Balkans

Albania High Court Suspends Lustration law

Albania’s constitutional court suspended on Monday a controversial “clean hands” lustration law targeting former officials of the communist regime, which critics say could be used for political revenge attacks by the government. With seven votes in favor and two against, the judicial panel voted to defer the effects of the …

Read More »

A Lot Of Work Ahead For Kosovo – Pieter Feith

When Kosovo celebrates one year of independence on February 17, it should remember it has plenty of work ahead, said Peter Feith, International Civilian Office head and European Union Special Representative in Kosovo He expressed his “congratulations for all the citizens of Kosovo”, noting that Kosovo’s leaders must focus on …

Read More »

Dodik Wants Bosnia as “Union of States”

A proposal by the top Bosnian Serb leader for Bosnia and Herzegovina to be reconfigured as a “union of federal states” with further decentralization of its two entities has triggered a new round of verbal duels among the country’s Serb, Croat and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) politicians. Over the past three …

Read More »

Serbia Says To Talk With UNMIK on Feb 17

Belgrade is due to start negotiations with the United Nations mission in Kosovo on Tuesday on the implementation of the UN’s six-point plan on Kosovo, which has been rejected by Kosovo Albanians, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told a Serbian daily in an interview “Albanians are still saying that this …

Read More »

Serbia ‘Closer To Mladic Arrest’ – Official

Serbia has more reasons now to be optimistic regarding the arrest of both remaining war crimes fugitives than a few months ago, said Rasim Ljajic, the country’s point man for cooperation with the Hague war crimes court. “I’m much more optimistic regarding the arrest of Ratko Mladic now than until …

Read More »

‘Kosovo Could Have Done More’ – Agim Ceku

Kosovo could have better used its advantages to promote its image abroad and to ensure the rule of law, former Prime Minister Agim Ceku said ahead of the one-year anniversary of Kosovo’s secession from Serbia. “The first independence anniversary is a crucial moment. During these days we all have to …

Read More »

Kosovo Govt Slammed Over Delays, Mistakes

On the eve of the first anniversary of the declaration of independence, Kosovo’s government and parliament are racing to finalize work that has been delayed throughout the year. In less than two weeks, the government finally recruited a chief for the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, form a security council and attempted …

Read More »

Seven Running In Macedonia President Election

After the deadline for registering for Macedonia’s March 22 presidential election expired last night at midnight, the state election commission confirmed seven candidates had fulfilled the requirements and would be allowed to run. Two professors at the Skopje Law Faculty, Georgi Ivanov and Ljubomir Frckoski, the first nominated by the …

Read More »

Albanian Lustration Law Under Fire By EU

The European Union has asked the Albanian government to reconsider the legal and political ramifications of its recently adopted lustration law, a much-criticised and controverisal item of legislation both domestically and abroad. “The new Law on Lustration gives rise to concern with regards to certain aspects on both procedure and …

Read More »

Congress Urges Obama to Re-Engage in Bosnia

A new resolution at the United States Congress calls on President Barack Obama to urgently restore American efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, help it face challenges and avoid further a worsening of the situation, and “maybe a new conflict.” The new resolution focusing on the troubled country was proposed on …

Read More »