Balkans

Re-runs of the 3 July parliamentary elections were held in three Albanian constituencies Sunday (21 August). The Central Election Commission (CEC) ordered the partial repetition of the poll due to voting irregularities that prompted more than 300 challenges of last month’s election results. According to preliminary figures, between 30 per …

Albania has been granted $8m by the United States, in recognition of its role in international peacekeeping and the global war on terror, the US Embassy announced last month. The money is being provided through the US Coalition Solidarity Fund (CSF) and President George W. Bush’s Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative …

The anticipated contract between Italy’s Fiat and the Zastava automobile factory in Kragujevac has been the subject of ongoing discussion in the Serbian media. Many details remain unclear. In general, the deal calls for Zastava to begin producing an older model of the Fiat Punto, as well as providing spare …

Hundreds of policemen who were doing desk jobs are being obliged to go onto the streets to fight crime and cope with Romania’s severe traffic problems. Numerous commanding officers have seen their jobs vanish and are having to choose between retirement or accepting a lower-level position. These are the most …

A Bosnian Serb businessman, believed to be funding top war crimes fugitive Radovan Karadzic, was arrested in Montenegro on Wednesday (17 August) on charges of fraud and embezzlement. Montenegrin police spokesman Branko Bulatovic said that Momcilo Mandic, a former Republika Srpska (RS) justice minister, was apprehended at his apartment in …

Turkey is ready to sign a protocol extending its customs union to the 10 new EU member states, including Cyprus, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in London on Wednesday (27 July). Ankara is reportedly planning, however, to attach a declaration to the protocol stressing that it does not …

ATHENS, Greece — Following a government session Tuesday (5 July), Justice Minister Anastassis Papaligouras announced personnel changes in two top judicial offices. Romylos Kedikoglou was named head of the Greek Supreme Court, while Giorgos Panayiotopoulos was tapped for head of the Council of State. New vice-chairmen were also appointed in …

BUCHAREST, Romania — The Constitutional Court is expected to review three appeals Wednesday (6 July) of the government’s draft laws on property and judicial reforms, submitted separately by two opposition parties — the Social Democratic Party and the Greater Romania Party — as well as the country’s High Court. The …

BRUSSELS, Belgium — EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn repeated on Tuesday (5 July) that the European Commission’s draft framework for accession talks with Turkey is the most rigorous ever. During his presentation of the document to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Rehn stressed that lessons were drawn from the …

ZAGREB, Croatia — President Stipe Mesic called on Tuesday (5 July) for enhanced co-operation between his country and Serbia-Montenegro. Speaking on the eve of his two-day trip to the federal union, Mesic said strengthened ties would help boost the climate of co-operation throughout the region. As for the legacies of …