Balkans

Balkan Insight has learned that the Constitutional Court will give the green light to a historic request for a referendum on trash imports, the first such grassroots initiative in Albania.The request, spearheaded by a group of activists, environmentalists and intellectuals, has collected more than 64,000 signatures, and calls for the …

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic stated on Monday that businessmen from both Turkey and Serbia have initiated talks on increasing economic relations between the two countries many times but that companies need to achieve results to bring business ties to the desired level, especially in the agriculture sector.

Hannes Swoboda, President of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament, has described as “populist and deceitful” Germany’s threat to veto Bulgaria and Romania’s Schengen accession. According to EurActiv, Swoboda has insisted that progress has been assessed in both countries and EU ministers

Medical team of the Military Medical Academy (MMA) which will take part in the mission of the EU for training Malian security services (EUTM Mali) will departure on March 6, the Defense Ministry press centre announced.

The Minister of Labor and Social Policy, the Minister of Economy and Finance, and a Minister of EU Funds will be Deputy-PMs in Bulgaria’s future caretaker government, stated Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Tuesday it became certain that President Rosen Plevneliev will have to

Ahead of the sixth round of EU-led talks in Brussels, Serbian leaders say the outlines of a compromise solution to the vexed issue of nothern Kosovo are within sight.Ivica Dacic, Serbia’s Prime Minister, and his Kosovo counterpart, Hashim Thaci, are to continue their talks on the future of Serbian-financed institutions …

The campaign for the March 24 vote began on Monday after a last-minute political deal ensured that the Macedonian opposition reversed its boycott pledge.The agreement on Friday ended the opposition’s parliamentary boycott as well as ensuring its participation in the municipal race later this month, after a political crisis that …

Bulgarian demonstrators staged some of the largest rallies since the crisis erupted in the country and vowed to continue protests as their demands escalated.More than 100,000 people took to the streets across the country on Sunday, Bulgaria’s Liberation Day, demanding sweeping changes to the political system and economic policy. The …

Politicians expressed revulsion after two days of violent, ethnically-charged protests gripped the capital, sparked by the controversial appointment of an ex-guerrilla as defence minister.Skopje was calm again on Monday after the unrest on Friday and Saturday that saw riot police use tear gas and armoured vehicles during clashes with protesters …

Croatia’s main opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union, wants new polls after EU accession this year, accusing the government of mishandling the economy.“The ruling coalition’s [pre-election] plan was a deception. The governing team is incompetent, unskilled and even conceited,” said Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, president Tomislav Karamarko in a televised …