Balkan News

SERBIA Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Koštunica expects early elections, after which the current opposition would take power. “Great pressure from aggrieved, impoverished and disenchanted citizens will force the authorities to call early parliamentary elections, and the opposition to unite and create a new, nationally responsible government,” Koštunica …

BiH EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that the institution Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina should be renamed into an Office of Representative of the European Union. Rehn stated that at the yesterday’s session, the EU foreign ministers discussed the developments in BiH. He pointed out …

GREECE, MACEDONIA Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis is expected to meet UN mediator Matthew Nimetz later this month. The meeting with Nimitz has been scheduled for September 27 in New York. Bakoyannis and Nimitz will discuss the course of negotiations for resolution of the name row between Greece and Macedonia.

BiH Muslim and Croatian victims of Bosnia’s war voiced outrage on Tuesday at the UN war crimes court’s decision to grant early release to a Bosnian Serb ex-president Blijana Plavsic. “It might be in line with international law, but it has nothing to do with justice,” said Murat Tahirovic, head …

BULGARIA The Belene nuclear power project should be given a chance but without the state committing any taxpayers’ money, said Bulgarian energy minister Traycho Traykov. Speaking to Nova Television on Tuesday, he explained that the power station could be built without any commitments on the part of the Bulgarian government. …

SERBIA Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic says that Serbia has fulfilled all the conditions required for EU visa liberalisation, Fonet news agency reported on Tuesday. “I am sure that Serbia has met all the conditions and that a positive decision will be taken by the European Commission, EC, at the …

BiH Three senior international envoys have strongly condemned Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for accusing Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) of staging civilian massacres. “Any attempt to change the established historical record of war crimes is unacceptable and inexcusable,” High Representative Valentin Inzko, the head of the Council of Europe in Bosnia …

SERBIA Serbia is a democratic country, but democracy is not sufficiently developed, reads a message from parliament to mark the International Day of Democracy. The message states that Serbia celebrates the International Day of Democracy as a free, democratic and secular state. The Serbian parliament’s website states that democracy in …

KOSOVO The deadline for expires today for countries wishing to take part in the case on Kosovo’s independence at the International Court of Justice. The public debate, which begins on December 1, will be open to all UN member-states, regardless of whether or not they have previously submitted written testimony. …

CROATIA Dragan Vasiljković says that he does not hate Croats, and that Croatia is not a fascist state, though there are fascist elements in its government. “20 years ago I adopted two Croat girls. Today they are happily married, but they still call me ‘dad’. In Belgrade I would take …