Balkans

Montenegro’s parliament has voted to cut short its current mandate, setting the stage for early elections likely to be held in October.The parliament’s session was shortened at the initiative of the ruling coalition, which wanted a fresh mandate for the country’s EU accession talks. Montenegro started membership talks with the …

The result of the referendum on President Traian Basescu is hard to call; no on knows whether enough people will turn out for the result to be valid.There is still no obvious outcome to the presidential referendum on July 29, when Romanians are to vote on whether to impeach country’s …

Tirana’s District Court issued a not guilty verdict on Thursday to Armando Kasaj, former head of IT in the Prime Minister’s office, who was accused of wiping the server containing footage of the January 21, 2011 riots.Based on scientific evidence produced in cooperation with US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, …

Police action in Serb-run north last July pushed the partition issue off the negotiating table, Kosovo Interior Minister says.Kosovo’s Interior Minister has paid tribute to the police intervention in July 2011 in the Serb-run north, saying it sent a clear message that Pristina will not allow the partition of Kosovo. …

Bulgaria needs to review terrorist threats to the country, the Consultative Council on National Security said in the wake of the recent suicide bombing in Burgas.President Rosen Plevneliev convened the Council on Thursday in the wake of the July 18 suicide bombing, which killed five Israelis and a bus driver …

Almost a hundred Kosovo Roma, who were made homeless after a fire destroyed parts of the Konik refugee camp, staged a protest on Wednesday in front of the Montenegrin government headquarters.The Roma were protesting because they had only been given tents as temporary housing after a fire burned down their …

Bulgaria needs a new assesment of terrorist threats against it, officially stated Bulgaria’s Consultative Council on National Security, which was assembled by President Rosen Plevneliev Thursday. The July 18 suicide bombing against a bus full of Israeli tourists in the Bulgarian sea resort city of Burgas, which killed 6 people, …

Talks aimed at normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia, are due to resume after Serbia forms a new government, Ashton tells Kosovo leader Hashim Thaci.Pristina and Belgrade are set to resume talks once a new government in Serbia is in place, the EU’s High Representative, Catherine Ashton, announced on Wednesday. …

Aleksandar Vulin, head of new office coordinating all 17 ministries on Kosovo, says he will never shake hands with Kosovo leaders and issues ringing defence of Serbian-funded bodies in Kosovo.”No one will ever shake hands with [Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim] Thaci.” So said Aleksandar Vulin, the hardline new head of …

Although all parties agree on the need to change the constitution to lift the immunity of high state officials, they remain divided on when the vote should taker place.Albania’s Council of Legislation, a parliamentary body tasked with drafting amending the constitution, on Tuesday approved a draft reform agreed by both …