Balkans

Macedonia’s Constitutional Court has decided not to launch a procedure following an initiative put forward by the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, to review the constitutionality of the recent Macedonia-Kosovo border ratification agreement. The judges decided that the bilateral agreement involved only a demarcation deal and did not changed the …

After a meeting with representatives of the Serb minority in Kosovo, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced on Thursday the gifting of a 400,000 euro grant to the community of Gracanica. Berisha held a joint meeting with Slobodan Petrovic, head of the Serbian Liberal Party in Kosovo, where he expressed …

Bulgarian Prime Minister (PM) Boyko Borisov has discussed issues on bilateral relations of Bulgaria with Macedonia and Serbia. In a telephone talks he has wished the two friendly countries on their path to the integration in European structures and has welcomed the official Serbia’s application for EU accession, the government …

Bulgaria could add up to 100 troops in Afghanistan in 2010 and will consolidate its military contingent there in Kandahar, Defense Minister Nickolay Mladenov said Tuesday. “In the beginning of January 2010 the Ministry of Defense will request the Council of Ministers our mission in Kandahar to be increased with …

The latest provocation stemming from Bulgaria’s ethnic model is taking place in the country, the nationalist VMRO party warns. In a letter sent to the media Wednesday, VMRO informs that a new party “Union for Peace, Authenticity and Culture” (POMAK) has been founded in the town of Trigrad, in a …

The New U.S. ambassador in Serbia is expected in mid-January, that country’s embassy press attaché Brian Stimmler said on Tuesday. Mary Warlick’s appointment must first be approved by the U.S. Senate, which has not yet voted on the issue. U.S. President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint Warlick to …

Bosnia’s constitution discriminates against Jews and Roma by barring them from running for parliament and presidency based on their ethnic identity, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday. The Strasbourg-based court issued its binding decision in response to a complaint filed by Dervo Sejdic, an official of an …

The Coordinator of Serbia’s Action Team for locating and arresting Hague indictees, Rasim Ljajic, has repeated earlier warnings that he will resign if the number-one war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic is not arrested by the end of this year. Ljajic said he must bear responsibility for having said that the …

President Boris Tadić said in Stockholm on Tuesday that he expects Serbia to become a candidate for European Union membership next year. At a reception organized in his honor by Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Tadić said that Serbia will be a positive surprise to Europe in the coming year, …

A delegation of Serbian representatives of Kosovo institutions has embarked on a historic trip to Albania upon an invitation of the government in Tirana. Kosovo Serb delegation, led by Slobodan Petrovic, Member of Kosovo Assembly Presidency, met with Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta on Tuesday.