Balkans

The European Union’s new President Herman Van Rompuy on Monday praised the efforts of Bulgaria’s new government to fight recession and clean the Balkan country’s image marred by rampant corruption and crime. The center-right cabinet of Boiko Borisov, which won July general elections, has taken steps to punish corrupt officials, …

Montenegrin Deputy PM Svetozar Marović says his country “most sincerely wants to have the best possible relations with Serbia”. Podgorica will not establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules on the legality of the unilateral Kosovo Albanian proclamation, he said.

European Council President-designate Herman van Rompuy will pay a brief working visit to Bulgaria on December 14 2009, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov told journalists in Brussels.

Serbian President Boris Tadic said Croatia’s defence of Kosovo’s independence in front of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, are harming relations between the two neighbours. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Palic lake, Tadic said that Croatia’s arguments at the court amount to interference in Belgrade’s …

As the departure date for international judges and prosecutors working in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state court approaches, pressure is growing on the High Representative’s Office to make a decision on whether to extend their stay. Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, and Nebojsa Radmanovic, the Serb member of the …

Bosnian security forces have rearrested three men on charges of terrorism and illegal weapons trafficking in a renewed attempt by the prosecution to prove the group’s international terror network connections, having failed to indict them previously due to lack of evidence, Anes Alic writes for ISN Security Watch. Arrested for …

Vijeće ministara BiH utvrdilo je jučer prijedlog ugovora između BiH i Srbije kojim će biti omogućeno da osobe koje su pravosnažno osuđene u jednoj zemlji kaznu izdržavaju u drugoj. Sporazum gotovo identične sadržine između BiH i Hrvatske trebalo bi da bude usvojen na narednoj sjednici Vijeća ministara. Postojeći ugovori BiH …

Electing Rumiana Jeleva to the position of Vice-President of the European People’s Party (EPP) was a mistake, according to statements made by Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin. He has spoken out on Friday, criticizing Jeleva’s appointment because she is also a candidate for a post as commissioner. He added that the …

Serbia is getting mixed signals from EU countries on when to formally apply for membership, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić told Reuters in New York. He also added that “a decision soon will be made soon”. Jeremić said that EU membership was Serbia’s “central strategic priority”.

Macedonia and Italy will sign the third program on bilateral cooperation in the field of culture, education and science for the period from 2009 to 2012. The document will be signed this afternoon in Skopje by Macedonia Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska and the Italian Ambassador in Macedonia.