Balkans

Romania set ups joint venture with Gazprom

Romania’s Romgaz has set up a joint venture with Russia’s Gazprom for underground gas storage facilities that will boost the country’s ability to build gas stocks and could improve supplies to the European Union, the economy minister said Monday. Romgaz and Gazprom each own 50 percent of the joint venture, …

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Switzerland extends free movement for Bulgaria and Romania

Switzerland has signed a protocol with the European Union extending the “free movement” of people under the Schengen Agreement to Romanians and Bulgarians. This means that from June 1 2009, Bulgarians and Romanians no longer require international passports. The two countries are the latest editions to the free-movement agreement, a …

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Armenia Marks Year of Bulgaria Culture

A number of concerts are scheduled form May 29 to June 4 as part of the official celebration of the Year of Bulgarian Culture in Armenia. Both countries’ Ministries of Culture implement a cultural program with the participation of Bulgarian national and classical dancing ensembles, panarmenian.net reported.

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Bosnian Serbs, OHR Engage in “New War”

Politicians in Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity of Republika Srpska have started a new war with the top western envoy in the country, refusing his calls to stop challenging the country’s constitution. Despite stark warnings from the head of Bosnia’s Office of the High Representative, OHR, Valentin Inzko, Bosnian Serb parties have …

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Albania-Kosovo Highway Marks Milestone

Crews working on the tunnel of the new highway connecting Albania and Kosovo completed work on Sunday, inaugurating the breakthrough with a celebration ceremony attended by Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The 5.6-kilometre tunnel is part of the Rreshen-Kalimash road – one of the …

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Macedonian PM Vows Name Referendum

Any compromise between Skopje and Athens on the “name” issue will have to be approved by the people of Macedonia via a referendum, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski reiterated on Sunday. Gruevski, who is also head of the largest ruling party, the centre-right VMRO DPMNE, made his statement during a …

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US Urges Creative Macedonia “Name” Solution

US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg on Thursday urged Macedonia and Greece to find a creative solution to their ongoing name dispute. In an interview with the Macedonian edition of Voice of America, Hillary Clinton’s deputy pledged US help toward finding a resolution to the dispute. “We shall work …

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Germany Extends Kosovo Troop Presence

Germany’s lower house of parliament approved a plan yesterday to extend the presence of troops in Kosovo for an additional 12 months. Deputies arguing in favour of the Kosovo troop extension said that although the situation in Kosovo had stabilized, it remained fragile. Many Western countries have begun to cut …

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Incko: Neću dozvoliti osporavanja institucija BiH

Author: Mirza Čubro SARAJEVO – Visoki predstavnik međunarodne zajednice za BiH Valentin Incko izjavio je jučer u Vijeću sigurnosti UN-a da neće dopustiti da suverenitet države i nadležnosti njenih institucija budu osporene. “Neki od visokih političkih funkcionera iz Republike Srpske napadaju legitimitet institucija – sudskih, tužilačkih, policijskih, ekonomskih, obavještajnih i …

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No Appeal to Acquittal of Frmr Serbian President

he prosecution of The Hague’s international war crimes tribunal will not file an appeal to the not guilty verdict in the case of former Serbian president Milan Milutinovic, who was tried for war crimes in Kosovo in the first half of 1999, Belgrade’s daily ‘Vecernje novosti’ cited a statement by …

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