Eurasia

The president of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, will arrive in Sofia on November 5 on an official invitation from the President of Bulgaria, Georgi Purvanov. The reception ceremony will be held at Alexander Nevski Square in Sofia city centre, starting at 10.20am.

The head of Russia’s powerful military intelligence agency said on Thursday that Georgia might again attack South Ossetia, the pro-Moscow region over which the two countries fought a war last year. Alexander Shlyakhturov, who in April took over command of the GRU — the Russian acronym for Russia’s Chief Intelligence …

Slovenia will lift visa regime for citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro as of December 19, 2009 instead of the announced earlier January 1, 2010. Slovenian Foreign Ministry announced that the final decision that concerns Serbian and Montenegrin citizens will be announced after the report of the expert’s team for …

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country is holding the presidency of the European Union, thinks the time to solve the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece has come.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday, in order to discuss the Bosnian settlement and bilateral relations between Russia and the Balkan state with its top officials, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz will pay for Russian gas on time, Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said on Wednesday. Russia recently warned of new gas crisis with Ukraine and urged the European Union (EU) to lend Kiev money.

KFOR multinational troops deployed in the north of Kosovo and Metohija will carry out a regular exercise titled ‘Strong Gates’ on Thursday and Friday. The two-day exercise will be realized in cooperation with EULEX and the Kosovo Police Service, according to a statement released by KFOR. 

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic accepted on Wednesday proposed amendments from The League of Social-Democrats of Vojvodina, LSV, on the draft law that will provide the region of Vojvodina greater autonomy. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting with LSV leader Nenad Canak, the prime minister said he expects …

The UN mediator in the Athens-Skopje “name” talks, Matthew Nimetz is summoning both sides to a fresh round of talks from 16 to 22 November. The mediator is in permanent contact with both sides to precise the date for the meeting in New York, the UN said.

The International Civilian Representative Pieter Feith has praised the work of Kosovo’s Central Election Commission, CEC, during a visit to the institution in the run-up to the 15 November local elections. He said on Wednesday that great efforts were being made to ensure fair and democratic elections. He also said …