Balkans

Study Slams Croatia’s Failing Public Sector

Government commissioned ‘Clean Start’ project uncovers huge financial holes in ministries and public sector companies and lists a catalogue of systemic shortcomings.A government commissioned study of Croatia’s public sector has uncovered massive hidden debts and a poor culture of management. Croatia paid the international advisory firms KPMG and BDO 2.3 …

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Montenegro Expected To Call Presidential Election

Ranko Krivokapic, the speaker of parliament, is expected to call a presidential election by the end of next week after meeting the heads of various parties.Before calling the presidential election, Krivokapic will meet representatives of all parliamentary parties, Radio Antena M said on Tuesday. The mandate of the current President, …

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Macedonian Capital to Recycle Communal Waste

An Italian company in partnership with the city will invest €73 million in order to turn Skopje’s communal waste landfill into a modern recycling facility.The public-private partnership deal that the city signed with the Italian consortium, FCL AMBIENTE SRL and UNIECO SCC COOP, aims to cut the amount of waste …

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Greece making big efforts, Greek PM tells Germany

Merkel says EU must agree more reforms by June summiteece is making enormous efforts to get its economy back on track despite the pain this involves for its citizens, its prime minister Antonis Samaras said on Tuesday on a visit to Germany, chief champion of austerity in Europe. German Chancellor …

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Nimetz Starts New Push For Macedonia ‘Name’ Deal

The UN mediator in the Macedonia-Greece ‘name’ talks, Matthew Nimetz, is visiting Athens and Skopje, bringing fresh proposals for a solution to the dispute.Officials in Athens and Skopje expect the UN mediator in the longstanding dispute over Macedonia’s name – to which Greece objects – to put forward some fresh …

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Croatian President Slams Ex-Generals’ Double Pensions

Croatia’s leader called for change after revelations that at least seven former generals are receiving military pensions from both Croatia and BosniaThe daily newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija revealed on Monday that at least seven former Croatian generals are receiving pensions from Zagreb and Sarajevo because of their roles in both the …

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Hague Tribunal Hears Mass Grave Testimony

The trial of former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic resumed for 2013 with testimony about the exhumation of war crimes victims from mass graves.Davor Strinovic, a Croatian medical expert who was part of a commission tasked with finding missing people, said he helped to exhume bodies at the Ovcara farm …

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UK Rightists Oppose Opening Border to Bulgaria, Romania

UK Independence Party says it will campaign hard against lifting restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians working in Britain in 2014.The leader of Britain’s rightwing UK Independence Party, which has seen a recent surge in support in the polls, says it would be “irresponsible” to open British borders to Bulgarians and …

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Albania Minister Apologizes for Not Paying Tax

After Balkan Insight lifted the lid on top Albanian officials who had not paid their car registration taxes, the Minister of Transport, Sokol Olldashi, has apologized.“Minister Olldashi publicly apologizes for not paying the taxes for his vehicle, which his wife uses,” his office said in a statement. “This fact is …

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