Balkans

Kacin Wants Missing Persons on Kosovo Talks Agenda

The European Parliament’s rapporteur for Serbia wants the issue of missing persons to be included in the upcoming Belgrade-Pristina talks.Jelko Kacin, the European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, urged the authorities in Kosovo and Serbia to address the pressing issue of more than 1,700 people still missing since the Kosovo war …

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Montenegro’s Opposition MPs Protest Against Anthem

Several MPs from Montenegro’s opposition alliance were absent from the chamber when the national anthem was sung at the parliament’s inaugural session, a gesture which may complicate inter-party relations.The new Montenegrin parliament was constituted on Tuesday. However, some of the 81 parliamentary seats still remained empty at the very start …

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Bosnia Revisits Macedonian President’s Death

Bosnia’s aviation authorities have promised to look at new evidence from Macedonia concerning the 2004 plane crash that killed President Trajkovski.Sotir Kostov, head of the Macedonian state commission for the investigation of aviation accidents, confirmed the fresh information, which is likely to revive speculation that Boris Trajkovski may have been …

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EU Urges Balkans to Stop Asylum Seekers

EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom called Balkan states on Monday in Tirana to cut the number of asylum seekers.“There has been a rise of 73 per cent of the number of asylums seekers compared with the previous year,” Malmstrom told a conference of justice and interior ministers …

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Romania Slaps Curbs on Election ‘Gifts’

Bucharest has ordered strict limits on what politicians may hand out to voters during the election campaign – though some wonder if the measures will make much difference.A month before crucial parliamentary elections in Romania, the government on Tuesday adopted an emergency decree aimed at curbing the tradition of vote-buying …

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US Election Won’t Affect Balkans, Ambassador Says

US ambassador to Serbia says presidential election will not make any difference to Washington’s policy towards the Balkans.US Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby said that Washingon’s policy towards the Balkans will remain unchanged regardless of the outcome of the November 6 presidential race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The …

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Deal Ensures Montenegro Coalition Working Majority

The coalition that came first in the recent general election has signed an agreement with the ethnic minority parties, ensuring it a majority in parliament.Milo Djukanovic, head of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the DPS-led “European Montenegro” coalition, which won 39 of 81 seats in the October …

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