Balkan News

After women lawmakers in Bosnia’s Federation entity agreed to form a special women’s caucus, a Sarajevo mayor has caused controversy by calling it an exercise in ‘brain washing’.Members of the Women’s Network, an association of women’s groups and individuals in Bosnia, have condemned a Sarajevo mayor’s onslaught on their idea, …

A new report says that Romania detained six individuals on behalf of the CIA after the 9/11 attacks.Some 54 countries, including Romania and Poland, assisted in the CIA’s secret detention and rendition programme in the years after 9/11 terrorist attacks, a new human rights report says. The report, made public …

In a new bid to force an early general election, opposition Social Democrat MPs say they will resign from parliament ‘in days’.The opposition Social Democrats issued their resignation threat, saying the government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski had ignored their demands for early general elections. The MPs’ resignations will arrive …

Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule urged Albanian leaders on Monday to hold elections according to international standards, describing them as a crucial test of democracy.The successful conduct of parliamentary elections in 2013 will be a crucial test for the smooth functioning of the country’s democratic institutions,” Fule said following meetings in …

Greek prosecutors have ordered the two main ruling parties to testify in an investigation into more than 200 million euros in loans they received from banks, officials said on Friday. The investigation – which is examining whether the loans are legal and whether any wrongdoing was involved – could embarrass …

The move to “out” gay journalists in Macedonia is only the latest bizarre twist in the media – as a competition to outdo a recent spoof interview in Serbia appeared to spiral out of control. “We are calling on our readers to tell us the names of [suspected gay] journalists …

Around 1,000 ethnic Albanians demonstrated in the southern town of Bujanovac, demanding Belgrade remove the memorial which they see as provocative.Protesters at Friday’s rally carried Albanian flags and placards accusing Serbia of discrimination. They called on Belgrade to take down the monument to Serbian police killed during the Kosovo conflict …

Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have issued a call for a renewed EU commitment to the Western Balkan enlargement process.Hannes Swoboda, president of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, said enlargement momentum should be stimulated again so that the Western Balkans could join the European Union. …

Kosovo MPs have asked Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to give parliament more information about the ongoing EU-led dialogue with Serbia.The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo has demanded more clarity about the character of agreements being reached with Serbia in the EU-led dialogue in Brussels. “Any agreements between the two states …

In a light-hearted response to British fears of mass immigration from Romania next year, a newspaper has launched a campaign inviting British people to come to Romania instead.“Half of our women look like Kate. The other half like her sister.” Kate, of course, is Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William …