Balkans

BELGRADE, BRUSSELS The European Commission has proposed the abolition of visas for Serbian citizens traveling to the EU starting from January 1, the EC announced today. Justice and Enlargement Commissioners Jaques Barrot and Olli Rehn told a press conference in Brussels that the same recommendations had been made for Macedonia …

BELGRADE Serbia’s legal team has sent its comments on the statements filed by other countries in the Kosovo case considered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).Last fall, the UN General Assembly ordered the world organization’s top tribunal to provide an advisory opinion on whether the ethnic Albanians’ unilateral proclamation …

BRUSSELS The EU commission is next week set to recommend that Bulgaria and Romania continue to stay under a special monitoring mechanism beyond 2009, due to their slow progress in justice reforms and the fight against corruption and organised crime. The commission reports, due on Wednesday (22 July), take stock …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) High Representative Valentin Inzko will meet with leaders of the three main political parties on Thursday (July 16th) to discuss ways to get reforms moving again. All three parties signed the so-called Prud Agreement in November 2008, in which they pledged to address key political …

BELGRADE, Serbia Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced on Wednesday (July 15th) plans for Serbia and EULEX to sign an accord on Kosovo border control soon. He said a draft agreement was reached during EU security chief Javier Solana’s visit to Belgrade earlier this week.

PRISTINA, Kosovo The European Commission Liaison Office (ECLO) launched a new twinning project Wednesday (July 15th) aimed at boosting the rule of law in Kosovo. Twinning has proven to be an effective tool in enhancing the capabilities of local institutions in drafting, adopting and enforcing EU standards and legislation. This …

TIRANA, Albania US Ambassador to Tirana John Withers stressed on Wednesday (July 15th) that it is crucial that the tallying process in the June 28th parliamentary elections is conducted in accordance with the Electoral Code. “The process has to be transparent, professional and not politicised,” Withers said. The Central Elections …

PRISTINA, Kosovo An explosion in front of the parliament building just before midnight Wednesday (July 15th) destroyed a vehicle parked there and injured a passerby. Local media reported that the vehicle belonged to the owner of a construction company, who parked it in front of some privately-owned shops. Some of …

Bosnian and many European officials have condemned the European Commission’s proposed visa-liberalization plan for the Balkans as discriminatory against Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and potentially destabilizing for entire region. “Bosnia and Herzegovina remains on the black list. People are in the ghetto because of visas,” reads the top news headline in …

Wednesday’s decision by the European Commission to recommend scrapping of EU visas for Macedonian citizens represents a genuine victory for the country and its people, the country’s prime minister said. In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski Wednesday afternoon heartily welcomed the lifting of the visa regime …