Balkans

Interior Minister Lulzim Basha insisted on Sunday (December 19th) that he played no part in investigations led by UNMIK into the so-called “Yellow House” in northern Albania. Basha’s name was mentioned by the former UNMIK official in charge of missing persons, Jose Pablo Baraybar, who said Basha served as a …

Serbian President Boris Tadić believes that the international community will see the Kosovo problem with different eyes after a report on crimes committed against Serbs. “Serbia has been waiting for years in front of international institutions for a report like this” Tadić said. 

The trial for nine former members of a paramilitary unit accused for war crimes against civilians in the village of Ćuška near Peć in Kosovo starts today. The trial will be held before the War Crimes Chamber of the Belgrade High Court.

Albanian authorities denied allegations of the country’s involvement in organ trafficking presented in a report by CoE’s Dick Marty. Albania’s Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta said

European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin is visiting Serbia, where he is meeting with government and parliament officials and NGO representatives. Kacin said in Belgrade on Monday that Dick Marty’s report on KLA organ trafficking is not substantiated enough to justify

Council of Europe (CoE) rapporteur Dick Marty, the author of a report that accuses incumbent Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci of involvement in organ trafficking, said on Friday (December 17th) that many countries were aware of facts related to the case.

Cyprus is ready to start direct talks with Turkey to find a solution to the Mediterranean island’s longstanding division, Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou declared on Friday (December 17th). “We should start the direct exchange of opinions. We should directly share our demands and our complaints,” Kyprianou said. Ankara has …

The EU leaders have approved the proposal to grant Montenegro a status of a candidate country. In November the EC recommended granting the status to Montenegro. The Balkan country applied for EU membership in December 2008. On May 1 it received a status of an associated country.

Numerous irregularities that marred the December 12th snap elections are expected to prompt another round of voting in three municipalities, local media reported on Thursday (December 16th). The Central Election Commission (CEC) said the decision will be announced after the complaints and alleged violations are thoroughly investigated. Sources inside the …

Officials in Kosovo and Albania angrily deny allegations of weapons, drugs and human organ trafficking that Council of Europe (CoE) Special Rapporteur Dick Marty has made against Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Acting President Jakup Krasniqi said on Wednesday (December 15th) that the report