Balkan News

ZAGREB, Croatia A day of national mourning in memory of the victims of Friday’s train accident near the town of Split is being observed Monday (July 27th). The derailment killed six people and injured at least 50. All sport and cultural events scheduled for Monday are cancelled. The trade union …

Macedonia will follow directions given by the European Commission, EC, in deciding whether to establish a visa regime for citizens of Kosovo and Albania. According to Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry, this issue has yet to be discussed. Until now, citizens of Albania and Kosovo have travelled freely into Macedonia. “It is …

The outgoing head of the European Commission, EC, mission to Serbia, Josep Lloveras, considers that Serbia is on the right path to EU integration but needs to maintain momentum. “Unfortunately, Serbia has lost a lot of time and cannot allow itself further failures. Thus, the best way to alleviate the …

Bulgaria’s new government was voted in overwhelmingly by the country’s parliament on Monday, with new Prime Minister Boiko Borissov taking the oath of office.  Bulgaria’s parliament voted new Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and his cabinet into office on Monday. The vote confirming Borissov as head of the incoming government was …

Leaders of the main Macedonian parties have agreed on several key issues regarding the adoption of reforms needed for the start of EU accession talks. Meeting late on Friday, the party leaders attuned their positions concerning a law mandating parliamentary reforms and on changes to the law on financing political …

Many Bosnia and Herzegovina politicians have failed to read EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn’s message to them on visa-liberalisation. “Deputies in the House of Representatives of the state parliament have yesterday proven once again their flippancy and irresponsibility towards their voters, as well as towards the messages that come from …

Kosovo opposition parties’ efforts to have the OSCE monitor the November 15 local elections have been in vain.Central Elections Committee, CEC, Spokesperson Fehmi Ajvazi confirms that the CEC will be the only body organising the upcoming polls, with the OSCE playing no role.

BELGRADE, Serbia Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic in Novi Pazar on Friday (July 24th) and said Ankara will invest in construction of a highway through Sandzak. The Turkish diplomat called the Sandzak region “a green light” for further co-operation between the two countries. Jeremic …

THE HAGUE, Netherlands Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj became the first defendant sentenced for contempt of court by The Hague war crimes tribunal. On Friday (July 24th), the tribunal sentenced him to 15 months in prison for revealing the identity of three protected witnesses in one of his books.

ZAGREB, Croatia Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development Minister Bozidar Kalmeta has submitted his resignation after Friday’s train accident which killed six and injured at least 50 of the 91 people aboard. The ministry’s spokesperson, Marina Haluzan, announced on Saturday (July 25th) that Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has not accepted the …