Balkans

Bulgaria puts price on Turkey’s EU membership

Bulgaria is threatening to block Turkey’s application to become member of the European Union unless it pays out billions of euros in compensation for displaced people, in a case dating back to the days of the Ottoman Empire. Bulgarian minister in charge of the Bulgarians abroad, Bozhidar Dimitrov, pressed the …

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Serbia – Police arrest war crimes suspect

Police have arrested a man, Darko Jankovic, for suspected war crimes against civilians committed during the Bosnian conflict, war crimes prosecution office spokesman Bruno Vekaric announced on Sunday (January 3rd). Vekaric said Jankovic is wanted for the 1992 killings of 19 civilians near the town of Zvornik, as well as …

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Ferati: Decentralisation process in Kosovo nearly complete

Minister of Local Government Administration Sadri Ferati said that most of the work in the decentralisation process has been completed, citing as evidence the participation of Serb community members in the recent municipal elections. Ferati added that progress has been achieved due to the Kosovo government’s commitment to collaborating with …

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Solana says Albania, BiH to join Schengen soon

Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will soon join the Schengen zone, former EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said. Solana stressed that regional co-operation and peace in the Balkans are critical to the region, and added that its prospects lie not in division but in European integration. He also …

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Thaci: Kosovo’s EU perspective not at risk

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said Kosovo’s EU perspective is not at risk despite the fact that five EU countries including Spain, the current holder of EU presidency, have not recognized Kosovo’s independence. Thaci made the remarks after Spain took over the rotating EU presidency on January 1.

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“Bosnia could turn to Palestine in heart of Europe” – Stjepan Mesić

Outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesić said that there will be negative effects if Bosnia-Herzegovina falls apart. He stated that should the Serb entity, RS, break away, Bosnia’s Croats – who currently form the second entity, the Muslim-Croat Federation – “would do the same”, with all this turning what would remain …

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Slovakia pulling soldiers from Kosovo

Slovakia is planning on return 139 of its KFOR mission soldiers from Kosovo and leaving only 20 soldiers to work in the intelligence services. “By the end of 2010, the motorized unit which is serving in Kosovo under the NATO flag could return home. There is no longer a need …

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K. ministry official to Montenegro: Think it over

Ministry for Kosovo State Secretary Oliver Ivanović said that Montenegro should think hard before establishing diplomatic relations with Kosovo. “They have at least 30 percent of their population considering themselves to be Serbs and are adamantly against the decision. It is not good to have that many dissatisfied people on …

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Georgios Papandreou meets with Mirko Cvetkkovic and Boris Tadic in Belgrade

Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Greece Georgios Papandreou is to visit Belgrade today. Papandreou will take part in the annual conference of ambassadors to Serbia. During the visit in Belgrade he will meet with his counterpart Mirko Cvetkovic and the president of the state Boris Tadic.

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