Balkans

The Serbian government declared a three-day national mourning period starting Monday after the country’s Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Pavle, died at 95 on Sunday. The patriarch died of cardiac arrest after having been hospitalized for two years in the Belgrade Military Hospital. Patriarch Pavle was born September 11, 1914 in …

Slovenia’s agreement to sign on to the South Stream pipeline project has dashed hopes by the European Union to reduce dependency on Russian gas. As the Slovenian and Russian energy ministers signed an agreement for the massive South Stream gas pipeline Saturday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin looked on in …

Macedonia’s Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will pay official visit to Bulgaria on Monday. Gruevski id scheduled to meet Bulgaria’s PM Bojko Borisov. Bulgarian party VMRO-VND led by nationalist Krasimir Karakancov said that Gruveski visit to Sofia is Macedonia’s path toward EU.

Macedonia’s Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska will attend the 2-day EU-West Balkans ministerial forum on Justice and Home affairs. In the frameworks of the 2-day conference, several sessions, dedicated to fight against corruption, people trafficking, bilateral, multilateral regional and institutional cooperation for fighting against these issues, will be discussed.

Yordanka Fandakova, the newly-elected Mayor of the Bulgarian capital Sofia from the ruling party GERB, has received exactly 66,23% of the votes in Sunday’s Elections.

The Macedonian government is to hold consultations with the negotiator in the name dispute with Greece Zoran Jolevski, thus cancelling the meeting between the Macedonian and Greek negotiators and the UN mediator Matthew Nimitz scheduled for November 16-20. After hearing the positions of both sides, Nimitz had reserves as to …

The people of Kosovo have voted in local elections – the first poll since the territory declared independence from Serbia last year. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s ruling PDK coalition has claimed a “convincing” victory, but official results are due in the next few hours. Voting passed off calmly, with turnout …

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Roćen said that Serbia has not submitted any demands to open up Serbian cultural centers in Montenegro. Roćen said that Montenegro has agreed to let Serbia open one consulate in Podgorica, along with the embassy. 

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said that the Serbian government has made significant efforts over the last year in its European integration. “We are now waiting for the new report from (Hague Chief Prosecutor) Serge Brammertz to the UN Security Council in early December, to check if the Serbian government …

President Boris Tadić will continue his three-day visit to Italy on Saturday, meeting with Roman Catholic Church leader Pope Benedict XVI. Tadić will also be talking to the Vatican secretary of state and foreign minister before meeting with the Pope. He will discuss questions related to the joint goal of …