Balkans

Albanian Opposition Socialist Party (SP) leader Edi Rama said Friday that his party is again leaving parliament and threatened large public protests unless Prime Minister Sali Berisha agrees to open the ballot boxes of the June 2009 general elections.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said that there is no need for the Czech Republic to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo.

DSS President Vojislav Koštunica said that Serbia should insist on talks with the EU in which there will be clear discussions of Kosovo. “European officials are stating every day that the time has come for conditions to be set before Serbia publicly to begin cooperating with Kosovo as a neighboring …

The European Commission intends to be flexible about the deadlines for the EU ISPA program, including those for the construction of Danube Bridge II. The statement came on the heals of a request on the part of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and his Romanian counterpart Emil Boc made before …

ICTY)on Friday rejected a request of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic to postpone his trial, ruling the proceedings will start next week after he makes his opening statements. Karadzic, who is conducting his own defence, has agreed to present his initial arguments early next week. But he has requested …

Police on Friday (February 26th) arrested three people suspected of involvement in the systematic execution of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica during the 1992-1995 conflict in BiH. The chief prosecution announced that Vlastimir Golijan, 35, Zoran Goronja, 38, and Stanko Savanovic, 42 — all former soldiers in the Bosnian Serb …

BiH Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj said on Friday that his country will submit its EU membership application by the end of this year. The statement came after a meeting with EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele in Brussels. Alkalaj said BiH cannot afford any further delays on the road to the …

The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board is dissatisfied with BiH’s failure to meet conditions needed to turn the Office of the High Representative (OHR) into a EU Special Representative (EUSR) office. This news came Thursday from High Representative Valentin Inzko.

Bulgaria and Romania are partners in the European Union not rivals, said Friday Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc at a news conference after the meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov commenting on the joint projects, the two countries intent to implement.

EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn is to arrive on a visit to Athens on March 1 to hold talks with the members of the Greek government, including with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Labor and Social Insurance and the Minister of Economy and Competition, …