BELGRADE, Serbia EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana visited Belgrade on Monday (July 13th) and insisted there will be no new conditions on Serbia’s path towards the EU. Sceptics have long believed that at some point, Serbia will be forced to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence to become an EU member.

ZAGREB, Croatia Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said Skopje will reply to UN mediator Matthew Nimetz’s latest proposals on the name dispute with Greece by the end of August. After a meeting in Croatia with his counterpart Stipe Mesic on Monday (July 13th), Ivanov welcomed Athens’ willingness to resolve the row …

PRISTINA, Kosovo Serbia’s special war crimes prosecutor for the first time published a list of former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) accused of committing war crimes, local media report on Tuesday (July 14th). The spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, Bruno Vekaric, says Serbia has issued 160 warrants against …

ANKARA, Turkey President Abdullah Gul said on Monday (July 13th) that Turkey wants to see Cypriot reunification talks concluded soon and a referendum held by the end of the year, media reported. “Our ultimate goal is to reach a lasting settlement on the island and to create a separate area …

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands The UN war crimes tribunal will deliver its verdict against Bosnian Serbs Milan and Sredoje Lukic on July 20th, the court announced on Monday (July 13th). The Lukic cousins are charged with war crimes committed against Muslims during the 1992-1995 Bosnian conflict. Prosecutors want life sentences …

PRISTINA, Kosovo The Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed on Monday (July 13th) the participation of 40 political entities in the November 15th local elections. CEC officials also briefed President Fatmir Sejdiu on their concerns regarding Serb political parties, particularly in Serb-dominated enclaves. Municipalities in the north have not presented their …

TIRANA, Albania The main opposition Socialist Party (SP) has secured a ninth mandate in the region of Fieri, according to new preliminary results announced by the Central Election Commission on Monday (July 13th). Previous results suggested the SP won eight parliamentary mandates there. Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who leads the …

PRISTINA, Kosovo The Kosovo foreign ministry announced on Saturday (July 11th) that the Dominican Republic is the 62nd country to recognise Kosovo as an independent state. Dominican Republic congratulated the Kosovo authorities “on establishing institutions that have enabled the people to have a sovereign and internationally recognised state” the ministry …

ZAGREB, Croatia EU and US participants in the two-day regional summit on energy, investments and economic development in Dubrovnik said in a joint statement on Friday (July 10th) the Western Balkan countries should join the EU and NATO. They stressed Western Balkan countries’ progress must be acknowledged to keep citizens’ …

SOFIA, Bulgaria EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva announced on Friday (July 10th) that she will complete her term at the European Commission (EC) and give up her European Parliament (EP) seat. Kuneva was elected in the June 7th European elections in Bulgaria but to take the EP seat, she …