Balkans

“We had a very good conversation. We discussed mostly strategic issues and the future of the Western Balkans,” Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić said during the joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Nikolay Mladenov.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday in Romania that the Alliance will continue its open door policy as regards countries in the Balkans and would like all the states in the region to join the European Union and NATO.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced on Wednesday (May 5th) that parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on October 3rd. CEC President Irena Hadziabdic said that Bosnians will vote for members of the BiH presidency, central and entities’ parliaments, president and vice-president of Republika Srspska, as well as new …

The European Commission (EC) Liaison Office in Pristina will support the government in conducting a national census, head of mission Renzo Daviddi said on Wednesday (May 5th) after a meeting with Minister of Public Administration Edita Tahiri. They discussed the technicalities of the census, which is planned for spring 2011. …

UN war crimes tribunal chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz plans to visit Serbia on May 12th and 13th, spokesperson Olga Kavran confirmed on Wednesday (May 5th). Brammertz is to submit a report — assessing Serbia’s co-operation — to the UN Security Council in June. While in Belgrade, he will meet with …

The International Monetary Fund has decided to prolong a review of Romania’s rescue deal by extending the visit of its mission to Bucharest by two days to May 9. “The fourth IMF review mission … will continue working with the Romanian authorities during the weekend May 8-9,” Tonny Lybek, IMF’s …

Three war crimes suspects have been arrested near the city of Banja Luka in Bosnia. Lazar Ristic, Petar Arsenic and Predrag Devic were arrested on Wednesday on a warrant from the State Prosecution. All three men are suspected of participation in war crimes committed by Serb forces in Sanski Most.

Serbia’s foreign minister “took advantage” of a statement in which Croatian President Ivo Josipović “expressed regret” during his visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is according to the Croatian Foreign and European Integrations Ministry Spokesman Mario Dragun. Vuk Jeremić’s address on Wednesday in Ancona, Italy, to the Adriatic-Ionian Council, has caused reactions …

Serbian President Boris Tadić says Serbia “definitely wants to become a member of the EU”, and that it will “never give up on protecting its integrity in Kosovo”. Those are the two key points of Serbia’s current and future policy, Tadić said at a ceremony in Požarevac this Thursday, marking …

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has arrived in the Macedonian town of Tetovo. In the Southeastern European University Mladenov will meet the rector academician Aledin Abazi.