Balkans

Serbs mark Kosovo riots anniversary

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA: Serbs in the flashpoint Kosovo town of Mitrovica on Tuesday marked the fifth anniversary of riots that left 19 dead and 900 injured. Kosovo Serb leaders laid flowers on the bridge over the Ibar river, which splits the northern town, in honour of the victims of the worst …

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Albania determined to put in EU bid in June

Albania faces an uphill battle to join the EU, with the PM acknowledging that hard economic times could create a ‘sentiment of reluctance’ among Europeans to welcome new member states. Tirana — Albania is determined to submit its candidacy for European Union membership in June despite the global economic crisis …

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Romanian media slam plans to curb freedoms

BUCHAREST, Romania: Media freedom groups criticized Romanian government plans that would allow people to sue for libel on behalf of the dead. The groups said draft legislation would limit press freedoms amid a continuing struggle between journalists and authorities since Romania threw off communism 20 years ago. Some journalists have …

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Bulgaria to appoint EU experts to improve anti-corruption fight

Sofia. The Bulgarian government and its board of international councellors, headed by former French premier Dominique de Villepin, said Wednesday they would call on EU experts to help the country fight corruption more effectively. “The proposal to reinforce cooperation with both the European Commission and with the member states by …

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Bulgaria President Dissatisfied With EU Energy Aid

Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has stated that he is not satisfied with the aid provided to Bulgaria within the framework of the EU energy package. Out of the total EU energy funding of EUR 3.5 B, Bulgaria is currently only entitled to EUR 10 M for the connection of its …

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Bulgaria State Security Probes Muslim Mayor over Death Threats

The Mayor of the village of Garmen, Ahmed Bashev and religion teacher, Murad Boshnak, are being investigated over death threats against the MP, Yane Yanev. The information was announced by the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov, who denied any investigation of the Mayor and the teacher that was connected to …

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Bulgarian Students to Protest in front of Parliament Again

Students from universities in Sofia will protest in front of the Bulgarian Parliament as a sign of solidarity with their colleagues from Varna who protested yesterday against the brutal murder of Radostina Evtimova. ‘We as students from Sofia we owe solidarity to our colleagues from Varna in a time of …

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Maldives Parliament Launches Kosovo Probe

A parliamentary body in the Maldives, consisted of top officials, will investigate allegations that the government received a $2 million bribe to recognise Kosovo’s independence. The National Security Committee of the parliament will look to see if there is any truth these allegations, which were first raised by the opposition …

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Kosovo Condemns March 2004 Attacks

Five years after ethnic Albanians attacked Serb enclaves in Kosovo in what became the worst single attack against Kosovo’s Serbs since just after the 1999 war, Pristina’s government said the events would go down as ”one of the darkest episodes” of the country’s recent history. “The tragic events of March …

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ICTY: Prlic Requests Temporary Release

The Defence of Jadranko Prlic has filed a motion with the Hague Tribunal, requesting temporary release of the indictee. Jadranko Prlic, a former official of the so-called Croatian community of Herzeg-Bosnia, who is on trial at The Hague, has asked the Court, via his legal representative, to be released from …

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