Balkans

NATO delegation, headed by Admiral Mark Fitzgerald will kick off its 2-day visit to Macedonia on Tuesday. Admiral Fitzgerald is slated to meet with Macedonian Defense Minister Zoran Konjanovski and General Staff Chief Miroslav

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele is set to begin his first Western Balkans tour on Wednesday, with scheduled stops in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo.

The European Commission’s interim report in connection with mechanisms for collaboration and control of internal affairs and justice systems in Bulgaria and Romania will be approved and issued next week, a spokesman officially announced.

The ruling Democratic Party (PDK) candidate won the mayoral race in Gjilan on Sunday (March 14th), the third time it’s been held. Qemajl Mustafa beat Fatmir Rexhepi of the Democratic League of Kosovo by 5,000 votes. The Central Elections Commission said no incidents were reported and that turnout was around …

Croatian Justice Minister Ivan Šimonović said that there is no possibility that Serbia can pay reparations for damages incurred by Croatia during the war. He said that Croatia can only expect “symbolic reparations based on the genocide committed”, referring to the genocide charges Croatia filed against then Yugoslavia in 1999.

Macedonia shows efforts in solving name issue. Slovenian Ambassador to Macedonia Alan Bergant made the remarks at the meeting with students and professors from South East European University in Tetovo.

The War Crimes Council of the Belgrade High Court convicted on Monday Pano Bulat to 15 and Rade Vranešević to 12 years in prison. The two defendants were found guilty of the murder of six Croat civilians in Banski Kovačevac, Croatia, in March 1992.

The war crimes chamber of the High Court in Belgrade has remanded in custody for 30 days 9 persons suspected of crimes committed in area of Pec, Kosovo in 1999. The suspects were arrested on Friday, March 12. According to Bruno Vekaric from the prosecution, two others are at large.

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas urged EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele to use the interim reference “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”.

Serbia has made surprising progress in the last several months in its European integrations, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said. He said that the visa liberalization for Serbian citizens offers a new perspective for change and cooperation.