Balkans

Statistics agencies in Bosnia have started a test census to highlight possible problems in the system ahead of a nationwide survey in April next year.The pilot population and housing census began on October 15 and will continue for two weeks until October 29. It will be conducted in 60 areas …

The Serbian prosecutor’s office for organised crime has seized the passport of a former minister suspected of abusing his position.The passport of Oliver Dulic, the former minister for environment and spatial planning, was sent to Belgrade’s High Court on Sunday to prevent him from leaving the country.

A Serbian court has granted approximately €3,300 in reparation to the former mayor of the Kosovo municipality of Suva Reka for suffering caused by Serbian police during conflict in Kosovo.The First Basic Court in Belgrade has ruled on Friday that Serbia is responsible for the torture of Mustafa Kolgeci, an …

NGOs, human rights groups and the media have demanded changes to a draft Law on Civil Liability for Defamation, arguing that it will introduce extensive censorship on the internet.Critics united in a joint front against the draft say that if the law is enacted without change, the internet in Macedonia …

The turbo-folk production house, Grand Production, along with another Serbian company, Beohemija, have taken over the indebted broadcaster TV Avala.After two months of consultations, Grand Production and Beohemija became major owners of TV Avala after obtaining the shares of media mogul Zeljko Mitrovic, Serbian businessman Danko Djunic and the Economic …

A group of eight communist-era political prisoners who have been on strike for 23 days vowed on Sunday to fast to death if the government keeps ignoring their demand for faster reparations.“We will fast to death and will not let the sacrifice of our two friends who set themselves on …

Bosnian Presidency member Zeljko Komsic has announced he is working on forming a new party after quitting the ruling Social Democratic Party.The Croat member of Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency on Thursday said he was starting a new party which, according to him, will be ready to fight for real changes in …

Serbian right groups have condemned a recent statement of the Serbian president that the massacre in Srebrenica, while a horrible crime, was not genocide.Seven Belgrade based human rights organisations issued a joint statement saying that President Tomislav Nikolic’s claims that the crimes committed in Srebrenica were not genocide offended the …

The US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Michael Hammer, on Friday urged Macedonia and Greece to step up activities leading to a solution to the long-standing ‘name’ dispute.”The United States would like to see the issue resolved so that Macedonia joins NATO as soon as possible. Again, we …

About ten thousand Croatian teachers, university professors and nurses demonstrated on Thursday in Zagreb against austerity measures and cuts in wages and healthcare.”You betrayed us” and “You protect the wealthy” were among the angry slogans held up at the protest in Zagreb organised by the union of public service workers. …