Balkans

Albanian president refuses to fire chief prosecutor TIRANA, Albania — President Alfred Moisiu announced on Friday (October 13th) that he would not fire chief prosecutor Theodhori Sollaku, despite government allegations that he maintained links to organised crime. “In the report presented, I have not seen any abuse of laws or …

The Hungarian-US consortium Biotech Energy will build a bio-ethanol plant in Zrenjanin, Serbia. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2009, the project represents the largest-ever green field investment in Southeast Europe.

Sanader: Croatia deserves to join EU within two to three years 05/10/2006 ZAGREB, Croatia — Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said on Wednesday (October 4th) that his country deserves to join the EU in the next two to three years, adding it would be unacceptable for accession to occur after 2010. …

In mid-May, then Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and G17 Plus party leader Miroljub Labus resigned, citing the government’s failure to meet Brussels’ conditions for continuing pre-accession talks with Serbia — notably the arrest of Ratko Mladic. But Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic managed to persuade the party’s majority to stay in …

As expected, the latest report released by the European Commission (EC) met with varied reactions among Romanian politicians, journalists and ordinary citizens. A cautious tone was evident as the country discussed the historic moment and its long-term significance.

Montenegro‘s Djukanovic to step down 04/10/2006 PODGORICA, Montenegro — Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, who led his country through the conflicts of the 1990s to eventual independence, has decided to step down. The move comes on the heels of an impressive election victory by the Djukanovic-led Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) …

BiH holds general elections 01/10/2006 SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) — People across BiH headed for the polls on Sunday (1 October) for the country’s fifth general election since splitting from the former Yugoslavia. Polls showed that three parties — the opposition Social Democrats, the centrist Party for Bosnia and …

Kosovo’s negotiating team has agreed to participate in another session of direct talks with Belgrade on cultural heritage in Kosovo, to be held on 11 July in Vienna. Yet the Kosovo side says it will not accept new demands regarding protection zones around Serb Orthodox cultural and religious sites. “We …

There have been lots of new beginnings for tiny Albania. In 1992, the Democratic Party of Sali Berisha swept to power in a wave of anticommunism. Optimism for fast change and willing sacrifice came with Berisha’s victory. Despite some achievements, Berisha’s government collapsed in 1997 amid the failure of catastrophic …

Kosovo is making progress and is ready to move ahead, Soren Jessen-Petersen told the UN Security Council on Tuesday (20 June). Calling for an early and successful conclusion of the talks on the province’s final status, the outgoing UNMIK chief warned that delaying a decision could threaten stability and progress.