Balkans

The European Union is the biggest active donor in Montenegro. The European Commission’s annual assistance through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) amounts to around 1% of the country’s GDP.

Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik has sharply criticised recent negotiations initiated by senior EU and US officials and called for new talks among local leaders without the presence of international officials. The “Butmir talks were an unnecessary adventure,” local media quoted Dodik as saying on Friday.

Predsjednici sedam najvećih stranaka u BiH jučer nisu mogli postići sporazum o ustavnim promjenama u BiH, a razgovori u vojnoj bazi u Butmiru biće nastavljeni danas. Nakon okončanja runde pregovora stranački lideri iznijeli su suprotstavljene stavove o ponuđenom paketu ustavnih promjena, a predstavnici SAD i EU razgovore su ocijenili “prilično …

The Hague Tribunal trial chamber has turned down a prosecution motion to impose a defense counsel on Vojislav Šešelj. “The trial chamber, given the new information, has decided to reject the motion to impose a defense counsel… So, you’ll continue representing yourself?” Judge Jean-Claude Antonetti (presiding) asked the Serb Radical …

Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu says that Serbia, as a part of Europe, will be part of a common European security concept. He refused to get into details regarding the concept after his meeting with Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, and advised journalists to them to ask Russian President …

Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz says he expects former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić’s trial to last “between two and a half and three years”. “We want a trial that will reflect a majority of the committed crimes, which gives space for victims to tell their stories and for that …

Macedonia and Bulgaria need to step up the cooperation in the construction of Corridor 8 given its significance as regional corridor, the two countries’ officials said. According to Macedonian Parliament’s press service, Macedonian parliament president Trajko Veljanovski and his Bulgarian counterpart Cecka Cacheva met on the

Albanian Parliament postponed the ratification of the Albanian-Greek Maritime Border Agreement after the opposition parties lodged an initiative for reviewing of the document at the Constitutional Court.

The negotiations among the Bosnia-Herzegovina’s political leaders under joint mediation of the US diplomats and EU representatives have been put on halt Tuesday. After Tuesday’s talks, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said that they produced no significant results. “For us, the proposed package of measures is unacceptable …

Bulgaria is eager to further boost co-operation with Greece in investment, infrastructure and energy projects, Foreign Minister Roumyana Zheleva said in an October 20 2009 meeting with leaders of the Hellenic Business Council in Bulgaria (HBCB). The meeting discussed a range of opportunities to build on the traditionally good relations …