Eurasia

OHR in warning over RS independence referendum

The Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia says a referendum on independence of the Republic of Srpska (RS) would violate the Dayton agreement. The 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina ended with the peace deal, and organized the country into two entities: the Serb RS, and the Muslim-Croat Federation. “The …

Read More »

Mesić shortens Serb killer’s sentence

Outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesić has decided to shorten prison time of Siniša Rimac by one year. Rimac was sentenced to eight years in prison when Croatia’s Supreme Court ruled that he personally took part in the executions of ethnic Serb civilians in the Pakračka Poljana region of western Slavonia …

Read More »

UN Security Council on Kosovo on Jan. 22

The UN Security Council will debate the situation in Kosovo during its January 22 session, the presiding country, China, announced. Stressing that Kosovo remains and important item on the Security Council agenda, China’s Permanent Representative Zhang Yesui said that UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, chief Lamberto Zannier’s report will be …

Read More »

Russian patriarch to visit Georgia to foster ties

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church plans to travel to Georgia to try to encourage closer relations between the two countries, which fought a brief war in 2008, a senior Russian bishop said. Russia has in recent weeks pledged to reopen a major border crossing with Georgia and allow …

Read More »

Romanian ambassador to Berlin: “Romania ‘under stress’ but will abide by agreements”

The economic crisis has put Romanian political leadership under pressure, but this should not distract the government from complying with its international obligations, Romanian ambassador to Berlin Lazăr Comănescu said. Commenting on the loss of a confidence vote which sanctioned the end of the grand coalition government of Emil Boc, …

Read More »

Bobi Tsankov’s murder not to affect Brussels’ opinion about Bulgaria, says Spanish ambassador

I do not think that the murder of a young journalist in downtown Sofia a couple of days ago will affect Brussels’ opinion about Bulgaria, Spanish ambassador to Bulgaria Jorge Fuentes Monzonis-Vilallonga said at a news conference dedicated to the start of the Spanish EU Presidency. The ambassador commented on …

Read More »

Spanish ambassador to Bulgaria: “I advise Bulgaria not to rush with euro area accession”

We realize Bulgaria’s need to join Schengen and the euro area. We will try to realize this goal by 2013, Spanish ambassador to Bulgaria Jorge Fuentes Monzonis-Vilallonga said at a news conference dedicated to the start of the Spanish EU Presidency.

Read More »

Serbian President in Kosovo; K. Albanians block road

Serbian President Boris Tadić has spent the night in the Serbian Orthodox monastery of Visoki Dečani, in Kosovo. He was attending Christmas Eve celebrations there along with the monks and several hundred Serbs. Tadić will also attend Holy Liturgy at the monastery this Christmas Day, which Orthodox Serbs celebrate according …

Read More »