Balkan News

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu suggests that Kosovo could apply for UN membership in 2011. After talks with French State Secretary of European Affairs Pierre Lellouche in Pristina on Friday (July 23rd), Sejdiu said he expects more countries will recognise Kosovo now that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) upheld its …

Croatia should complete its EU accession talks in the first half of 2011, several months later than expected, Croatian State Secretary for European Integration Andrej Plenkovic said in an interview Thursday (July 22nd) with

Parliament decided on last Friday to establish an inquiry committee to investigate an incident in parliament on July 1st that has strained relations between the opposition and the ruling majority. The panel will have 60 days

The ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague is hard for Serbia and this should be said openly to the nation,” said Serbian President Boris Tadic in his address to the citizens.

Romania will not recognize Kosovo’s independence despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Romanian Ministry of Interior announces. “The ministry confirms Romania’s position of the last years. Romania does not recognize

Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik says the ICJ advisory opinion concerning Kosovo Albanian UDI was “contrary to international law”. The head of the government of the Bosnian Serb entity also said the tribunal’s decision would have ramifications around the globe in the regions marked by animosities between …

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stated in Paris on Thursday that Belgrade and Priština should open a political dialog. It should concerning the resolution of specific problems, which is of interest both to them and to the Serb community in Kosovo, said he.

Serbia was told by the EU that there is no separation between Serbia’s position on Kosovo and Serbia’s EU membership. In clear terms, sources say, top officials of Belgium told Serbia’s President Tadic that Kosovo and Serbia’s EU membership are not separate issues.

The foreign ministers of Croatia and Slovenia – Gordan Jandrokovic and Samuel Zbogar – will meet in Slovenia next week. Though both ministries have confirmed the encounter, there has been no official announcement on the date and the venue. Slovenian media say the meeting

Slovakia’s former FM Miroslav Lajčak says Thursday’s ICJ Kosovo ruling cannot solve the “political problem of Kosovo”. Lajčak, who also served as his country’s ambassador in the Balkans, and as high internatonal representative in Bosnia, said he “cannot imagine peace in the Balkans without an agreement between Belgrade and Priština.