Balkans

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolić agreed on Wednesday that the two countries “need to intensify their relations.” This is especially in terms of economy, the two presidents said, and announced joint sessions of the two governments.

A member of the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, has been killed near the town of Zvečan in northern Kosovo. The media in Priština have also reported about the incident. According to them, the victim is a Lithuanian member of the EULEX police. 

The President of the European Commission (EC) Jose Manuel Barroso has reaffirmed his strong position in favour of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area. Barroso said that both Bulgaria and Romania have met the criteria for Schengen area membership and should be given a chance to enter the zone as soon as possible.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić is on Wednesday traveling to Bulgaria for an official two-day visit to the neighboring country. Nikolić will meet with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Bulgarian top officials, states a release issued by the president’s press service. During the official visit, a Serbian-Bulgarian Forum entitled “Sofia 2013” …

The European Commission “supports Serbia’s efforts towards EU integration and has no new requirements,” says Branko Ružić. The minister without portfolio in in the Serbian government in charge of EU integration spoke on Tuesday after he and head of Serbia’s team for EU

Head of the team for negotiations with the EU Tanja Miščević and Branko Ružić, the minister in charge of EU integration, are in Brussels on Tuesday. They are holding a meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić has said he is “certain” that Serbia will be “the next state to join the European Union.” Mrkić’s confidence is based on the belief that this is also a wish of those states which are already part of the European family of peoples, but admits …

Ivica Dačić says his government was using dialogue “to solve all problems in Kosovo,” and that it was committed to the implementation of the Brussels agreement. “The goal is to reach solutions that will ensure the survival of the Serbs who live in Kosovo and their economic security,” the prime …

It is very important for Bulgaria and Europe to have a common position on Syria,” said Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, speaking at the opening of the XI International Conference Security in Southeast Europe – In Search Of Smart Solutions held in the Bulgarian capital city Sofia.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic is going to visit Bulgaria next week at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev, announced Plevneliev’s foreign policy adviser Tihomir Stoychev.