Balkans

Montenegro’s opposition party managed to convince its partners to respect the state symbols, but its success in making them condemn the war crimes committed in former Yugoslavia was partial.Almost a month after the October 14 elections Montenegro’s second largest town, Niksic, has the new local government. The opposition parties, Positive …

Civilian victims of war are amongst “the most vulnerable groups in a society” and “deserve respect”, the Croatian president, Ivo Josipovic, said on Friday.Speaking at the conference “Civilian victims of war in Croatia”, organised by the NGO Documenta, Josipovic said that “civilian victims deserve respect from a society, and if …

The opposition has accused the Macedonian government of unjustified spending and driving the country into debt with its controversial draft budget.“The budget again envisages spending of money on non-crucial projects,” said Vanco Uzunov, head of the Opposition Social Democrats’ economic board, citing the Skopje 2014 revamp of the capital.

EU Commissioner Stefan Fule announced Monday that Albania will receive 81 million euro to assist with issues including judicial reform and the fight against organised crime.The money will help build the new courthouse in Tirana, restructure two border crossing points and improve the Albanian State Police. It will also help …

An ethnic Albanian legislator threatened to torch the assembly if all other attempts fail to stop the passage of a controversial army bill that has angered Albanians.Speaking at Thursday’s session dedicated to the draft law, Zijadin Sela, from the opposition Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, said he and others would …

Milo Djukanovic is the ruling party’s candidate as prime minister-designate, Svetozar Marovic, a party official, said on Friday, making his return to high office all but certain.Montenegro’s long-time leader and chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, which has held power since the early the Nineties, is slated …

Only the likes of Barack Obama or Bill Clinton could apply to be advisers to Macedonian Health Minister Nikola Todorov, apparently, as the condition is having an IQ above 140.In a job announcement posted on Thursday, Macedonia’s health ministry said it was looking for seven to ten candidates to serve …

As the international community’s overseer publishes a highly critical report, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik says the High Representative is himself to blame for the problems.Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska, the Serb dominated entity in Bosnia, has criticised the latest report by the Office of High Representative, OHR, …

Country bids farewell to 98-year-old Patriarch who withstood a damaging schism after the fall of CommunismA black flag was mounted on the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia on Friday, where the funeral mass for the deceased patriarch was to be held. Patriarch Maxim died on Tuesday at the age …

Amid worries about funding, the general manager and co-founder of the world famous festival has resigned.Bojan Boskovic, co-founder and general manager of the Exit music festival, resigned on Thursday from his post. “Owing to the world crisis the budget has been already significantly reduced, so there is no room for …