Balkans

Representatives of 12 Bulgarian Orthodox Churches have supported the Patriarch Maxim, calling on the Bulgarian government to stand united with the Church in appealing against a recent decision made by the European Court of Human Rights. The court gave its backing to the Inokentii synod in their bid for independence …

The President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has called for a fast development of transit-transport cooperation with Bulgaria and Greece in the context of the plans on diversification of energy deliveries to Europe. Nazarbayev made his statement during the ceremony of presentation of credentials from the Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassadors of …

Florim Ejupi has been found not guilty of bombing a bus in Kosovo by a panel of international judges. A panel of international judges ordered the release of an ethnic Albanian convicted of a 2001 bus bombing that killed 11 Serbs in Kosovo, a spokeswoman said on Friday. Florim Ejupi …

Greece has been rocked by violence since December, when the fatal police shooting of a teenager triggered the worst riots in decades. Greek police fired teargas to disperse a group of about 150 hooded youths who damaged dozens of shops in the centre of Athens on Friday, police said. Greece …

Others say Brussels should move quickly with plans to replace the OHR with a enhanced EU High Representative. The European Union agreed on Thursday to delay changing the role of its military force in Bosnia but expects its candidate for the country’s next high representative to be approved this month, …

Greek and Turkish Cypriots started peace talks in September 2008, the latest bid to end a conflict. Business leaders of Greece, Turkey and the two communities on Cyprus on Thursday urged leaders of the divided island to reach a peace deal this year. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started peace talks …

Analysts say the Croatian delay will drive another nail in the coffin of Balkan states` EU ambitions. A border dispute with Slovenia will prolong Croatia’s European Union entry talks into 2010 and may undermine Zagreb’s resolve to enforce the toughest reforms that still lie ahead. Analysts say the Croatian delay …

TIRANA, Albania—Albania’s government has increased its guarantee on bank deposits to euro25,000 ($32,034) from euro5,433 previously, an effort to build confidence in the banking system, the state press office said Friday. The government decision also aims to reassure more than 1 million Albanian immigrants that their deposits would be safer …

Ukraine and Croatia are considering prospects for suspending visa regulations over the 2009 summer season. Ukraine’s Ambassador Markiyan Lubkivskyi discussed the issue with Croatian Interior Minister Tomislav Karamarko. 

ZAGREB – Croatia is likely to have up to 25,000 more jobless this year, the head of the European Union candidate’s unemployment bureau said on Friday, giving a much lower estimate than employers and analysts. “Based on last year’s and this year’s expected growth figures, we estimate that annual average …