Balkans

TIRANA, Albania — The opposition Socialist Party (SP) warned on Wednesday (March 18th) that the process of issuing new electronic ID cards is about to fail. SP leader Edi Rama proposed a draft law to issue the identification documents for free, arguing that many citizens have trouble paying for them. …

Tor Arne Martinsen, the principal of the Celeburg School of Fredrikstad municipality in Norway, yesterday received the Honorary Citizen of Mitrovica Award for his contribution given to Kosovo and the Mitrovica municipality, particularly in the field of education. The members of the Mitrovica Municipality Assembly granted the Honorary Citizen of …

The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a $13.5 million loan in additional financing for the Serbia Health Project. The aim of the project is to develop a sustainable, performance-oriented health care system where providers are rewarded for quality and efficiency. Building on the achievements of the Serbia Health …

BUCHAREST – Romania must close the remaining 65 non-ecological landfills by mid-July this year, in order to avoid the launch of infringement procedure by the European Commission (EC), said on Thursday Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi. “I believe we are close to seeing the launch of the infringement procedure by the …

An article in the Economist magazine reports that Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev has proposed a kind of committee of European Union officials to visit Bulgaria in order to monitor and enforce progress in the country’s drive against corruption and organised crime. Stanishev’s idea follows the European Commission’s decision to …

Brussels.We are interested in what is happening with our neighbors. Bulgaria has always insisted on clear European perspective for the countries from West Balkans. This is what Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev said at a video conference with Brussels. 

Brussels. Bulgaria will receive about EUR 105 million on different projects, expect for Nabucco. This is what Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev said at a video conference with Brussels, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. Energy projects on infrastructure are among the projects, which will be financed. 

The European Commission denied on March 20 the claims of the Bulgarian Cabinet that it won the backing of EC president Jose Manuel Barroso for the Bulgarian demands for additional compensation for the shutdown of two units at Kozloduy nuclear station. Earlier in the day, the Government press service said …

The campaign for the joint presidential and local elections in Macedonia ends Friday at midnight. After 24 hours of pre-election silence about 1.8 million people will vote on Sunday, after several weeks of campaigning during which the main candidates have largely failed to inspire voters. The conduct of the elections …

Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader will arrive in Belgrade on Friday, his first visit to Serbia after relations between the two countries took a drastic turn for the worse last year when Zagreb recognised Kosovo’s independence. According to the Croatian HINA agency, the visit is expected to lead to an …