Eurasia

Three Albanian Kosovars have been arrested by Serbian gendarmerie near the border with Serbia on Wednesday for allegedly crossing the border illegally, Kosovo police confirm. Sabri, Nexhip and Riad Dema were farming their land in the municipality of Pudojevo on Wednesday evening when they were arrested, their family told daily …

The Croatian Defence Ministry has turned down a NATO proposal for the construction of a centre for training against terrorist attacks with biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, the Jutarnji list daily reports. If the proposal had been accepted, thie facility would have been the largest training ground in Europe with …

BELGRADE, Serbia EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn reassured Serbian officials on Wednesday (July 22nd) that the European Commission (EC) is committed to bringing Serbia into the EU, once the country meets its obligations to the UN war crimes tribunal. After a meeting with President Boris Tadic, Rehn added that Serbia …

ROME, Italy The European Commission (EC) will approve Albania’s request for EU candidate status this summer, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini was quoted as saying by Albanian media on Wednesday (July 22nd). Tirana applied for candidate status in late April. “Albania’s early request cannot stay locked in a drawer … …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Bosnian Serb television RTRS aired on Wednesday (July 22nd) footage allegedly proving crimes committed by Bosnian Muslim forces against Serb prisoners of war in 1994. The video shows General Atif Dudakovic ordering his troops to shoot two captured soldiers dead. Three years ago, Republika Srpska …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) A new survey by Transparency International concludes BiH is the most corrupt country in the region, according to results released on Wednesday (July 22nd). Corruption is widespread both in Republika Srpska and in the Federation of BiH, according to findings collected over the past two …

BELGRADE, Serbia The process to re-register political parties, as spelled out under a new law, begins Thursday (July 23rd). All parties will now have six months to collect enough signatures for registration, at a far higher threshold than before: 10,000 for a mainstream party and 1,000 for parties representing minorities. …

PRISTINA, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci on Wednesday (July 22nd) sent a letter to EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon about reports that the mission is holding talks with Serbia on judicial matters, including police and customs.

ZAGREB, Croatia Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor confirmed on Wednesday (July 22nd) that the cabinet plans to introduce a temporary tax to boost budget revenues during the economic crisis. The rate will be 5-6%, down from 8% as initially proposed. The new tax on salaries and pensions would take effect next …

TIRANA, Albania The government plans to target less developed regions of the country, particularly in the northeast and southeast, to help low income residents there. At a meeting Wednesday (July 22nd), Prime Minister Sali Berisha instructed his cabinet to prepare a package of assistance measures within a month, aimed at …