Balkans

Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) deputies in the parliament of Bosnia’s Serb dominated part Republika Srpska have vetoed a referendum law adopted by the region’s parliament earlier in February, declaring it to be in violation of their community’s “vital national interests”. The chairman of the Bosniak caucus in the Republika Srpska parliament …

Bulgaria and Russia have agreed to start building a nuclear power plant in the Bulgarian town of Belene this autumn, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said on Saturday (February 20th), after a trip to Sofia for talks with Bulgarian counterpart Traycho Traykov. Shmatko added that a series of details were …

Justice Minister Snezana Malovic has invited Montenegrin counterpart Miras Radovic to meet Thursday (February 25th) in Belgrade to discuss problems that are hindering co-operation between their respective judicial institutions. Serbia’s Prosecutor for Organised Crime Miljko Radisavljevic and State Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac will also attend the meeting. The invitation has also …

KFOR commander Markus Bentler says that the NATO-led mission will not interfere in the political processes in Kosovo. The German general pointed out that KFOR was impartial and that, according to UN SC Resolution 1244, its duty was to secure a safe environment in all parts of Kosovo.

The governments in the Balkan region are concerned that the Greek financial crisis could have spill-over effect on the Balkan countries, and will continue to affect the region in the medium and long term. With EUR 240 billion economy, Greece is an important regional driver and investor in the emerging …

The application is currently with the European Council, until the ministers ask the European Commission to produce its opinion.

Croatia has opened two more chapters in its EU accession talks, moving closer to its goal of becoming a member of the European Union. Croatia opened the chapters on the environment and fisheries at the Intergovernmental Conference Friday in Brussels.

A high level delegation from the Council of Europe, led by the president of the assembly, Mevlut Cavusoglu, is holding meetings with key political players in Tirana on Monday in an effort to resolve the country’s political crisis.

The EU ministers are today deciding on extending the mandates of the organization’s special representatives. This includes the six-month mandate of Pieter Feith in Kosovo.

Macedonian leaders are to hold consultations Monday ahead of tomorrow’s arrival of the UN mediator in the Athens-Skopje “name” row, US diplomat Matthew Nimetz. Macedonian President Georgi Ivanov, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and Deputy Prime Minister Abdilaqim Ademi are to discuss their expectations for the upcoming …