Balkans

Skopje Likely to Respond Today on Name Proposals

SKOPJE, Macedonia Today, Zoran Jolevski, Macedonia’s negotiator in the Athens-Skopje name talks, is expected to give his country’s response to the latest set of proposals tabled by UN mediator Matthew Nimetz. On Wednesday, Greece said that it would not accept the latest Nimetz proposals if a compromise formulation of Macedonia’s …

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Kosovo Adamant in Opposition to Policing Protocol

PRISTINA, Kosovo The EU rule of law mission, EULEX, cannot and will not sign any agreement in the name of Kosovo, EULEX head Yves De Kermabon said on Thursday. Kermabon was speaking after a meeting with Kosovo’s President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. “EULEX, as a technical rule …

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Preparations for Russian president’s visit

BELGRADE, Serbia Russian ambassador in Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin said that a series of strategic agreements will be signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit. A representative delegation will be accompanying Medvedev during his first trip to Serbia, expected in late October. The visit is expected to include discussions on a …

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Crvenkovski urges for substantial negotiations over name

SKOPJE, Macedonia Branko Crvenkovski, the leader of the opposition SDSM encouraged the government to engage itself in substantial negotiations over the name in order to reach a settlement on the perennial dispute with Greece. Crvenkovski sent a message that SDSM will not take populist approach and called the Government “to …

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Bulgaria Government Replaces Another 10 District Governors

BULGARIA The new Bulgarian Government has replaced another ten District Governors appointed by the previous Council of Ministers. The GERB cabinet released of duty the Governors of Vidin, Kyustendil, Lovech, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Razgrad, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Shumen, and Yambol. This list of the the new district governors is as follows:

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Bulgaria Government to Create Transplantations Fund

BULGARIA The Bulgarian Government has voted Wednesday for the creation of a specialized center “Transplantations Fund” which will assist those in need. The total sum that is needed to cover the transplantations in Bulgaria amounts to BGN 96 M, Health Minister, Bozhidar Nanev, reported Wednesday after the Council of Ministers …

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Imam Says Arabs States to Recognise Kosovo in 2009

PRISTINA, Kosovo The head of the Islamic Community of Kosovo, ICK, claims that a number of Arab states will recognise Kosovo shortly. “I cannot be certain when, but […] in the remaining part of the year, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen and Oman will recognise Kosovo’s independence,” Naim Ternava was quoted by …

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Greek Naming Dispute Reply “Not Positive”

MACEDONIA UN mediator Matthew Nimetz’s has expressed pessimism regarding the Greek response to his recently proferred proposals for solving the Athens-Skopje naming dispute. So far there is no official information on the content of the Greek response. A brief UN press release on the meeting between Nimetz and Greek representative …

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Serbia Braces for IMF Talks

SERBIA Serbian President Boris Tadic says that Serbia will propose a new package of measures dealing with public expenditure and administration cuts in upcoming talks with IMF officials. “We need […] to rearrange public spending,” Tadic acknowledged in comments carried by Fonet news agency. He added that the best policy …

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