Balkans

The European Commission has once again recommended the opening of EU accession negotiations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The European Commission (EC) will officially present the annual reports “on progress of Serbia and other EU aspirants, Kosovo included. Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport will deliver the text of the report on Serbia’s progress to Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, and afterwards EU

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić has welcomed his Croatian counterpart Ivo Josipović in Belgrade on Wednesday where they are expected to discuss “outstanding issues.” The will also talk about EU integration and the problems of importance for the promotion of regional cooperation, according to announcements ahead of the visit.

The sequence of moves is clear – Croatia first filed a lawsuit against Serbia and should be the first to withdraw it, Serbian FM Ivan Mrkić has said. He explained that “this had been agreed on” in all his meetings with his Croatian colleague Vesna Pusić – “in other words, …

Bulgaria sees the delay in admitting the country and fellow EU member Romania into the Schengen Area as politically motivated, stated Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev. Plevneliev spoke after meeting the President of EU newcomer Croatia Ivo Josipovic, who is on an official visit to Sofia Monday.

Croatia stands strongly behind the EU perspective of all countries in the Western Balkans, including Serbia and Macedonia, stated Croatian President Ivo Josipovic. Josipovic spoke for the Bulgarian National Radio ahead of his Monday and Tuesday official visit to Sofia.

Representatives of Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus will visit Athens and Ankara in a couple of weeks, the first time in nearly 50 years. So that, psychological barriers will be crossed, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said. Citing that negotiators of theGreek and Turkish Cypriots had a preparatory meeting on Oct. 9, leaders of Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus will …

The EU will aid Bulgaria in its efforts to deal with the ongoing refugee influx, Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev said after meeting his colleagues in Luxembourg. Yovchev did not specify on the sum of money Bulgaria is going to receive.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, in his capacity as the holder of the EU’s rotating presidency, and Romanian Foreign Minister, Titus Corlatean, as holder of the Presidency of the South East European Cooperation Process, affirmed their support to Albania’s EU integration on Tuesday during a working visit to Albania.

The Presidents of Bulgaria and Germany discussed the political crisis in Europe, the Eastern Partnership and the development of Eastern European and Black Sea region countries. The two heads of state met Tuesday in Krakow, Poland, according to the press office of the Bulgarian President.