Eurasia

European Union member states are expected to give a green light in December to visa-free travel for Serbia as it has made “relatively satisfying” progress, Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said Monday. “An expert mission will come to Belgrade in mid-October” to assess if Serbia met all the requirements and “if …

Turkey, Romania and many countries are interested in South Stream gas pipeline project. This was announced by Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Alexei Miler. Originally it was envisaged the pipeline to reach Bulgaria and Italy from Russia, but subsequently other Balkan countries shown their interest in the projects as …

Vice-President of the European Commission and EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot, arrives in Belgrade today for talks with Serbian leaders for the abolition of visas for Serbian citizens to travel within the Schengen area, media reported. Barrot will meet with President Boris Tadic, Mirko Cvetkovic, First …

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu yesterday assessed after returning from New York as “irrational” the protest note of Belgrade because of the participation of the Kosovo delegation at the session of the UN General Assembly. Sejdiu said that Kosovo delegation has responded to the protest of Serbia with a large number …

Romania’s Prime Minister Emil Boc on Monday fired the country’s Interior Minister Dan Nica citing “poor results in his post”, a move that has heightened tensions between the ruling coalition. “I’ve informed our partners in the ruling coalition about my intention for the replacement of Interior Minister and have asked …

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Sunday distanced himself from the publication of the controversial Macedonian encyclopaedia, and blamed the offending pages in the book on ”dark forces” who wish to harm his country. Without pointing fingers, Gruevski said that the passages in the book saying that Albanians were ”settlers” …

Several ethnic Albanian parties from Macedonia, Thursday will stage a protest in front of the government building to express their objections to the new publication of the Macedonian encyclopaedia. Calling it a “political pamphlet” that “inflicted great evil upon the Albanian population” the parties say they cannot guarantee that all …

Albania’s Prime Minister Sali Berisha gave an impassioned speech this weekend to the UN General Assembly appealing for more countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence. Arguing that further recognitions would strengthen peace and stability in the region, he thanked the 62 countries who have already recognised the country’s independence.

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will on Monday consult with the German power company RWE about its future role in the Belene nuclear plant project, following reports last week that it may quit the project due to rising costs, local media report. Bulgaria’s previous government chose the German power utility …

Moldova’s newly elected Western-leaning government said Friday that it wants to sign a political treaty with neighboring Romania, Radio Free Europe reports. Chisinau’s new liberal-led government has said it wants to improve ties with Romania, after relations between the two countries reached a nadir following demonstrations in April which the …