Balkans

Ivo Sanader ‘betrayed vital national interests’, prosecutors said in their closing words on Wednesday in the bribery trial concerning Hypo bank and the Hungarian oil company MOL.”Sanader used his official posts, from becoming deputy Foreign Minister in 1994 to Prime Minister in 2008, for his own private interests,” Vanja Marusic …

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has again urged Veneta Markovska, who was recently elected a Constitutional Court judge, to withdraw.Markovska’s nomination to the Constitutional Court, following her election as one of two parliamentary candidates to serve on the Court, has caused controversy. Markovska, a deputy chairperson of the Supreme Administrative Court, …

Fund says Bucharest must implement promised reforms to conclude a new agreement; mission to return after December elections.A joint delegation of the IMF and the European Commission concluded its visit to Bucharest on Wednesday, following talks with the authorities on macro-economic prospects and on progress towards achieving the fiscal targets …

The tired country’s parliament continues to enact austerity measures to ensure Eurozone financial help keeps flowing, to the anger of many affected parties.Last Wednesday night, I sat in the press stalls inside the main hall of Greece’s parliament watching a critical bill being debated. While Americans were still distracted by …

German municipal association demands restoration of visas for Serbia and Macedonia, complaining that towns and cities cannot cope with the influx of new asylum seekers.The head of Germany’s Association of Towns and Municipalities said the number of Serbian and Macedonian asylum seekers rose by 140 per cent in 2012 compared …

High Representative Valentin Inzko has told the Security Council that Bosnia is caught up in political power struggles, and that growing secessionist rhetoric should cause concern.Inzko told the Security Council on November 13 that he was concerned by the secessionist rhetoric of the leadership of Republika Srpska, the Serb-led entity …

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s quarterly report welcomes advances in Serbia-Kosovo talks and expresses hopes that it will lead to total normalisation of relations and lasting peace.In his regular quarterly report, UN Secretary General encouraged Serbia and Kosovo to continue their EU-led dialogue and move ahead in applying existing agreements. “I …

Croatian former prime minister Ivo Sanader claimed “he did good for Croatia” on Tuesday during the second day of his defence speech in the first of two bribery trials.After he denied charges of receiving funds from Hypo bank in 1994 on Monday, Ivo Sanader continued his defence by denying the …

The Interior Ministry on Monday announced the arrest of a police chief in Gjirokastra, accused of taking bribes from a businessman.Miklovan Kararaj, 26, head of the anti-corruption unit in the Gjirokastra police department, was detained after being accused of soliciting €10,000 from a businessman, the ministry said.

NGOs voice alarm after extremist SNP Nasi groups unveils black list of 17 NGOs that it says should be banned.A Serbian far-right movement SNP Nasi has called on the authorities in Belgrade to outlaw 17 NGOs, which it says have violated Serbia’s constitution.