Balkans

PRISTINA, Kosovo Thousands of Serbs turned out on Sunday (June 28th) to celebrate the 620th anniversary of the Kosovo battle in which the Serb Army confronted the invading Ottoman Turks.

PRISTINA, Kosovo The government played down on Sunday (June 28th) suggestions of a border dispute brewing between Kosovo and Serbia in eastern Kosovo. The reaction came after a series of claims about a Serbian gendarmerie unit patrolling inside the village of Karacevo, an area Kosovo says is part of its …

Bulgaria has defended its decision to release former Kosovo prime minister Agim Ceku, wanted for alleged war crimes in Serbia. “I guarantee that Bulgarian justice institutions acted in accordance with the domestic and international laws,” Bulgaria’s deputy prosecutor, Galina Toneva, told media in reference to the release last week of …

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the international election observer missions for Sunday’s parliamentary poll concluded that Albania’s election process demonstrated “marked improvements” but did not yet meet international standards. The mission included more than 400 short-term and long-term election monitors from the OSCE, ODIHR, Council of Europe Parliamentary …

Balkan nations, despite their commitments to the Central European Free Trade Agreement, are engaged in a tit-for-tat protectionist trade war, much of which has political motives, Ekrem Krasniqi and Anes Alic report for ISN Security Watch. By Ekrem Krasniqi and Anes Alic in Brussels and Sarajevo for ISN Security Watch …

BELGRADE, Serbia Serbian President Boris Tadic on Friday (June 26th) demanded an explanation from Bulgaria over the release of former Kosovar Prime Minister Agim Ceku who is wanted for war crimes in Serbia. Tadic said the way Bulgarian authorities handled the case “does not contribute to good relations”. Meanwhile, Foreign …

BRUSSELS, Belgium High Representative Valentin Inzko said on Friday (June 26th) the EU may lift visa requirements for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) citizens as of July 2010, media reported. “BiH may expect getting a visa-free regime six months after Serbia, which would be on July 1st, 2010,” he said after …

TALLINN, Estonia Former Croatian Serb leader Milan Martic arrived in Estonia on Friday (June 26th) to serve his 35-year sentence for war crimes committed in Croatia between 1991 and 1994, local authorities said. His transfer was arranged under an agreement between the Estonian government and the UN. He is to …

Top world countries charged with overseeing peace-implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina will begin meetings today in Sarajevo to decide the future of the international presence in the troubled country. The meeting of the Peace Implementation Council, PIC, comes amidst the worst post-war crisis in Bosnia and at a time of …

Slovenia and Croatia have entered into a new diplomatic dispute when Slovenia accused its neighbor of violating its airspace only a few days after Slovenia blocked Croatia’s EU accession talks. The Slovenian news agency STA reported on Saturday that two Croatian fighter jets, which were escorting a foreign delegation, had …