Balkan News

Kosovo’s parliament approved the national budget for 2010 amid heightened tension and bickering. Opposition parties strongly objected the budget, saying the partisanship affects government spending decisions. They left the session in a protest of overdue presentation of budget-related papers.

A row has erupted between Bosnian Serb politicians and the top international official in Bosnia-Hercegovina over the role of foreign judges and prosecutors. The international High Representative, Valentin Inzko, says the Bosnian Serb republic, Republika Srpska (RS), has violated the 1995 Dayton peace accords.

Albania’s opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama said on Tuesday the party will stage massive protest rallies after New Year’s holidays, demanding snap polls. Rama said the Prime Minister Sali Berisha’s government will face massive protests, adding that a large number of citizens will join the protest.

“France wants Serbia in the EU and that is the essence of our policy and our strategic course,” says French Ambassador Jean Francois Terral. The French diplomat said that during the meeting of the French and Serbian presidents on May 27 in Paris, Nicolas Sarkozy stressed that “we wanted Serbia …

Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac said that Serbia will be working within the framework of NATO, “even if it does not become a member-state”. He mentioned Austria as an example of this, and added that he hopes a debate will begin on this topic in 2010. “We will have to …

Serbian President Boris Tadić says he will be visiting Kosovo soon in order to show that Serbia is not giving up on the fight for the province and its citizens there. He said that the government will insist that its citizens in Kosovo prosper economically and have all the rights …

Macedonian President Gjorgje Ivanov met with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti on Wednesday. “The successful implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement is an example, which has to be followed by societies similar to Macedonia. The Euro-Atlantic idea is a project without an alternative as a recipe for permanent stability and prosperity”, …

Southeastern Europe’s proposed natural gas pipeline moved a step closer to reality after the Romanian president signed a decree allowing parliament to ratify construction. The intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco project was signed by the prime ministers of Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria in Ankara in July.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is ready to help Greece if it needed. Director of the IMF’s European Department Marek Belka stated IMF is ready to render aid to Greece in case of request by the EU or Greece itself, but marked that the country could solve its issues alone.

Big margin of victory in first round over nearest rival, Milan Bandic, puts Social Democrat nominee in pole position to claim the prize on January 10. Ivo Josipovic, 52, won the first round of Croatian presidential elections last weekend by a wife margin and, along with his nearest rival, Milan …