Balkans

Acting President Jakup Krasniqi will propose February 2011 as the date for holding early general elections. The announcement is expected in the

Several US congressmen have sent a letter to President Barack Obama in support of Macedonia’s NATO bid, local media reported on Saturday (October 2nd). In the letter, the 19 Congress members say that the United States should encourage

Bakir Izetbegovic, who campaigned for dialogue between Bosnia’s deeply divided ethnic groups, is in the lead for the Muslim spot in Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, partial results showed Monday. Izetbegovic, the 54-year old son of Bosnia’s wartime Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic, won 34.24 percent

Macedonia’s and Kosovo government have inked a deal on customs cooperation and mutual assistance. Head of Macedonia’s customs Vanco Kargov and his Kosovo counterpart Naim Huruglica have signed the deal on Friday.

Kosovo’s deputy premier Hajredin Kuci dismissed media reports that Prime Minister Hasim Thaci may also resign days after the country’s president quit his post, RIA Novosti reported. “All such reports are just rumors,” Kuci told journalists.

Athens/Nicosia – Greek Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias called on the Turkish Cypriots to test the will of the Greek Cypriots for a Cyprus settlement as the south marked 50 years of independence on Friday. In his address to the Cypriot people on the occasion of the Republic of Cyprus anniversary, …

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to begin an official visit to Bulgaria Monday to hold talks with senior Bulgarian officials on issues of common interest. During his stay in Bulgaria, the Turkish PM will hold talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov on ways of boosting bilateral relations …

Albania – The new OSCE head in Tirana, Eugen Wollfarth, has urged the government to start preparing for next spring’s local elections. “It is necessary to start early administrative preparations in line with OSCE recommendations,” Wollfarth said on Wednesday (September 29th) after meeting with Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Wollfarth promised …

Serbian President Boris Tadic will attend Sunday’s (October 3rd) enthronement ceremony of Serbian Patriarch Irinej at the Patriarchy in Pec, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Synod announced on Wednesday. The SPC warned against provocations or politicising the religious event. Bishop Irinej, of Nis, was elected as SPC head on January …

Acting Kosovo president Jakup Krasnici says that elections for the assembly in Priština could be held in six months’ time. Fatmir Sejdiu resigned from that position last week. “Until institutions in Kosovo have been formed, negotiations with Serbia should not be entered into,” he said. Krasnici also said he believed …