Balkans

EU dashes Bulgaria, Romania hopes to join passport-free zone

Romania and Bulgaria’s hopes of joining Europe’s huge passport-free zone were again dashed on Wednesday as EU officials said there was no consensus on letting in the poor eastern states. “There will be no vote, and no decision” at talks on their bid to join due to be held Thursday …

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Greece, Turkey seek accord on Cyprus

Turkey and Greece are determined to resolve and “bury” longstanding disputes over the island of Cyprus, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says. Greece has “a strong will for a solution” and wants to talk about ways to achieve important results for the stability, peace and security of the region,” …

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Serbian Progressives to Propose Reshuffle

Deputy PM Vucic says the ruling Serbian Progressive Party will propose a cabinet reshuffle based on an assessment of the work of all government ministers – and some will have to go.Aleksandar Vucic, the deputy Prime Minister and leader of ruling Progressive Party, said his party will assess the work …

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Kosovo Commemorates Wartime ‘Hero’ Jashari

Pristina staged a lavish ceremony to mark the 15th anniversary of the killings of Kosovo Liberation Army commander Adem Jashari and his family.Hundreds of security troops paraded in the capital on Tuesday as political leaders recalled the role that Jasheri, one of the founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, …

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Bosnia Serb Entity Offers Ministry to Bosniak

Zeljka Cvijanovic, the new prime minister of Bosnia’s mainly Serb entity, has offered the Bosniak Party of Democratic Action, SDA, a ministry in the new government.The Republika Srpska’s new Prime Minister, Zeljka Cvijanovic, on March 4 said that her Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, will offer one ministry to …

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Macedonia Violence Blamed on Election Campaign

Former officials suggested that heightened political tensions ahead of this month’s local elections helped to spark violent, ethnically-charged protests in Skopje.Some former leading Macedonian government figures blamed current political leaders for fanning ethnic intolerance which spilled over into street clashes with riot police on Friday and Saturday, but said they …

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Montenegro Daily Publishes New Compromising Leaks

The pro-opposition daily Dan on Monday published another leak designed to discomfort the ruling party – a letter from the manager of a key post office listing the political affiliation of his employees.The pro-opposition daily newspaper Dan has published more leaks that embarrass the country’s ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, …

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