Balkans

Serbia has received an invitation to next month’s EU-Western Balkans conference in Sarajevo, local media reported on Wednesday (May 19th). Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, has said that an agreement had been reached to hold it under the so-called Gymnich format. Kosovo …

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele reiterated on Wednesday (May 19th) that Hague war crimes tribunal chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz’s report on co-operation shown by Serbia and Croatia will be crucial to their respective EU integration bids. Speaking at the European Parliament, he said that the European Commission is ready to …

EU representatives on Wednesday (May 19th) praised the work of the EULEX mission in Kosovo and investigations led by the EU Rule of Law Mission’s judicial component. Representatives of the 27 EU member states gathered for a Western Balkans working group meeting in Brussels, attended by EU Special Representative for …

The Hague Tribunal confirmed Vojislav Šešelj’s conviction for contempt of court and his 15 month imprisonment. This came on Wednesday, after an appeals chamber dismissed his appeal and upheld the initial decision, handed down in late July last year, said a statement from the court.

NATO could speed up its plans to reduce the military presence in Kosovo, said reports this Thursday. The number of KFOR soldiers could go from 15,000 to 5,000 in 2010, announced NATO Allied Commander Europe Admiral James Stavridis.

Serbian President Boris Tadić will be in Cyprus today and tomorrow on an official visit. According to a statement released by the president’s press service, Tadić is scheduled to meet today with Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias and Archbishop of Nea Justiniana and All Cyprus Chrysostomos II.

Greek labor unions will stage a new general strike to protest against the planned reforms to the debt-ridden country’s rickety pension system. The two main public and private sector groups are the organizers of this protest, which is against the announced 15 percent pension cuts and prolonging the years of …

SARAJEVO Čelnici Parlamentarne komisije za pripremu zakona o popisu stanovništva u BiH usaglasili su u srijedu nacrt ovog zakona o kojem će se sutra cijela komisija izjašnjavati. Dosad su sporni bili popis dijaspore, nacionalno izjašnjavanje, primjena rezultata popisa te sjedište centra za prikupljanje podataka. Usaglašenim prijedlogom predviđeno je da će …

Macedonian Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska will be heading to Bulgaria on Thursday for a two-day official visit. Jankulovska will meet with her Bulgarian counterpart Cvetan Cvetanov, and also take part in the 3rd ministerial meeting of the Committee of Signatory-Countries of the Police Cooperation Convention for South-East Europe. The participants …

The presidential committee, the Bureau and the Committee of the Council of Europe will hold meetings on Thursday and Friday in Macedonian Parliament in the course of Macedonian chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.