Balkans

Minister of Kosovo Goran Bogdanović says that the time when Belgrade was sending “directives” had passed. He was answering criticism of the official Belgrade’s position toward the local elections held in the province last weekend, organized by the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština.

The European Commission has unfrozen part of the suspended funds under the PHARE program for Bulgaria-EUR 3.5 mln. This is what was notes in a letter of the EU Enlargement Directorate to the Deputy Prime Minister and financial minister Simeon Dyankov received on Tuesday night.

Bulgaria, the EU country worst hit by gas delivery disruptions last January following a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over transit, warned about delays to infrastructure work designed to boost energy security. The interconnectors are part of a “recovery plan” launched by Commission President José Manuel Barroso before his re-election. …

The Vice President of the European Commission Jacques Barrot announced the Council of the European Union will give November 30 its consent on liberalization of visa regime for Serbia.

Macedonian President George Ivanov appealed to the European Union to set a date for the start of negotiations with Skopje on joining the EU, almost four years after it was made a candidate, his office said Tuesday. “The start of the negotiations will be a clear positive signal for Macedonia, …

Media report that the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, ICTY, Serge Brammertz, is satisfied with the level of Serbia’s cooperation with the Tribunal even though he has not stated that the country is fully cooperating. Brammertz wrote in his regular report to the UN …

The 2009 corruption perception index released by the Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International shows that most countries in the Balkans have not improved their position in the global anti-corruption index. With the exception of Montengro, there appears to have been little impact on the fight against corruption despite actions taken to …

Bakim Kelani, spokeperson for the Kosovo Police Service, KPS, has announced that Serbian and Montenegrin nationals do not need a passport to enter Kosovo. 

Macedonia and Greece must use the window of opportunity before the December EU council to strike a deal on their name spat that continues to block Skopje’s Euro-Atlantic integration, Swedish Foreign Minister said on Tuesday. “This has to be dealt with bilaterally” Carl Bildt, whose country is currently running the …

The opposition New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, is accusing the Alliance for Future of Kosovo, AAK, for manipulation in polling stations in the Gjakova municipality during Kosovo’s local election.