Balkans

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci supports the idea of appointing a European special envoy for the north of Kosovo, according to local media. Thaci said that the appointment of Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Michael Giffoni as the EU envoy in the north shows that Brussels is eager to stabilize the …

The majority of Western Balkan citizens support their countries’ aspirations to join the EU, according to the latest Gallup poll. In Serbia, 58 percent of the population supports EU integration, down two percent on 2006, according to Deutsche Welle. According to Gallup, Serbia citizens have a positive view of EU …

International High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina Valentin Inzko says that domestic and foreign fears of a new war are unrealistic. He added that Bosnian politicians had to display more responsibility in their statements. “We should all be aware that words have additional weight in Bosnia, due to the tragic past, and …

Albanian Socialists Opposition decided to go on protest, unsatisfied with the government’s refusal to investigate alleged manipulations in the number of vote counting at the elections held on 28 June. Socialists Leader Edi Rama urged the people to massive protesting on 10 October.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will officially hand in its action plan for NATO membership. The action plan will be handed to NATO Secretary General Andres Faugh Rasmussen by the Chairman of BiH presidency Zeljko Komshic. Head of NATO quarters in BiH, Sabat Eric said that the country satisfies some of …

The Tirana-based Macedonian Association ILINDEN strongly denounced the statement by Pandeli Majko, who called on Albanians to burn Macedonian flag. In a statement to media, the ILINDEN Association also condemned the recent incident in Tirana, where Macedonian national flag was set ablaze. “We are appalled at this vandalistic and uncivilized …

United States president Barack Obama has named James Warwick to be the next US ambassador in Sofia, Bulgarian news agency Focus said on October 2 2009. However, on October 2 there were no statements about the nomination on the websites of the White House or the US senate.

Bulgaria’s Cabinet was considering seeking a 1 billion euro loan from the World Bank under the Government Priorities funding budget, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Rosen Plevneliev said. The new credit would add to the 1 billion euro the country was seeking from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Three former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, have been found guilty of conducting a torture campaign at a prison camp in the remote Kosovo hills. Latif Gashi, Nazif Mehmeti and Rrustem Mustafa were convicted on Friday of war crimes committed during the conflict in Kosovo.

The Kosovo and Metohija Political Forum has been established in the town of Gracanica, ahead of Kosovo’s forthcoming local elections, to represent local Serbs. Broadcaster B92 reports that the forum was created at the initiative of 50 Gracanica residents, and neighbouring villages, in order to unite Kosovo Serbs. The leader …