Course directors
:
Miha Šepec , University of Maribor, Slovenia
Ivan Ilić , University of Niš, Serbia
Angelina Stanojoska , St. Kliement Ohridski University, Republic of North Macedonia
Lucija Sokanović , University of Split, Croatia
Enis Omerović , University of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Aleksandar Maršavelski , University of Zagreb, Croatia
Course
description:
The Course curriculum moves beyond abstract theory to address high-stakes, real-world issues relevant for the Mediterranean region and beyond. The course explores the legal aspects of armed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and related activities on the EU and the Mediterranean region. It includes topics such as migration and "crimes of solidarity", which analyse the criminalization of humanitarian aid and the legal frameworks surrounding irregular migration routes from North Africa and the Middle East through the Mediterranean and Balkan corridors. The course also addresses the problem of human trafficking and smuggling, a deep dive into the regional cooperation required to dismantle trans-Mediterranean trafficking networks while ensuring the rights and protection of victims under international law. Furthermore, the Course examines how the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) jurisprudence serves as a standardizing force for criminal procedural rights (right to a fair trial, prohibition of torture) across both EU and non-EU Mediterranean states. It also addresses the jurisprudence of other relevant courts, including the European Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
By balancing the security needs of a geostrategically sensitive region the Course addresses a number of other issues such as the protection of privacy and due process in an era of digital surveillance and cross-border data exchange. It also draws on the Balkan experience to discuss reconciliation, war crimes prosecution, and the right to truth—lessons increasingly relevant to post-conflict societies throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.
