Balkans

Serbs, who have been at barricades near the village of Rudare since July 25, are monitoring the roads leading toward the Brnjak and Jarinje crossings. It is peaceful, but uncertainty and tension are the words that best describe the situation in north Kosovo.

Ohrid Framework Agreement achieved its goal and brought back the peace, creating opportunities for everyone to take part in the establishment of the political and public life, while the Constitution does not allow any discrimination of the ethnic communities, says Musa Xhaferi, Deputy Prime Minister in the Macedonian government in …

EULEX Head Xavier Bout de Marnhac stated on Thursday that the EULEX mission had stepped up police patrols in north Kosovo. He added that EULEX had opened investigations into fire at the Jarinje administrative checkpoint, murder of members

UN Security Council debate on Kosovo could be postponed due to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s two day visit to Serbia. The UN Security Council session will not be held on August 24 and it will probably be held a week later. 

A Serbian minister has criticized the European Union, claiming it has “double standards” and alleging it is moving the goalposts for Serbia regarding consideration for EU membership. Rasim Ljajic, Serbian Labour and Social Affairs Minister, claimed that the EU’s decision to make Serbia’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal of …

One of the four municipality mayors in northern Kosovo expected to decide on the removal of barricades near the border has told press he won’t authorise this. Krstimir Pantic, the mayor of Mitrovica, said that Serbs would remain at the barricade near the village of Rudare until their requests had …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit EU’s next member Croatia on August 22. Croatia successfully ended its negotiations with the EU and is ready to sign the adhesion treaty and start the process of ratification among member states. Croatia closed accession talks with the European Union which started in 2005 …

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle gave Croatia as a good example for the rest of the countries in the West Balkans, which aim at joining the European Union (EU). Westerwelle welcomed Croatia’s positive efforts and the discipline. “Everyone can see Croatia’s model – a country that makes efforts and follows …

Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Food Miroslav Naydenov is to meet with Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Mimoza Kusari-Lila, who is on a visit to Bulgaria at Naydenov’s invitation, the press office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced. The two ministers will discuss …

Erato Markoulli, Cyprus newly-appointed foreign minister, is expected in Athens Thursday for her first official visit to Greece. She is set to have talks with her counterpart Stavros Lambrinidis who is just back from an official visit to Denmark. Markoulli is also expected to hold meetings with leaders or representatives …