Balkans

A 2.5-per-cent increase in the price of electric energy came into force in Kosovo on Wednesday. The increase is line with proposals of the Regulatory Energy Office. The decision was backed by the government but condemned by various consumer and rights organisations. 

Zbogar has announced that Slovenia would respond to Rehn`s proposal in time, but there are still no details. Slovenia has responded to the latest proposal of European Union expansion commissioner Olli Rehn on Monday, Slovene STA agency reports Tuesday, stating that the Slovene Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the …

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also said Croatia could still wrap up entry talks with the EU this year. The European Union may decide this year on offering visa-free travel to citizens of some Western Balkan countries and on opening membership talks with Macedonia, the EU’s enlargement chief said on Tuesday. …

PODGORICA, Montenegro – Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic’s coalition won an absolute majority in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, the Central Electoral Commission announced on Monday (March 30th). For a European Montenegro won 51.09% of the vote, translating to 48 of the 81 seats in parliament. The opposition Socialist People’s Party was …

WASHINGTON, United States – As required, all NATO member states sent the US State Department their ratified documents regarding Croatia and Albania’s entry into the Alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer confirmed on Monday (March 30th). Portugal and Slovenia were the last two countries to comply. De Hoop Scheffer …

ATHENS, Greece – Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis has rejected an initiative by Macedonian counterpart Antonio Milososki aimed at improving strained relations between the two neighbours, media reported on Monday (March 30th). In a letter to Bakoyannis on March 13th, Milososki suggested that the two countries should overcome their differences by …

VIENNA, Austria – Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Monday (March 30th) he does not expect his country’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU to be implemented any time soon. It hinges on arresting war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic. At a meeting with Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger …

PRISTINA, Kosovo – EULEX has taken over an organ trafficking case that allegedly victimised Serbs in 1999, local media reported on Tuesday (March 31st). EULEX officials said they have received a file from Serb judicial authorities, in which prosecutors argue that the Kosovo Liberation Army removed the

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The issuing of biometric passports will begin on December 31st, BiH’s Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange announced on Monday (March 30th). A German company won the bid for providing the passports and signed a contract with the government last month. The …

LONDON, the United Kingdom – The international human rights watchdog Amnesty International accused Greek police of using excessive force and violating the rights of demonstrators in a report released on Monday (March 30th).