Balkans

After a day-long discussion, Macedonia’s ruling coalition voted on Tuesday to abandon four war-crimes cases related to the 2001 conflict.

Kosovo talks which were expected to yield new agreements in Brussels on Wednesday have been postponed until September. An EU assessment found that Serbia and Kosovo are unable to compromise on the subjects of the talks, and it would be better to wait.

Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Tuesday in Brussels pronounced Albania’s May 8 local elections for Tirana “not good”. “The elections in Tirana were not good, as they demonstrated beyond doubt that the electoral framework needs to be reformed,” Fule told a joint press conference

The sixth round of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina is due to take place on Wednesday in Brussels. It is expected that an agreement will be reached to recognize university diplomas from Pristina. Serbia’s chief negotiator Borislav Stefanovic confirmed the issues on the agenda would be diplomas, cadastre, power and …

The European Commission is likely to lift the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, through which Brussels monitors the progress Bulgaria and Romania are making in justice and home affairs, in July 2012.

For Turkey and Greece, it is time to settle the long-lasting Aegean problem between them despite the Cyrpus issue, a new report from the International Crisis Group (ICG) has indicated. “The deadlocked Cyprus problem is still a factor, but both sides have distanced themselves from the idea that its solution …

Borislav Stefanović says “a great majority of EU governments” are aware that Serbia cannot and will not recognize the so-called independence of Kosovo. He was commenting on a statement made by German Ambassador in Priština Hans-Dieter Steinbach

Bosnia’s party leaders have just over a week to come up with new potential candidates for the post of chair of the Council of Ministers after the last nominee, Slavo Kukic, failed to gain parliamentary endorsement. After Slavo Kukic failed to survive a second round of voting in parliament last …

Former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader will be extradited from Austria back to his homeland on Monday to face corruption charges. Sanader, who led the Croatian government from 2003 to 2009, is expected to leave Austria via its border with Slovenia

The leaders of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia expressed a need for maximum cooperation and mutual support in the process of European integration on Monday.