Balkans

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu stated that “historical, legal and constitutional” arguments were on “Kosovo’s side” in the ICJ case. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has started proceedings to determine the legality of the February 2008 unilateral independence declaration by Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians, which Belgrade rejected as an illegal act …

At a session of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament, which was attended by Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki, the Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Socialists and Democrats in the EP Evgeni Kirilov raised the issue of the Bulgarian military cemeteries and monuments in Macedonia, …

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović said that Montenegro and Serbia “need to step out of the shadow of Kosovo”. “Differing relations towards Kosovo hinder our relations today. We understand Serbia and we are sorry about the problem it finds itself in because of this. And we believe that we are …

Serbian President Boris Tadic supported on Tuesday Greek Prime Minister Geórgios Papandréou’s initiative for Western Balkan countries to join the EU by 2014. In Athens Tadic and Papandréou talked about Serbia’s European integration, visa liberalization, bilateral relations, situation in the region, and fight with crime.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has announced that Serbia will submit its EU candidacy request by the end of the year, with aim of joining the EU in five to seven years. In an interview for the European Parliament’s official website, Jeremic said that, according to the latest polls, 70 …

The President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek has issued a special address to the Bulgarian people on the occasion of the 20th year since November 10, 1989, coup that led to the collapse of the country’s communist regime. “There’s no freedom without solidarity,” said the President of the European …

The European Parliament is scheduled to give Wednesday the ‘green light’ on annulment of Schengen visas for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro as of December 19, Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon, who prepared the visa liberalization report for Western Balkan countries, said.

The Serbian parliament committee for Kosovo and Metohija on Tuesday called for all citizens in Kosovo not to vote in the local elections there, scheduled for November 15.

Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister Svetozar Marovic said that Serbia should be his country’s closest ally in the region. Marovic also said that he expects Serbia propbably has the same feeling towards relations with Montenegro. “The real interest of Montenegro is to have the best relations with Serbia and that Serbia …

Slovenia’s ruling coalition parties have joined opposition parties in calling for a referendum on a border deal agreed with Croatia. The four ruling parties as well as Prime Minister Borut Pahor and President Danilo Turk have decided to support the opposition initiative and said on Tuesday they will only ratify …