Balkans

Ruling coalition has proposed changes to the law on public companies, obliging the state to withdraw from day-to-day management of public enterprises.Mladjan Dinkic, Finance Minister, told parliament on Tuesday that amendments to the Public Companies Law envisage the state withdrawing from company management roles.

Skopje had agreed to the three terms that Sofia has set as preconditions for Bulgaria’s support for Macedonia’s EU integration process.In a letter sent on Tuesday, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Nikola Poposki, wrote to tell his Bulgarian counterpart, Nikolay Mladenov, that the proposals contained in Mladenov’s earlier letter were acceptable. They …

After parliament endorsed the programme and structure of his goverment late on Tuesday, Milo Djukanovic has officially returned as Montenegro’s Prime Minister.Milo Djukanovic’s new government, led by his Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, has 16 ministers and 4 vice prime ministers. The former Prime Minister, Igor Luksic, has been appointed …

Bernd Borchardt of Germany was appointed on Tuesday as new head of the EU’s rule-of-law mission in Kosovo, known as EULEX.The appointment was made by the EU’s Political and Security Committee. “Borchardt, from Germany, will take up his duties on February 1, 2013. He will succeed Xavier Bout de Marnhac, …

Macedonian doctors staging a two-week-long strike say they will take more radical steps if Health Minister Nikola Todorov acts on threats to punish them.The Independent Trade Union of Medical Clinics, which is heading the strike by medics, on Tuesday said they will erect tents in front of the Health Ministry, …

Future of Serb-run north and implementing a deal on control of the borders are likely to dominate talks in Brussels between Hashim Thaci and Ivica Dacic.The Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Serbia are to meet on Tuesday for the third time in Brussels with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign …

About a hundred Kosovo Serbs rallied at Jarinje to protest over a border deal that they say implies recognition of Kosovo’s independence.Up to a hundred Serbs staged a protest on Tuesday at the Jarinje, crossing point between Kosovo and Serbia against the planned implementation of an agreement on Integrated Border …

Borisov tells Obama that while the identity of the Burgas bomber is known, the evidence is not yet strong enough to hold up in court.On a visit to Washington, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, informed US President Barack Obama of progress in the investigation of the July 18 terrorist attack …

War rape victims are neglected in Croatia, the human rights NGO Documenta warned, requesting changes to the law and changes in the social attitudes to restore dignity to victims.Marking the Days of Activism against Gender Violence [November 25 to December 10], Documenta have issued a statement on Monday requesting changes …

Mevlid Jasarevic, the man behind the attack on the US embassy in Sarajevo, said in the closing words of his trial that similar attacks will take place for as long as “Americans kill Muslims”.Awaiting his sentence, Jasarevic told the Bosnian State Court on December 3 that another attack like one …