Eurasia

A remembrance service for those killed when the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, occupied the town of Orahovac in Kosovo in 1998 was held in Belgrade on Wednesday. The families of the victims and human rights activists laid flowers on the graves and at the monument called “Unknown”, dedicated to the …

Nationalist-led coalition is trying to lure ethnic minorities into the new government, but after Hungarians said no, Bosniaks are still weighing their options.Aleksandar Vucic, acting head of the ruling Progressives, has met with the main leader of Bosniak [Muslim] community in Serbia and offered them a role in the new …

Ban Ki-moon’s visit this month is stirring speculation about new initiatives in the dispute over Macedonia’s name – though few expect the fact-finding trip to result in a breakthrough.Ban Ki-moon arrives in Skopje on 25 July as part of a tour of Western Balkan countries from July 19 to 26. …

The European Commission is to issue a critical report on Romania’s failure to reform the courts, tackle corruption and respect the democratic process.The EU has serious doubts about Romania’s commitments to reforming the judiciary and respecting the principles of democracy, according to a preliminary copy of a report to be …

A fire on the hill above Podgorica briefly threatened homes and nearby embassies – one of several blazes attributed to the prolonged hot dry weather and the wind.Residents of Podgorica were shocked on Monday night when Mt Gorica, the hill after which the capital is named, caught fire. The blaze …

New Central Bank data show that consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in seven years.According to the bank, consumer confidence in the economy slid by 1.3 point in the second quarter of 2012, compared with its last estimate. The index registered the outlook of Albanian consumers towards the …

Construction of four 42-storey skyscrapers, set to be the tallest buildings in Macedonia, started on Monday in Skopje.The Turkish company, Cevahir Holding, plans to invest some 300 million euro in the project that should be completed within three years in the Skopje municipality of Aerodrom.The complex will hold a mix …

Right-wing opposition party says Croatia’s EU accession will affect Polish interests – and so needs to be ratified in parliament by a two-thirds majority.Opposition nationalists in Poland are attempting to set conditions on Croatia’s EU accession, on the grounds that Croatian membership will affect Poland’s influence and its share of …

“In Bosnia the government and its politicians are not only unable to resolve the problems; they have become a key problem themselves,” report by prominent think tank warns.In a report published on Friday, the International Crisis Group, ICG, a leading think tank, warns that Bosnia and Herzegovina faces the risk …

The Constitutional Court of Serbia has decided to overturn a decision by the High Judicial Council and reappoint 126 judges sacked as part of controversial judicial reforms.The Constitutional Court of Serbia accepted the complaints of 126 judges who were dismissed from the courts after the judicial reforms of 2009. The …