Balkans

Macedonian MPs Sued Over New Lustration Law

Civic group slaps lawsuits on half the members of the Macedonian parliament for having supported a recently adopted Lustration Law that they describe as unconstitutional.A group of intellectuals, part of the civil initiative Citizens for European Macedonia, GEM, has submitted law suits against MPs from the ruling parties, including the …

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Report Laments Albanian Civil Society’s Shrinking Influence

According USAID’s 2011 civil society sustainability index, Albanian NGOs are increasingly shut out of the corridors of power and have little means of influencing public policy.The report by USAID makes grim reading for Albanian NGOs and civil society pressure groups. Despite efforts by NGO’s in 2011 to open up dialogue …

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Montenegro’s Foreign Minister To Quit Post

Milan Rocen has confirmed that he is bowing out, following the country’s recent achievements in advancing its EU and NATO membership prospects.One day after he announcing his intended withdrawal to the daily newspaper, Pobjeda, Rocen officially confirmed his decision on Monday at the opening of the fifth diplomatic “Gavro Vukovic” …

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Croatia: Twenty Eight War Victims Exhumed

Twenty eight victims of Operation Flash, a Croatian military campaign conducted in May 1995, were exhumed last week in western Slavonia, Croatia.According to the Croatian government’s Administration for Imprisoned and Missing Persons, the remains were exhumed between June 26 and 29 in the village of Donji Rajic in western Slavonia. …

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Kosovo Given Green Light for Full Independence

Kosovo will become fully independent in September, the International Steering Group, ISG, which oversees the newborn country, announced on Monday.The group of 25 states, which have been overseeing Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008, said that the country had successfully implemented the provisions of the UN Comprehensive …

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Marty Might Not Testify in the Medicus Case

Dick Marty, Council of Europe rapporteur, might not testify in the Medicus case, since the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE has not lifted his immunity.According to the reports from the Serbian state news agency Tanjug, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has unanimously declined to discuss lifting of …

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Serbia’s New Leaders Agree on Cabinet of 15

Leaders of the Progressives and the Socialists have agreed that new government will have 15 ministries and said its final composition and agenda would be made clear within a fortnight.Ivica Dacic, Serbia’s Socialist Prime Minister elect and Aleksandar Vucic, leader of the Serbian Progressive Party, have agreed that the future …

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Montenegro Starts EU Talks With Stamps and Cocktails

The EU opened accession negotiations with Montenegron on Friday – the start of which are being marked in the country with the issue of commemorative stamps and a celebratory cocktail party.At its summit on Friday, the European Council confirmed Tuesday’s decision of the EU General Affairs Council to open membership …

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