Balkans

Belgrade District Court clears man of setting fire to the US embassy in riots in 2008 but jails him for theft of clothing.The court jailed Milan Zivanovic, 24, on Thursday for one year after finding him guilty of stealing a leather jacket and gloves, which belonged to an embassy employee. …

Over 200 veterans of the Bosnian war protested in front of the government building of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, demanding better pensions.The protesters – all former members of the Bosnian Army and the Croatian Defence Council – carried signs reading “How long will army pensioners be humiliated?“, “Politicians …

Kosovo’s opposition party Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, criticised the sentencing of 11 Albanians by a court in Serbia as an attempt to put pressure on the ethnic Albanians in south Serbia.In a press release issued on Thursday, AAK, the party led by the ICTY defendant Ramush Haradinaj, …

After a court in Skopje upheld the request of the Health Ministry to ban an announced strike by doctors, medics said they would appeal and set a new date for a stoppage.Doctors said they are not discouraged by the ruling, which was delivered in an express procedure, and will appeal …

As Bosnia’s Statistics Agency announces a pilot census for this October, international monitors say the fate of the landmark 2013 census will depend on the success of the autumn test run.A pilot census for Bosnia, according the Statistics Agency, will be held next month, from October 15-29, aimed at showing …

A senior Turkish General on a visit to Kosovo said Ankara will help strengthen the capacities of the Kosovo Security Forces, the KSF.Turkey has pledged to help Kosovo raise its military capacity, by aiding the Kosovo Security Forces, KSF, to reach its full operational potential. The Commander of Turkish Ground …

Voters can find out whether they are on the electoral roll simply by sending an SMS or looking on the Internet – though some NGOs say they have uncovered glitches.Montenegrins who want to check up on whether they can vote in the October 14 general election can now do so …

Minister says Bosnia wants to avoid tensions with Croatia on border issues around the town of Neum – and will accept any solution that doesn’t limit its maritime access and undermine its sovereignty.Bosnian’s Transport and Communications Minister, Damir Hadzic, said Bosnia and Croatia were partner states that should solve oustanding …

As pressure grows on Serbia to recognise breakaway former province, Vucic says Serbia may have to hold an ‘either-or’ referendum on the country’s priorities.Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister, has said that Serbia may hold a referendum inviting voters to choose between Kosovo and EU integration. “A referendum is always …

Serbia’s public prosecutors and judges who were fired during the 2010 justice reform will be reinstated in the upcoming days, the Ministry of Justice said.Hundred and twenty-two Serbian public prosecutors and their deputies will be officially readmitted to the Association of Prosecutors on September 22, and two days later they …