Balkan News

The Serbian Orthodox Church has overruled an earlier announcement by the of Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren, and has decided to endorse US Vice President Joseph Biden’s visit to Kosovo’s Visoki Decani monastery Thursday. Controversy began when the Raska and Prizren Diocese told media Wednesday that Artemije harshly criticised …

The original proposal by EU commissioner for enlargement, Olli Rehn, for the solving of the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia, is bad for Slovenia, but that is the consequence of the poorer actions by Pahor’s government in relation to the previous government, a Slovenian member of parliament, Milan Zver, …

The defence team for former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic said Wednesday it will present evidence next week that Karadzic was promised by a top U.S. official he would not be prosecuted for war crimes. Peter Robinson, Karadzic’s legal adviser, said his team would file a motion at the International …

BRUSSELS, Belgium The EU Council of Ministers is satisfied with the results of the EU’s judicial and rule of law mission in Kosovo, the EULEX, local media reported on Monday (May 18th). Meeting in Brussels, the council welcomed the mission’s efforts to support Pristina authorities.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia President Danilo Turk met with visiting Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov on Monday (May 18th) and assured him that Slovenia will continue to support Skopje’s bid to join the EU and NATO.

BRUSSELS, Belgium The EU reiterated on Monday (May 18th) that Albania must ensure free and fair parliamentary elections in June in line with international standards, to boost its chances to receive EU candidate status.

ZAGREB, Croatia The government’s anti-crisis measures are not sufficient to address the challenges of the global economic crisis, President Stipe Mesic told Zagreb-based business daily Poslovni Dnevnik on Monday (May 18th). He noted that most of the moves seem to be prolonged, delaying implementation until after the local elections. Mesic …

SOFIA A few days ago Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev explained that the Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plugchieva was not included in the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s election ticket, since it would represent too great a loss for the Council of Ministers, if she were to become a Member of the European …

US Vice President Joseph Biden, on his second part of his three-day trip to the Balkans, said he had come to Belgrade to convey a message that Washington wants to improve relations with Serbia. After meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Biden said that “the U.S. wants to improve cooperation …

Sharp but tender, blunt but caring, US Vice President Joseph Biden’s speech Bosnia’s Parliament – which was broadcasted live on television across the country – won Bosnians over, local media agreed on Wednesday. “His entire speech was filled with love for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sarajevo,” said Sead Numanovic, editor-in-chief …