Balkans

Political corruption remains a huge problem for Bulgaria while the country cannot benefit from its EU membership and European topics are absent from the public dialogue. These are some of the opinions voiced Friday by European Union (EU) Member States’ Ambassadors to Bulgaria and other diplomats.

Ambassadors negotiating political settlement to end protests in Mitrovica. Senior diplomats and analysts have praised EULEX’s handling of its first major challenge in northern Kosovo. The EU rule-of-law mission has used tear gas and, on one occasion, used stun grenades against Serbian protesters opposed to the reconstruction of Albanian homes …

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik caused a new diplomatic and political scandal, by calling off ethnic Serb soldiers from NATO exercises in Georgia, local media reported on Friday. “Bosnia and Herzegovina has no reason to participate in this (exercise),” Dodik, who is Premier of the Serb-dominated Bosnian entity of Republika …

The prospect of Kosovo’s acceptance into the International Monetary Fund is raising some awkward questions in Serbia, and has precipitated debate within the country about the fate of the former province’s debt. The countries that made up the former Yugoslavia have divided up the debt, including IMF obligations, as well …

Macedonia’s outgoing President Branko Crvenkovski has made a last ditch appeal as Head of State to the government to increase its efforts and find a quick compromise with Greece on the so-called ”name” row. In his farewell meeting with the press before he formally steps down on May 12, Crvenkovski …

If we want the current initiative of the European Commission on resolving the border issue between Slovenia and Croatia to work, “Slovenia would have to receive a much better proposal that Olli Rehn`s latest proposal”, former Slovene prime minister and the president of the most powerful oppositional party, the Slovene …

PODGORICA, Montenegro The president of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP), Ranko Krivokapic, won re-election on Wednesday (May 6th) as parliament speaker after the nomination of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic for a sixth term late last week. The ruling coalition backed Krivokapic’s nomination, while the opposition voted against it. After the vote, …

TIRANA, Albania The government decided late on Wednesday (May 6th) to grant NATO permission to patrol its airspace until the Albanian air force starts patrolling it on its own. Parliament is expected to adopt the measure soon, without objections from the opposition. Albania joined NATO in early April.

PRISTINA, Kosovo A delegation of ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states visited Kosovo on Wednesday (May 6th) to gather more information on efforts by EULEX personnel. The ambassadors, members of the Political and Security Committee (PSC) in Brussels, assist with the EU’s political activities by preparing opinions for European …

SKOPJE, Macedonia Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic arrived on Thursday (May 7th) for an official visit to Skopje, the first by a Serbian official since Macedonia recognised Kosovo’s independence and Belgrade recalled its ambassador to Skopje last October.