Balkans

Pharmacists, lawyers and railway workers launched a strike on Wednesday (January 19th) against austerity measures, including a proposal to open the so-called “closed professions”. Pharmacists and lawyers will strike for three days, while the railway workers’ action will last two days, cancelling all train services.

The council for protection of vital interests within Republika Srpska’s (RS) Constitutional Court decided on Wednesday (January 19th) to allow a complaint filed by the Bosniak caucus in the RS upper house against the

Transparency International Albania urged local institutions on Wednesday (January 19th) to initiate changes to the constitution regarding the immunity of state officials. A special parliamentary session needs to address

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srpska, on 19 January issued a ruling that will allow the hearing of a complaint filed by the entity’s Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) in the upper house of parliament against the formation of the new RS government. The Bosniak caucus on 5 January …

Italy’s anti-mafia prosecutor has announced that the indictment against recently resigned Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic could now be reopened due to his loss of diplomatic immunity. Prosecutor Giuseppe Scelsi from the Italian city of Bari told local media that even though the crime of which Djukanovic is accused took …

Czech President Vaclav Klaus is visiting Belgrade today, where he will receive a charter of his acceptance into the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU). Upon his arrival in Belgrade, Klaus first conferred with Serbian President Boris Tadić, who will also attend the ceremony at the SANU. The Czech …

Romania is better prepared and in superior position than Bulgaria in terms of Schengen area accession, Hungarian interior minister Sandor Pinter said. Following a meeting of experts held in Brussels on January 14 on the state of preparedness of Romania and Bulgaria, it was said that Pinter said that “Bulgaria …

Bulgaria would support the development of the Nabucco gas pipeline by issuing state guarantees for loans taken by state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) to fund the project,  Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said in Parliament on January 20 2011.

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic on Wednesday started an official visit to Germany with a meeting with the country’s parliament speaker, who expressed full support for Croatia’s efforts to join the EU. The Bundestag speaker acknowledged the reforms in Croatia and the two men discussed the fight against corruption, Josipovic said. …

The new Montenegrin Premier Igor Luksic will arrive in Belgrade today to meet with top officials. This is not an official visit, but Luksic will use the opportunity to hold informal meetings with Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic.