Balkan News

The new Ambassador of Finland to Bulgaria, Tarja Laitiainen, presented last week her credentials to the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov. The ceremony was followed by a discussion with President Parvanov in the resplendent Presidential Palace. After the discussion, the Finnish National Anthem was played in an outstanding way in …

Bulgaria is to press forward with constructing the Belene nuclear power station should finding issues be resolved. Belene was begun in 1987, but a lack of finance halted the project by 1991.

The ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, might leave the government if the prime minister fails to clearly condemn a controversial Macedonian encyclopaedia. Referring to his party’s leader, DUI Vice President Rafiz Aliti told reporters Monday: “If [Ali] Ahmeti decides, we are ready to leave our posts at once.”

European Commission, EC, Vice-President Jacques Barrot says the EC will suggest that the EU Council include Serbia in the bloc’s visa-free regime should a technical mission’s report prove positive. “Serbian Interior Ministry Ivica Dacic handed me a report on Serbia’s progress on the visa liberalisation roadmap this morning, which Serbia …

Albania’s Education Ministry said Tuesday that a history textbook for twelfth graders, which was excoriated by the press and opposition, will be rewritten. “Every mistake in the textbooks will be corrected within the year,” Education Minister Myqerem Tafaj said in a statement.

EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon says he believes cooperation with Belgrade, “even if minimal”, is necessary. This, the head of the EU mission in Kosovo told AFP, concerns solving “cross-border issues”. Kermabon also stated that people, drug, oil and cigarette trafficking activities have intensified, “especially in northern Kosovo, which is …

The War Crimes Chamber of Belgrade’s District Court today announced its verdict in the case against Ilija Jurišić. Jurišić was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in jail. The two and a half years he has spent in custody will be included in the time he will now serve. …

Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz says Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić will be tried by the international tribunal, regardless of when they are arrested. “The arrested of these fugitives remains the main priority. If that does not happen, the UN Security Council announced that it will set up a mechanism …

EU Board for Slovenian parliament accepted accession conference with Croatia in order to open six and close five negotiation chapters. This was confirmed by a MP from the leading party of social democrats, after the closed board session in Ljubljana, adding that with the opening and the closure of the …

The Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov will confer high state orders and honorary sign of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Presidency press office informed. Parvanov will confer the Order of the Balkan Range, First Class on Professor Alexander Dzherov for his big contribution to the development of political and …