Balkans

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Friday (March 13th) that NATO should accept as members all countries from the Western Balkans.

ZAGREB, Croatia — Prime Minister Ivo Sanader urged the EU on Saturday (March 14th) not to succumb to what he described as Slovenia’s “blackmail”, which has blocked Zagreb’s accession to the EU over the border dispute between the two countries.

TIRANA, Albania — Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced on Saturday (March 14th) that he will leave politics if his ruling Democratic Party (DP) loses the parliamentary elections in June. At the same time, he expressed confidence about DP’s chances, given the country’s “great successes, both domestic and international, for the …

Bulgaria marks Sunday the annual World Consumer Rights Day, as a sign of celebration and solidarity with the international consumer movement. World Consumer Rights Day was first observed on 15 March 1983, and has since become an important occasion for mobilizing citizen action. World Consumer Rights Day has its origins …

The leaders of Bulgaria’s right-wing parties arrived in the Italian town of Cadenabbia Sunday to discuss Bulgaria’s future. The meeting, under the motto “Workshop of the Future,” is organized by the “Konrad Adenauer” Foundation. Cadenabbia is a milestone in the history of Bulgaria’s rightist parties. The small and picturesque Italian …

The Transliteration Act of official rules of writing Bulgarian names with the Latin alphabet became effective Sunday. Municipalities are mandated by the Act to change all signs that don’t comply with the rules and would face fines between BGN 500 and 1,200 if they fail do so. Businesses and non-governmental …

Sofia. The most important think in conditions of a crisis is to preserve what has been achieved. In that sense it is in high importance there to be a steady social horizon. This is the challenge of Europe as well, Bulgarian Minister of Labor and Social Policy Emiliya Maslarova said …

Thousands of police officers marched in the Bulgarian capital on Sunday to press the government raise their wages by 50 percent and provide better working conditions. The poorest European Union nation has seen a series of protests from farmers, students, green activities and steel workers, demanding measures against the global …

Two houses owned by Serbs burned to the ground late Friday night near Klina in the central part of Kosovo, Kosovo police reported, adding that the fires were caused by arson, but motives are still unknown and the investigation is still underway. When the homes were torched, nobody was in …

A total of 5 million trees were planted across Macedonia on Saturday in a one-day reforestation campaign to revive forests destroyed by wildfires in the past two summers. Thousands of people from all walks of life across the tiny western Balkan country took part in the mass reforestation activity under …