Balkans

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule has stated that, by fulfilling its obligations to the Hague Tribunal, Serbia has got closer to the EU candidate status. However, said he, Belgrade must commit to other political reforms and improve relations with Kosovo before receiving the green light.

The government in Priština this week introduced a ten-percent tax on goods coming from Bosnia-Herzegovina, prompting this country to react. Sarajevo said it would file a complaint with the regional free trade organization CEFTA.

Croatian President Ivo Josipović says it would make sense if Hague indictee Goran Hadžić was tried in Croatia, the country “where he had committed the crimes”. When asked if Croatia would ask for Hadžić to be extradited to that country and whether that was possible, Josipović said that relevant rules …

After briefly meeting his lover and their child on Friday morning, the arrested war-crimes suspect was expected to pay a short visit to his mother in Novi Sad before leaving for The Hague. Croatian Serb war crimes suspect Goran Hadzic was due to leave

Belgrade politicians say that they expect the EU to force Kosovo to cancel a decision blocking imports of goods from Serbia. Serbia has condemned Kosovo’s decision to block imports of goods with Serbian custom stamps as a provocation, saying

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s harsh criticism of Greek Cyprus and the European Union in regards to the course of affairs in the resolution of the Cyprus issue

The prime ministers of Montenegro and Serbia have agreed that both countries share a common goal of EU membership, and pledged to support each other towards that end. The announcement came during the first official visit of Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic to Belgrade on Wednesday.

Hague indictee Ratko Mladić gave his consent on Wednesday to lawyer Branko Lukić to be his representative before the Hague Tribunal. However, necessary procedures need to be completed for him to be appointed as Mladić’s defense attorney. An authorization signed by Mladić was delivered to the Hague Secretariat.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed on Wednesday the arrest of Hague indictee Goran Hadžić. Ban commended Serbian President Boris Tadić and the Serbian authorities

Kosovo’s government took decision to put embargo on Serbian goods import, media in Pristine announced. The decision has been taken as reciprocal measure, because Belgrade doesn’t recognizes Kosovo’s customs hallmarks. Kosovo’s government imposed 10% customs duty on goods from Bosnia and Herzegovina, because Sarajevo also repudiates customs hallmarks.