Balkans

Albanian economic growth this year will be minimal, owing to the effects of the global economic downturn, the Central Bank governor, Ardian Fullani, has said. Fullani said confidence in the Albanian banking sector had revived after the first aftershocks of the crises in global financial markets. However, the government needs …

The Albanian government decided on Tuesday to slash the pension age for miners from 65 to 60-years-old, following an electoral promise from Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Miners unions have held a series of protests in recent years seeking better working conditions and demanding better pensions and wages. 

MEP and leader of the Dutch far-right Freedom Part (PVV), Geert Wilders, has called for Bulgaria and Romania to be thrown out of the EU In an interview for euronews.net Wilders was asked about his views on the Ukraine possibly joining the EU, he answered, “No, I think that no …

The new cabinet will be formed by July 27 2009, prime minister-to-be Boiko Borissov told reporters on July 9 2009, Bulgarian news agency Focus said. President Georgi Purvanov will convene the newly-elected Parliament on July 14 2009, after which he will designate the leader of the party who won the …

SOFIA Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Radoi Popov said Thursday the foreign policy of his country’s new government gave priority to the efforts aiming to inaugurate an embassy in Saudi Arabia at an early date.

SOFIA Responding to the statements published in the media concerning SAPARD program, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds management Meglena Plugchieva said that she expected the European Commission would announce its decision on the SAPARD funds before the summer holiday, the office of the deputy prime minister announced.

The European Commission will propose lifting visa restrictions on three Western Balkans states – Macedonia, Serbia and Montengro – the Justice Commissioner confirmed Friday. “A proposal will be made next Tuesday in Strasbourg to liberalize visas for nationals of the Western Balkans,” Jacques Barrot said in Brussels. “Under this proposal, …

The reshuffling of the Macedonian government led by centre-right Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will be verified in Parliament on Friday. Parliamentary Speaker Trajko Veljanoski expressly set the session for the dismissal and appointment of ministers after several members of Gruevski’s team on Wednesday resigned and one was dismissed in what …

Government donations of state-owned land to the country’s two leading religious communities to erect a church and a mosque in Skopje will fail in the Constitutional Court, law experts warn. The move represents an attempt to indirectly finance religious communities and contradicts the secular character of the state, they say.

Macedonian top officials late Wednesday held a meeting to discuss the latest talks with the UN “name” row mediator Matthew Nimetz, reiterating that any possible compromise with Greece over Macedonia’s name would have to be supported by the public. The meeting, summoned by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, was attended by …