Eurasia

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton teamed up to a three-nation Balkan diplomatic trip in Bosnia. There they met with President Izetbegović. USA and EU encourage country’s integration into the West. At the press conference organized after the meeting, Ms Catherine Ashton stated …

In an apparent reference to talk of ethnic partition, Hillary Clinton said the US opposes any changes to the borders of Kosovo.The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said Kosovo’s final status and borders were a closed chapter, urging Kosovo to resolve remaining issues with Serbia through EU-mediated dialogue. “We …

Journalists’ association says that by backing away from pledge to decriminalize slander and defamation, the government is encouraging pressure on the media.The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, NUNS, protested on Tuesday against a Justice Ministry work group’s decision to scrap moves to decriminalize slander and defamation. “The fact that …