Eurasia

Macedonia’s food safety agency is boosting checks on dairy products in the light of fears of contamination by the cancer-causing toxin M1.Macedonia said it was conducting more tests as the scandal about milk contaminated with M1 in Croatia and Serbia was causing widespread concern. “Macedonian milk is healthy and does …

After mass protests against high utility bills turned violent, the Bulgarian government has called it a day – PM saying he feels ‘shamed’ by the bloodshed.Prime Minister Boyko Borisov told parliament on Wednesday that he would hand in his resignation after the regular cabinet meeting later in the day. “Our …

After a dispute between regional and state inspections over whether milk is contaminated by the potentially dangerous aflatoxin, M1, Serbia is withdrawing all suspect milk from shelves.Serbia’s veterinary inspectorate has ordered all milk that some analysis shows is contaminated with the aflatoxin M1 to be pulled off the shelves. Dairy …

Around 100 ex-servicemen demonstrated in the Croatian city of Vukovar on Wednesday, attempting to stop the authorities putting up street signs in Cyrillic for the Serb minority.The war veterans took to the streets of Vukovar after Croatian media reported that the authorities planned to introduce the combined Latin and Cyrillic …

Kosovo and Serbia are expected to come closer to an understanding on Serbian-financed institutions in northern Kosovo in their talks in Brussels – but a think tank warns that the situation remains volatile.After a meeting on Tuesday, the Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, and his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dacic, are …

The appointment of a former ethnic Albanian fighter as Macedonia’s defence chief has angered the party representing war veterans.The opposition Dignity party, which represents police and army veterans who fought Albanian guerrillas in the 2001 conflict, has protested over the appointment of Talat Xhaferi as new defence minister. Xhaferi, a …

After documents were leaked from Montenegro’s ruling party, revealing plans to hire political loyalists, the opposition is demanding action.The opposition daily newspaper Dan on Tuesday has published a letter which it calls proof of the growing politicisation of Montenegro’s public administration. In a letter sent to Dejan Zarubica, president of …

Macedonian journalists say conditions are not ripe for resuming talks with the government following the forced removal of reporters from parliament in December, which left relations in tatters.Macedonia’s Journalists Association, ZNM, said police still had not located and punished those who ordered and carried out the forced removal of reporters …

As Brussels readies to decide on whether to grant Serbia a start date for EU accession talks, Serbian officials are heading to EU capitals to muster support.Serbian officials are travelling to Brussels and Berlin this week, to persuade their would-be EU partners of their willingness to “normalise” relations with Kosovo …

The head of the opposition Social Democrats says there is still time to defuse Macedonia’s political crisis and avert an opposition boycott of the March local elections.If the Macedonian government shows some goodwill, there is still time to solve the crisis in the country, the head of the opposition Social …