Eurasia

CE human rights commissioner to visit Chechnya, Ingushetia

RUSSIA The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, who arrived with an official visit to Russia last week, is heading on Monday to Russia’s North Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Thomas Hammarberg will visit Chechnya and Ingushetia to meet with the presidents of both republics and heads of …

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Indicted Politician in New Albanian Cabinet

ALBANIA The head of the Republican Party, former defence minister Fatmir Mediu, indicted on abuse of power charges over a deadly munitions depot blast on March 15, 2008, is to head the Environment Ministry. In a coalition deal announced by Prime Minister Sali Berisha today, the Republican Party, which returned …

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Bosnia Drifts Away from EU, NATO

BiH The current “very negative” political situation and stagnation of key reforms threaten to delay the closure of the Office of the High Representative, OHR, and move Bosnia away from EU and NATO membership, a senior US diplomat said. “What is especially frustrating is that we believe that, for most …

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Ahtisaari Warns Holdouts on Kosovo

KOSOVO Nobel laureate Marti Ahtisaari has warned the EU that the failure of Balkan and EU states to recognise Kosovo stands as a bulwark against the bloc’s future expansion. “Those countries that have been in conflict in the past have to be able to see the reality, and […] have …

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President to Address Romanian Parliament

ROMANIA Romanian President Traian Basescu will give a keynote speech to parliament on September 15, addressing the primary political and social issues facing the country. On Monday, the leaders of the country’s bicameral parliament decided Basescu would address the legislature on the same day the government takes responsibility for three …

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Bill Clinton Statue Ready in September

KOSOVO The long-awaited statue of former President Bill Clinton will be unveiled in Pristina at the end of month, the team behind the tribute has said. Agim Rexhepi, head of the Friends of the USA asociation, which has previously hosted many events to show gratitude to the US for its …

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Albanian opposition says to boycott parliament

ALBANIA Albanian opposition the Socialist Party said on Saturday that it will boycott the first session of the country’s new parliament set for Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. Opposition lawmakers met Saturday and called for an investigation into the conduct by the ruling Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha …

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I am innocent; there was no evidence against me

CROATIA ‘Captain Dragan’, a man accused of war crimes, was released after three years spent in an Australian prison ‘Captain Dragan’, was released after three years spent in an Australian prison. Ivan Simonovic, Croatia’s Minister of Justice, plans to appeal against it. Dragan Vasiljkovic, better known as ‘Captain Dragan’, was …

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Four more countries join Common Visa Issuing Center in Chisinau

MOLDOVA Four new states – Finland, Belgium, Switzerland and Greece – will join the Chisinau-based Common Visa Issuing Center at the start of 2010. The announcement was made during the recent Moldovan-Hungarian consultations between heads of consular departments, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Moldovan Foreign Ministry.

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