Balkans

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Sunday’s second round of presidential and local elections went in accordance with “most international standards”, the OSCE said in a statement Monday (April 6th). We were pleased to see a peaceful environment and a well-administered Election Day, although some aspects of the campaign period seriously detracted from …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The country needs ten years and 400m euros to clear about 220,000 mines left over from the 1992-1995 conflict, the BiH Mine Action Centre announced on Monday (April 6th).

BELGRADE, Serbia – The Serbian army is the best and most professional in the region, Defence Ministry Secretary Dusan Spasojevic said on Monday (April 6th), citing a report by the US analysis and research agency Stratfor.

ATHENS, Greece – Parliament voted early on Tuesday (April 7th) to form a special committee to investigate former Aegean Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis for bribery, a move that may threaten the ruling New Democracy (ND) party’s one-seat majority.

Moscow. Days after April 3rd when Sofia marked its 130th anniversary of becoming capital of Bulgaria, Sofia Mayor Boyko Borisov heads the official delegation of Sofia Municipality, which will present the capital with Days of Sofia in Moscow, Focus News Agency’s reporter informed.

At the Alliance of Civilizations forum held in Istanbul Monday, Bulgaria President Georgi Parvanov praised the high levels of ethnic tolerance in Bulgaria. Parvanov was among the key note speakers who opened the forum; his speech was entitled: Formation of the world order in times of crisis – the role …

Bulgaria’s Deputy PM and Education Minister, Daniel Valchev, requested Tuesday a referendum on education reform. Valchev spoke in connection with statements made by the Bulgarian President, Georgi Parvanov, who promised to schedule a referendum about the election system. The Deputy Prime Minister stated it was very important to ask Bulgarian …

Bosnia’s first international envoy, Carl Bildt, has met its latest High Representative, Valentin Inzko, to discuss the country’s future. Bildt, now Swedish Foreign Minister, arrived in the Bosnian capital on Tuesday as the first of three European foreign ministers expected in Sarajevo this week. The flurry of high-profile guests is …

EU peacekeeping forces have raided a local logging company early Tuesday, in search for any information that could reveal the whereabouts of Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect, Ratko Mladic who is still at large. The operation was carried out in line with the request of the International War Crimes Tribunal …

Bosnian Border Police have made two new arrests as a part of one of the biggest cross-border operations against organised crime and human trafficking gangs. Two men were arrested on Tuesday in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo and will be transferred to the Office of the state Public Prosecutor, said …