Eurasia

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is meeting and will request an urgent investigation of the Jarinje incident. ‘Political Situation in the Balkans’ that will be discussed by PACE today expresses concern over the situation in the region and requests that an objective investigation

Moldova’s Prime Minister Vlad Filat says the country sees its place in the European Union and isn’t attracted to the “Eurasian Union” envisaged by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Filat said that his country was European “through its geography, history, and culture” and that Moldovans

Both the EU and NATO have denounced the elections in the breakaway region of Abkhazia in Georgia that were held on 26 August. The acting president, a pro-Russian businessman Alexander Ankvab, was elected president with more than 54% of votes and immediately confirmed commitment to further strengthening Russian-Abkhazian relations.

The head of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, Xavier de Marnhac, announced on Wednesday that EULEX prosecutors will soon extend their probe on allegations of organ trafficking by the Kosovo Liberation Army in Albania. “As you know we have formed a team which will probe Marty’s allegations …

Macedonian and Montenegrin ministers of justice Blerim Bexheti and Dusko Markovic have signed an extradition agreement about nationals with double citizenship convicted of serious crimes. The document was inked during the two-day ministerial visit EU-Western Balkans in Ohrid.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Wednesday he was hopeful Romania and Bulgaria could make progress toward entry into the passport-free Schengen area despite continued resistance. After talks with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Baconschi in Berlin, Westerwelle said Bucharest could count on Germany’s continued backing in attempts to wear down …

Macedonia expects a positive progress report from the European Commission (EC), said parliament chairperson Trajko Veljanovski. “I am convinced that Macedonia will be given a date for start of the accession talks,” he remarked. According to Veljanovski, the region needs a positive impulse and it will come with sitting a …

European Union mediator Robert Cooper will visit Belgrade on Oct. 7 and Pristina on Oct. 10. He will attempt to convince the two sides of the benefits of continuing their dialogue, but he will also be prepared “to listen and engage” in talks about the checkpoints and the implementation of …

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has proposed forming a “Eurasian Union” of former Soviet nations, saying the bloc could become a major global player competing for influence with the United States, the European Union and Asia.

Advisers of the Integrated Border Management Program in the South Caucasus will meet today in Tbilisi, Georgia. The meeting aims at hearing reports on the work done by the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Georgian offices within the program in 2010.