Balkans

Leaders of the main Macedonian parties have agreed on several key issues regarding the adoption of reforms needed for the start of EU accession talks. Meeting late on Friday, the party leaders attuned their positions concerning a law mandating parliamentary reforms and on changes to the law on financing political …

Many Bosnia and Herzegovina politicians have failed to read EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn’s message to them on visa-liberalisation. “Deputies in the House of Representatives of the state parliament have yesterday proven once again their flippancy and irresponsibility towards their voters, as well as towards the messages that come from …

Kosovo opposition parties’ efforts to have the OSCE monitor the November 15 local elections have been in vain.Central Elections Committee, CEC, Spokesperson Fehmi Ajvazi confirms that the CEC will be the only body organising the upcoming polls, with the OSCE playing no role.

BELGRADE, Serbia Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic in Novi Pazar on Friday (July 24th) and said Ankara will invest in construction of a highway through Sandzak. The Turkish diplomat called the Sandzak region “a green light” for further co-operation between the two countries. Jeremic …

THE HAGUE, Netherlands Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj became the first defendant sentenced for contempt of court by The Hague war crimes tribunal. On Friday (July 24th), the tribunal sentenced him to 15 months in prison for revealing the identity of three protected witnesses in one of his books.

ZAGREB, Croatia Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development Minister Bozidar Kalmeta has submitted his resignation after Friday’s train accident which killed six and injured at least 50 of the 91 people aboard. The ministry’s spokesperson, Marina Haluzan, announced on Saturday (July 25th) that Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has not accepted the …

ZAGREB, Croatia Vesna Pusic will be the presidential candidate of the opposition Croatian People’s Party (HNS), party officials told a press conference Friday (July 24th). The move came as a surprise, as Radimir Cacic, chairman of the HNS, was expected to get the nod for the race later this year. …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn is urging BiH to implement constitutional reforms and close the Office of the High Representative to advance its EU bid. Rehn was scheduled to deliver a speech to parliament in Sarajevo on Saturday (July 25th), but cancelled his visit due …

TIRANA, Albania A heat wave across the Balkans took its first victim Saturday (July 25th), an elderly man found near the Durres-Tirana highway. In neighbouring Greece, temperatures skyrocketed to 42 degrees Celsius in district of Attica on Saturday. Elsewhere, a fire raged in the eastern part of Crete, forcing the …

BUCHAREST, Romania An earthquake registering 4.4 on the Richter scale shook the region of Vrancea in eastern Romania late on Friday (July 24th). It was also felt in Bucharest.Meanwhile, several minor earthquakes, with a magnitude of about 4.0 were registered in Macedonia’s region of Valandovo on Friday and Saturday.