Balkans

Serbia wants the mutual withdrawal of the two genocide lawsuits filed by Zagreb and Belgrade at the International Court of Justice, but it will not act unilaterally, Marko Djuric, an adviser to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier starts a two-day visit in Athens on Thursday. Steinmeier is expected to meet his Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos, after

EU leaders Wednesday night in a ceremony in Athens officially inaugurated the six-month Greek Presidency of the EU, stressing the support of Brussels for Greece to overcome its economic and political crisis.

Greece officially assumed the EU’s six-month rotational presidency on Wednesday at a ceremony in Athens. The Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras stressed that

Greek Ambassador to Belgrade Constantine Economides said on Wednesday that the EU-Serbia intergovernmental conference scheduled for Jan. 21 will be a historic moment both for Serbia and the Western Balkans.

The first half of 2014 is extremely important both for Europe, and for Greece, Evangelos Venizelos, Greek Deputy PM and Minister of Interior, said. “The first half of 2014 is vital for Europe, as the European Parliamentary elections will be held in May, but is also

Macedonia and Serbia are about to sign an agreement on using common diplomatic missions abroad. Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who has said that the move was a Serbian initiative, while the decision “a result of common thinking”.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Angel Naydenov revealed Monday that the country’s plans to build a fence on part of its border with Turkey have been hit by a serious delay.

On January 1, Greece assumed the rotational presidency of the EU, taking over from Lithuania. Greece’s foreign minister believes the country’s EU presidency is an opportunity to present itself as a full-fledged member of the block, despite the crisis it is faced with.

A former top Croatian spy sought by Germany was arrested on Wednesday in Croatia whose case sparked a row between the European Union and its newest member. Josip Perkovic, a former Yugoslav secret service agent and Croatia’s ex-head of intelligence, was arrested as the country