Balkans

Exit polls from Croatia’s presidential election run-off suggest that Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic is in the lead. He won December’s vote but failed to secure an outright majority, prompting a second round against challenger Milan Bandic, the mayor of Zagreb.

Croatian President Stjepan Mesić said that he does not see a reason for his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadić to be angry over his visit to Kosovo. “I would have supported him coming with me here and meeting with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and the citizens that welcomed us whole-heartedly,” Mesić …

Instead of partly contra-productive and declarative support for future Western Balkans EU membership, EU should set a time framework for the Western Balkans’ EU entry, Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said. He added that the region had took great efforts and made certain progress since the summit in Zagreb and …

In 2010, Azerbaijan will produce over 28 billion cubic meters of gas, the republic will have free volume of fuel for export. Along with the traditional markets of gas sale such as Georgia and Turkey, this year Azerbaijan starts supplying gas to new markets – Russia and Iran. Next week …

Croatians will choose January 10 (Sunday) their next president in a run-off vote between a law professor from the main opposition Social Democrats and the populist mayor of Zagreb as the winner is expected to lead the country towards the European integration.

The Kosovo government will send EUR 200,000 of aid to Albania to help cope with problems resulting from recent flooding. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said that ’’this is only the start of aid for the brotherly nation and state of Albania.“ Along with the financial help, the government decided …

Greece will improve its stability program, measures, which have to strengthen the economy in compliance with the recommendations of European representatives, which have visited the country over the last three days. The financial minister George Papaconstantinou announced the intention of the Greek Parliament to present before Brussels a concrete and …

The President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy prefers the name “Macedonia” and noted it in his first speech on Friday during his visit to Germany, Macedonian Untrinski vesnik newspaper writes. Rompuy has delivered his first official speech before representatives of a local party not at a summit of …

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said the chairman of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) Ali Ahmeti had not asked him for government reshuffles, Macedonian Vecer daily writes. If a minister decides to quit, it is their right, the prime minister added. Gruevski’s words came after the reports in the …

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said that name talks with Greece will resume by the end of January or the beginning of February the latest. “So far, we haven’t had any announcements on name talks. We expect something towards the end of January or the beginning of February”, Macedonian PM …