Balkans

The Netherlands will support visa liberalization and the start of Macedonia’s EU accession talks, Dutch Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin said on Monday. He made the remarks after the signing of a Memorandum of Intent for the Dutch MATRA Programme – project on strengthening the national penitentiary system in line …

A high-level Slovenian Interior Ministry delegation, led by Minister Katarina Kresal and Police Commissioner Janko Gorsek, will visit Macedonia on November 23-24. Slovenian delegation will hold meetings with President Gjorge Ivanov and Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska.

Bulgaria considers participating in the EU police mission in Afghanistan, announced Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolay Mladenov. This is to say that Bulgaria will send one or more experts. Mladenov did not specify from which ministry the expert would be – Interior Ministry, Foreign Ministry or Defense Ministry. The type and …

European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin said that it is unrealistic for Serbia to apply for EU candidacy by the year’s end. After talks late Sunday with Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, Kacin said that candidacy for membership is a game unlike poker that has clear rules by which …

Macedonia’s Prime Minister has failed to present a platform for resolving the country’s burning row with Greece, leaving a space that is wide-open for speculation, the former Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva said in an interview for local media. Macedonia urgently needs a national platform regarding this issue, she said. This …

Iordanka Fandakova was officially sworn in Monday as Sofia’s first female mayor. The ceremony took place during a special meeting of the city’s Municipal Council, where Fandakova received the official support of all municipal councilmen.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters held a major rally on Friday evening in Tirana, seeking a partial recount of the ballots cast during the 28 June parliamentary elections. The rally, which was organised by the Socialists headed by Tirana’s mayor Edi Rama was also supported by smaller opposition parties …

Veritas Center Director Savo Štrbac said that Stanko Kovačević, suspected of having committed war crimes in Croatia, was arrested in Podgorica. Police arrested Kovačević on Friday according to an Interpol warrant, which was issued by Interpol in Zagreb. He is currently in custody pending extradition, Štrbac said.

Electricity price will not necessarily rise; it might fall, it might keep its level. What is important is for the prices to correspond to the expense and methods, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traycho Traykov said.

Belgrade is to host the fifth conference of the parliamentary committees for European integration affairs in the member states of the Stabilization and Association Process for South East Europe, the media report. Up for discussion at the two-day conference are the stabilization and association process, experience gained and future challenges, …