Balkans

International observers say that Bulgaria’s July 5 general elections were a cause for some concern amid vote-buying accusations, but stress that the outcome of the poll reflected the will of the people. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, …

Jordan has recognised Kosovo’s independence, making it the 61st country to do so, Albana Beqiri, advisor to the Kosovo Foreign Ministry said yesterday. Jordan is the first country to recognise Kosovo’s independence in the past two months. Sixty-one states have now recognised Kosovo as an independent nation since it’s unilateral …

Macedonia has to produce some concrete results very soon if it wishes to make a positive impression before the European Commission drafts its report on the country’s progress this fall, the EU ambassador to the country said. At a press conference in Skopje yesterday afternoon, EU Ambassador to Macedonia Erwan …

Serbian authorities have deported a man wanted by Bosnia for his suspected role in the execution of 23 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) civilians in the central Bosnian city of Jajce in 1992. Zoran Maric, a former member of the Bosnian Serb army, was extradited on Tuesday on the basis of a …

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic has opened a 21-kilometre-long stretch of the highway on Corridor 10, between the border with Macedonia and the southern Serbian village of Levosoje near Bujanovac, around 350 kilometres south of Belgrade. Cvetkovic said yesterday that the government had fulfilled its promise made to citizens exactly …

The leader of the GERB party and Prime Minister-designate Boyko Boriov announced Wednesday afternoon that the GERB chair, Tzvetan Tzvetanov, will be named Bulgaria’s new interior minister. Borisov broke the news after he and Tzvetanov met with the Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev and other representatives of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office …

The chief of Bosnia’s negotiating team for visa liberalisation has told local media that most of the work on fulfillment of conditions for a visa-free regime with the EU could be completed by September this year. Negotiator Samir Rizvo said that among the requirements that remain to be addressed are …

Rohatinski has told local media that the country needs 5.7 billion euros to finance this year’s deficit, despite the fact that just two months ago, he said that financial aid would be unnecessary. Rohatinski called on the government to follow a responsible fiscal policy in terms of public sector savings, …

At a meeting in Belgrade, the Presidents of Serbia and Palestine, Boris Tadic and Mahmoud Abbas stated that a peaceful and final settlement of the Middle East Crisis can only be reached by negotiation, and ruled out the imposition of any kind of solution. Speaking at a press conference, Abbas …

The UN mediator in the “name” dispute between Greece and Macedonia did not table any new proposals during his two-day visit to Macedonia, local media reported, but only “felt the pulse” of the local authorities. On his arrival on Monday afternoon, Matthew Nimetz met with Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Milososki. …