One of the main reasons why the role of the Yugoslav People’s Army, JNA, in the breakup of Yugoslavia remains unclear after nearly 20 years since the wars is that archives of the army are still kept secret, experts say.Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the federal army, the JNA, was …
Read More »Bosnia Foreign Minister Rushed to Hospital
Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija was hospitalised on Thursday after falling ill during a television show, apparently suffering from exhaustion.Lagumdzija suddenly broke off the interview in a Sarajevo TV studio on Thursday night, requesting a glass of water before standing up and disappearing from the view of the camera. The TV …
Read More »Bosnia Strikes Back at Croatia Dairy Ban
Bosnia has announced stricter border checks on food imports from Croatia after Croatia stopped Bosnian dairy exports from entering the country.Bosnia’s trade and agriculture ministers on November 1 agreed reciprocal trade measures against Croatia, after Croatia recently slapped a ban on dairy exports from Bosnia, mostly coming from Republika Srpska. …
Read More »Kosovo to Recognize Montenegrin Minority
Kosovo President pledges Montenegrins ethnic minority status, so opening the door for the opening of embassies, on hold since 2008.The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, has announced that Kosovo has agreed to recognize a Montenegrin ethnic minority as a constitutional category. “We will do it with new amandements to the …
Read More »Montenegro Opposition Close to Deal in Niksic
Opposition coalition deal now likely in the town after difficult talks between the various parties.Representatives of two opposition forces, Positive Montenegro and the Democratic Front, were close to reaching an agreement on forming the local authority in Niksic, it was stated after Thursday’s meeting. The two political formations, along with …
Read More »New Law on Funding Regulators Alarms Serbian Media
As the government drafts a new law, changing the way electronic communications operators are funded, journalists’ union warns it may jeopardize their independence.Serbian media unions have criticised a new proposed law on “Fees for the Use of Public Goods” that places the sources of funding for regulatory bodies in electronic …
Read More »Romania Names New Anti-Corruption Chiefs
As the Justice Minister names new bosses for the country’s two main anti-corruption institutions, experts react cautiously, saying they will wait to see how they act.Romania’s Justice Minister, Mona Pivniceru, on Thursday announced nominations for the posts of Chief Prosecutor and head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, the DNA. Tiberiu …
Read More »World Bank Pans Power Privatization in Albania
The World Bank’s Albania director, Jane Armitage, on Thursday described the outcome of the sale of Albania’s utility company to the Czech firm CEZ in 2009 as ‘deeply disappointing’.“Three and a half years later we share the deep disappointment of Albanian citizens and the government with the outcomes of this …
Read More »Macedonia Bank Warns of Zero Growth in 2013
Macedonia is expected to finish this year on zero per cent economic growth, the Central Bank Governor says, forecasting the same figure for 2013 as well.Bank Governor Dimitar Bogov blamed economic stagnation on shrinking exports caused by the European crisis. Macedonia exports more than half of its produce to European …
Read More »Protests outside parliament as Greece votes on 2013 austerity budget
As the government in Greece votes on a new austerity program for next year’s budget, demonstrations are taking place outside parliament in Athens. Facing the debt-stricken country is another 13.5 billion euros worth of cuts and tax increases for 2013.
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