Balkans

Sweden announced on January 21 that it would close six embassies, while at the same time opening 10 new embassies by upgrading section offices in those countries. Among the embassies to be closed was the Swedish embassy to Bulgaria. Besides the embassy in Sofia, other Swedish embassies to be closed …

European Commissioner President José Manuel Barroso is scheduled to confer on Thursday with World Bank’s Kristalina Georgieva, the replacement candidate for Bulgaria’s new commissioner. The meeting comes a day after Barroso announced that Georgieva is nominated for the same portfolio – that of humanitarian aid – as that of the …

Serbia’s accession “to EU and NATO” represents a national interest for Romania, Romanian President Traian Basescu said. Speaking in Bucharest at the start of his new five-year term, Basescu said that the Western Balkans was “extremely important for Romania as a stable and prosperous area in its immediate proximity, which, …

Radovan Karadžić has filed an appeal after his request to have British lawyer Richard Harvey dismissed as his appointed legal counsel was denied. Harvey was appointed to represent the former political leader of Bosnia’s Serbs in October 2009, after he boycotted his Hague trial for three days, demanding a postponement …

The Czech Republic unreservedly supports Serbia’s endeavors for European Union integration. This was heard from Czech Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Jan Kohout and Serbian Deputy PM for EU Integration Bozidar Đelić after their meeting in Belgrade on Wednesday.

The border arbitration agreement signed by Slovenian and Croatian prime ministers in Stockholm on 4 November will be put to review before Slovenia’s highest court on Thursday.

Macedonian ambassador to the Netherlands and representative of the country in the lawsuit against Greece at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Nikola Dimitrov, confirmed the news that Athens has presented its arguments on the case before the court.

Croatia has sent a third contingent of 20 troops to the NATO mission in Kosovo. The troops will remain within KFOR four months. For the first time two women have been included. The contingent consists of three helicopters and an air and technical team. The Croats will be deployed in …

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday threw US support behind Montenegro’s bid to join NATO as the Balkan country pursues political reforms. The chief US diplomat “pledged the United States’ support for Montenegro becoming an integral part of the Euro-Atlantic community” as she stood next to visiting Montenegrin …

Spain hopes for a swift solution to the Greek-Macedonian “name” spat that would put Macedonia on the right track towards EU membership, Spanish Prime Minister and EU chairman Jose Luis Zapatero said on Wednesday. “I have great confidence in the [Greek] Government of George Papandreou, and of course we cooperate …