Balkans

Bulgaria’s financial system and the central bank’s balance sheet are in very good condition, and there is no reason for concern, Bulgarian National Bank, BNB, governor Ivan Iskrov announced. At a presentation of the events planned for BNB’s 130th anniversary, Iskrov said that many countries could only dream enviously of …

Macedonia’s lack of willingness to reach a deal with Greece over its name will not only keep it away from NATO and the EU, but also increase its isolation and poverty, ethnic Albanian leaders said. European Union and NATO member Greece imposed a veto on Macedonia’s NATO entry a year …

Greek lawmakers will vote on Monday on whether to investigate a former minister’s possible connection to a shipping scandal, in a move that could threaten the government’s one-seat majority. A Greek shipowner has accused an aide of former Aegean Minister Aristotle Pavlides of seeking bribes in exchange for subsidised ferry …

STRASBOURG, France – Albania and Croatia officially became members of NATO at the Alliance’s summit in Strasbourg on Saturday (April 4th), after US President Barack Obama handed leaders of the two countries copies of the Washington Agreement that established the organisation. It was signed exactly 60 years ago, on April …

ZAGREB, Croatia – Police announced on Saturday (April 4th) that they have busted a group that trafficked people from Asia, the Middle East and the former Yugoslav republics to EU countries. The investigation was a joint one involving the police services of Slovenia, Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina. At a …

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands – The Hague war crimes tribunal on Friday (April 3rd) rejected a request by lawyers representing Croatian generals Ante Govotina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac to drop charges stemming from 1995’s Operation Storm.

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – Central Bank Governor Kemal Kozaric says that since BiH has a 200m-euro quota in the IMF, the country can request up to 1 billion euros an assistance. Speaking on Friday (April 3rd), he acknowledged that BiH will slip into recession this year, since the …

US President Barack Obama is in Prague Sunday to meet the EU leaders. Obama and First Lady, Michelle, arrived in Prague at 6:15 pm Saturday evening, but did not have any formal meetings. The couple took the evening off to rest after the exhausting schedule in London, Kehl and Strasbourg. …

The EC postponed until the end of May the eventual unblocking of the European ISPA program funds. The information was reported Sunday by the Bulgarian news agency BGNES citing the Bulgarian National television (BNT). According to the European Commission’s (EC) notification, Bulgaria only very recently presented to Brussels the requested …

Bulgaria’s PM, Sergey Stanishev, had a brief exchange Sunday with the US President Barack Obama. Stanishev attended the meeting between the US President and the leaders of the European Union (EU) Member States in Prague. Stanishev said in an interview for Darik radio that he had the opportunity to speak …