Eurasia

Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule urged Albanian leaders on Monday to hold elections according to international standards, describing them as a crucial test of democracy.The successful conduct of parliamentary elections in 2013 will be a crucial test for the smooth functioning of the country’s democratic institutions,” Fule said following meetings in …

Greek prosecutors have ordered the two main ruling parties to testify in an investigation into more than 200 million euros in loans they received from banks, officials said on Friday. The investigation – which is examining whether the loans are legal and whether any wrongdoing was involved – could embarrass …

The move to “out” gay journalists in Macedonia is only the latest bizarre twist in the media – as a competition to outdo a recent spoof interview in Serbia appeared to spiral out of control. “We are calling on our readers to tell us the names of [suspected gay] journalists …

Around 1,000 ethnic Albanians demonstrated in the southern town of Bujanovac, demanding Belgrade remove the memorial which they see as provocative.Protesters at Friday’s rally carried Albanian flags and placards accusing Serbia of discrimination. They called on Belgrade to take down the monument to Serbian police killed during the Kosovo conflict …

Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have issued a call for a renewed EU commitment to the Western Balkan enlargement process.Hannes Swoboda, president of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, said enlargement momentum should be stimulated again so that the Western Balkans could join the European Union. …

Kosovo MPs have asked Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to give parliament more information about the ongoing EU-led dialogue with Serbia.The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo has demanded more clarity about the character of agreements being reached with Serbia in the EU-led dialogue in Brussels. “Any agreements between the two states …

In a light-hearted response to British fears of mass immigration from Romania next year, a newspaper has launched a campaign inviting British people to come to Romania instead.“Half of our women look like Kate. The other half like her sister.” Kate, of course, is Kate Middleton, wife of Prince William …

The junior coalition partner of the country’s ruling Democratic Party of Socialists says it cannot support the idea of Filip Vujanovic running again for the presidency.The Social Democratic Party has said it will not support the nomination of the current Montenegrin president, Filip Vujanovic, for another term in office. “He …

Disturbed by EU-led talks between Serbia and Kosovo, locals in the Serb-run north of Kosovo held a protest in Mitrovica to remind the world that they want no part of independent Kosovo.Serbs from the north of Kosovo staged a protest in the divided town of Mitrovica on Wednesday, holding banners …

After more than a year’s delay, Serbian and Bosnian prosecutors finally endorsed an agreement to work together to prosecute war crime cases.“From now on, for war criminals in the region, there are no borders behind which they can hide. Now we have the opportunity to efficiently protect the rights of …