Top Bosnian Serb political parties have snubbed an ultimatum issued by the country’s top western envoy, High Representative Valentin Inzko, inviting him instead to address the Bosnian Serb Assembly to explain his demands. The move is seen as a further unfortunate but expected escalation of relations between the Bosnian Serb …

European Commission Vice President Jacques Barrot will unveil a report today in Luxembourg on the on the status of Western Balkan countries’ readiness for EU visa liberalisation at a meeting of EU justice and interior ministers. An official from the current Czech EU presidency told media that though the report …

USAID, says that the process of distributing new identity documents to voters ahead of June 28 elections is problematic. About 760,000 of Albania’s three million citizens do not have passports, and will be allowed to cast ballots in the upcoming elections only upon obtaining a new identity card. 

Macedonia’s top political parties – the ruling centre-right VMRO DPMNE and the opposition Social-Democrats – have condemned Tuesday’s incident in Athens, Greece in which ultra-nationalists stormed the promotion of a Greek-Macedonian dictionary. The parties urged Athens and Brussels to condemn the incident and find the perpetrators. Macedonian government spokesman Sefket …

Veteran Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin failed on Wednesday to secure parliament’s election of a compliant ally as his successor who would have allowed him to continue running the country behind the scenes. Voronin’s plan to win parliamentary support for fellow Communist Zinaida Greceanii came unstuck when opposition parties torpedoed the …

“It is always smart to unite against a common enemy, and that is Croatia who has border disputes with everyone. With Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro” said the head of the Slovenian National Party, Zmago Jelincic, in an interview for the Frankfurt “Vesti”, the Serbian Diaspora paper. He added …

ZAGREB, Croatia Croatia could join the EU no earlier than 2012, European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Croatia, Hannes Swoboda, told the Vienna-based newspaper Die Presse on Tuesday (June 2nd). He added that this assumes the maritime border row with Slovenia is resolved soon. Slovenia has been blocking the opening and …

SKOPJE, Macedonia The government on Tuesday (June 2nd) rejected media reports suggesting Skopje may withdraw its recognition of Kosovo’s independence. “Recognition was a very delicate process, which went through all the necessary procedures, and in the end was endorsed with a resolution by parliament,” government Spokesperson Sherif Duraku said. Separately, …

NICOSIA, Cyprus President Demetris Christofias said on Tuesday (June 2nd) he has made no concessions in the ongoing reunification talks, and has no intention of doing so. “Any such move would harm Greek Cypriots’ interests and efforts to find a solution to the island’s political problem,” he stressed.

TIRANA, Albania Albania has started implementing a visa regime for foreign visitors, media reported on Tuesday (June 2nd). Under the new regulations, the visitors will have to follow procedures similar to those Albanians must follow when travelling abroad. In order to obtain a visa, foreigners will have to book a …