Balkan News

Kosovo Albanian Hysen Sherifi has been charged in the US alongside six others in connection with an international terror plot, which included a potential attack on Kosovo. The 24 year old, who is a US resident, was indicted in Raleigh, North Carolina, for attempting to engage in ‘violent jihad’, the …

Bulgaria’s Parliament will forego its summer recess, Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva said on July 28 2009. She was speaking on the eve of the National Assembly finalising the names of committee chairpersons and members. Overtime was needed to bring in legislation from Prime Minister Boiko Borissov’s new government, Bulgarian National Television …

SOFIA Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is to meet U.S. ambassador Nancy McEldowney on Wednesday, the press center of the Council of Ministers announced. Ambassador McEldowney is to present PM Borisov with a congratulation letter from U.S. President Barrack Obama on the occasion of his election as prime minister of Bulgaria.

SOFIA After consultations with the parliamentary groups, the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) announced the distribution of the chairmen’s positions in the standing committees. 

SARAJEVO Acting High Representative Raffi Gregorian expressed his concern with a decision made last week by Bosnia’s Council of Ministers (CoM). The council decided not to extend the mandates of international judges and prosecutors. 

TIRANA, Albania The EU is postponing its evaluation of Albania’s application for candidate status due to the prolonged election process in the country, local media reported on Monday (July 27th). Voters went to the polls a month ago, but the final results are still pending, due to challenges raised by …

BRUSSELS, Belgium The Swedish presidency of the EU vowed on Monday (July 27th) to give new momentum to the integration of the Western Balkan countries this fall. Speaking to journalists in Brussels, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Swedish EU Affairs Minister Cecilia Malmstrom downplayed fears that accession of the …

BELGRADE, Serbia Rasim Ljajic, the head of Serbia’s national council for co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal, said on Monday (July 27th) that Serbia is co-operating closely with foreign intelligence services in the hunt for former Bosnian Serbs’ wartime commander Ratko Mladic, and that this co-operation will net results …

ZAGREB, Croatia Parliament’s foreign policy committee unanimously decided on Monday (July 27th) to propose that President Stipe Mesic remove Neven Jurica as head of the Croatian mission to the UN. Jurica requested he be relieved of his duties for health reasons. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration tightened …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) High Representative Valentin Inzko has discussed problems in the functioning of the town of Mostar, with the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), local media reported on Monday (July 27th). Inzko is considering all available options, his spokesperson Frane Maroevic said.