Balkans

Talks between the VMRO-DPMNE and the Union for Democratic Integration (DUI) ended up successfully. It is expected by the end of the week for mandate-holder Nikola Gruevski to announce the line-up and the programme of the new government. 

Macedonia should complete the reforms so as to start the accession talks with the EU despite that the name issue has not been solved, said Polish Ambassador to Skopje Carol Bahura.

The Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borisov said on Tuesday that the Turkish President Abdullah Gül asked him to hold a joint governmental session between the two countries. Borisov confirmed that his government will meet with their Turkish counterparts for a joint session very soon.

EU facilitator in the Belgrade-Priština talks Robert Cooper arrived in Belgrade on Tuesday. He said that a tripartite group, chaired by the EU, would supervise the implementation of any agreement between Belgrade and Priština, adding that all problems that occurred in practice would be resolved by repeated talks. 

The European Commission announced Tuesday the finalization of its plans for financial support for ongoing reforms in in the Western Balkans. The countries included are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iceland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, as well as Kosovo for 2011–2013.

The US missile defense shield will cover the entire territory of Europe, including all Bulgaria, according to US Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher. Tauscher, who is in charge of arms control and international security affairs at the US State Department, has made the statement Monday, during

Three opposition parties in Kosovo have asked for an extraordinary sitting of the parliament to discuss the request for termination of the negotiations with Belgrade.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül said on Monday that Turkey is eager to boost ties with Bulgaria in every sphere. “Turkey and Bulgaria have an important partnership and solidarity on regional

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met on Monday and discussed the Kosovo dialogue. They agreed that “normalization of relations and building of trust through the Belgrade-Priština dialogue pave the way for European future of both sides”.

Presidents of four Balkan nations are forging stronger bonds between their countries in a regional meeting underway in Ohrid, Macedonia.