Balkan News

Former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari is optimistic Moscow will recognise Kosovo’s independence, now relations between the US and Russia are thawing. The man who devised the blueprint for Kosovo’s supervised independence told Voice of America that it may take “some time in order for this to happen”. “I hope that …

The Premier of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska has warned the United States of America to refrain from appointing a special envoy for the troubled country. “Dodik warns Americans: stay away from the adventure,” Bosnia’s news web portal Pincom reported, quoting Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik’s statement given to journalists in Banja …

Legislators from Kosovo’s assembly gathered for a special meeting on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the country’s first constitution as an independent state. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 of last year and agreed its first constitution on April 9. The constitution emphasises minority rights and …

Gambia recognized Kosovo last night, becoming the 57 state to do so. Located in Western Africa, the ex British colony’s population is 90 per cent Muslim. According to Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gambia’s recognition follows the latest meeting of Kosovo’s head of diplomacy, Skender Hyseni, with Gambia’s ambassador to …

The Programme for International Student Assessment, PISA testing started Tuesday in 170 schools in Serbia. In the next six weeks 6,500 students will be tested. PISA is a triennial worldwide test of 15-year-old school children’s scholastic performance, the implementation of which is coordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and …

The Serbian government has announced savings of €1 billion as part of its economic stability plan. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said on Tuesday that 85 per cent of budget savings will be generated by cutting costs and 15 per cent by increasing revenue. “Besides cheaper public administration, the new package …

The International Monetary Fund has slashed its economic growth forecast for Albania. The IMF has revised its prediction of 2 to 3 per cent growth for Albania’s economy to between 0 and 1 per cent for the 2009 fiscal year. The new projection was announced on Tuesday by Gerwin Bell, …

Sofia – Bulgarian banks put up loan rates and fees, pulled consumer lending products and ended promotions in February as the global financial meltdown raged on, data from personal finance website moitepari.bg shows. DSK Bank, Raiffeisenbank and Emporiki Bank dropped unsecured consumer loan offers from their portfolios. Additionally, Emporiki now …

Hard currency loans to Serbia, Estonia and Latvia are the most at risk of default in central and eastern Europe, according to the International Monetary Fund. The IMF says that Western banks risk losing US$160 billion of a total US$1.6 trillion placed in the central and eastern European region, daily …

CHISINAU – Moldova will introduce visa regime with Romania starting from Thursday, April 9, Andrei Stratan, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign and European Integration Minister, announced on Wednesday. According to the official, the decision was approved at a government meeting on Wednesday, so as to consolidate efforts of maintaining …