Balkans

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will start a six-day tour of the Western Balkans on Friday. He will visit all countries created after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, with July 23 reserved for Serbia.

Bulgaria and Romania must improve efforts to fight organized crime and corruption, the President of the European Commission Jose Manual Barroso, said on Wednesday. Barroso said on Wednesday that Bulgaria had made some progress

The UN, EU, US, Israel and other countries have condemned the suicide bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria, that killed six Israelis and a local driver as well as the bomber whose nationality has yet to be disclosed. The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has condemned the bus bomb attack in Burgas that …

A remembrance service for those killed when the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, occupied the town of Orahovac in Kosovo in 1998 was held in Belgrade on Wednesday. The families of the victims and human rights activists laid flowers on the graves and at the monument called “Unknown”, dedicated to the …

Nationalist-led coalition is trying to lure ethnic minorities into the new government, but after Hungarians said no, Bosniaks are still weighing their options.Aleksandar Vucic, acting head of the ruling Progressives, has met with the main leader of Bosniak [Muslim] community in Serbia and offered them a role in the new …

Ban Ki-moon’s visit this month is stirring speculation about new initiatives in the dispute over Macedonia’s name – though few expect the fact-finding trip to result in a breakthrough.Ban Ki-moon arrives in Skopje on 25 July as part of a tour of Western Balkan countries from July 19 to 26. …

The European Commission is to issue a critical report on Romania’s failure to reform the courts, tackle corruption and respect the democratic process.The EU has serious doubts about Romania’s commitments to reforming the judiciary and respecting the principles of democracy, according to a preliminary copy of a report to be …

A fire on the hill above Podgorica briefly threatened homes and nearby embassies – one of several blazes attributed to the prolonged hot dry weather and the wind.Residents of Podgorica were shocked on Monday night when Mt Gorica, the hill after which the capital is named, caught fire. The blaze …

New Central Bank data show that consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in seven years.According to the bank, consumer confidence in the economy slid by 1.3 point in the second quarter of 2012, compared with its last estimate. The index registered the outlook of Albanian consumers towards the …

Construction of four 42-storey skyscrapers, set to be the tallest buildings in Macedonia, started on Monday in Skopje.The Turkish company, Cevahir Holding, plans to invest some 300 million euro in the project that should be completed within three years in the Skopje municipality of Aerodrom.The complex will hold a mix …