, local authorities announced on Wednesday.

In Himara, on the southern coast of Albania, an electrician lost his life while trying to repair a power line damaged by the storm.

Albanian police also announced that the body of a 61-year-old fisherman was found in the southern region of Saranda. According to Albanian media reports, his boat had been capsized by the storm.

Also according to these reports, three people were taken to hospital in Saranda with injuries caused by fallen trees and being struck by broken glass shards.

In North Macedonia, the stormy winds reached speeds of up to 134 kilometers per hour. In the capital Skopje, according to authorities, more than 30 people were injured, 100 vehicles damaged, and 189 trees uprooted. The Presidency building, several ministries and the airport were also damaged.

In Bosnia, the southern region of Herzegovina was the hardest hit. The mayor of the municipality of Nevesinje, Milenko Avdalovic, told Bosnian RTRS television that the storm caused “great damage” to agricultural fields and orchards. In the affected villages, “our farmers will have practically nothing left to harvest,” he said.

Scientists estimate that extreme weather events, such as storms, are becoming increasingly powerful and frequent as a result of climate change caused by human activity./DW

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The Balkans are expected to face one of the most powerful episodes of extreme weather this summer, according to the European Storm Forecast Experiment.

The center has issued its highest-level alert (Level 3) for part of the region, warning that dangerous storms will develop from Tuesday into the early hours of Wednesday.

The areas considered most at risk are southern Croatia, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro. Albania, meanwhile, is included in the Level 1 risk zone, where similar weather phenomena are expected, but on a limited scale. Meteorologists warn that the situation could develop into a major outbreak of powerful storms spreading from Italy toward Southeastern Europe.

These storms are expected to bring very large hail, winds of destructive intensity and isolated tornadoes. Across the Western Balkans, including Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, southern Serbia and Albania, atmospheric conditions are considered favorable for the development of very severe storms.

There is a possibility that powerful storm systems forming over Italy could cross the Adriatic and strike the region. In addition to the Balkans, alerts have also been issued for parts of Italy, Romania and Bulgaria.

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After this deadline expires, according to European Commission officials, the assessment of compliance with obligations will begin, on the basis of which a decision will then be made on the payments due to each country. As has been announced, these payments will be disbursed only after it is confirmed that the reforms set out in the reform agendas have been fully implemented.

European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said: “What is really important to stress is that we encourage our partners in the Western Balkans to make the most of this instrument, because it allows them to benefit from funds and use them to their full potential. Therefore, we strongly urge them to do so and remain available to support each of them throughout this process”.

For Kosovo, June 30 coincided with the deadline for completing 13 reform steps, which have a total value of around 91 million euros.

Also on June 30, 2026, the so-called grace period for implementing reform steps that had initially been foreseen to be carried out in the middle of last year ended as well, at a time when the country was in an institutional crisis.

The Growth Plan Regulation provides that if reform steps are not carried out within the grace period and their deadline expires, the funds planned for them may be redirected to other beneficiaries.

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According to the document, concerns remain over efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries of the Western Balkans, severe corruption, challenges to post-war agreements, as well as the evasion of U.S. sanctions.

The document also underlines that the situation in the Western Balkans continues to hinder the functioning of effective democratic governance and the full Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries of the region.

For this reason, the U.S. administration has decided that the state of emergency, originally declared in 2001, will remain in force until June 26, 2027. This measure serves as the basis for imposing sanctions on individuals and entities that undermine peace, stability, and democratic order in the region.

Full letter:

“On January 8, 2025, the President signed Executive Order 14140, in light of developments in the Western Balkans, including the continued efforts of individuals to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Western Balkan countries, to undermine post-war agreements and institutions, to engage in serious corruption that harms the rule of law and confidence in democratic governance, and to evade sanctions of the Government of the United States, with the aim of taking additional steps within the framework of the national emergency related to the Western Balkans. The actions of persons threatening peace and international efforts to stabilize the Western Balkans, including acts of extremist violence and obstructive activities, as well as the situation in the Western Balkans that impedes progress toward effective and democratic governance and full integration into transatlantic institutions, continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the document states.

“For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219, under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13304, which was expanded by Executive Order 14033 and under which further measures were taken by Executive Order 14140, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2026. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for a period of one year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13219 with respect to the Western Balkans,” the document concludes.

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