Eurasia

ANKARA, Turkey Since the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government announced a draft amending 20 articles of the constitution a few weeks ago, President Abdullah Gul has met with leaders of opposition parties, trying to convince them of the need for change.

BELGRADE, Serbia Kosovo would have to assume the servicing of more than $1 billion in foreign debt if it gains admission to the IMF and the World Bank, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Mladjan Dinkic said Thursday (May 7th).

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) EUFOR troops on Friday (May 8th) searched the homes of two relatives of war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic. Authorities say the searches, in the in the town Bijeljina, involved the homes of relatives Rajko and Radoslav Banduka. Rajko Banduka is also a former military associate …

ZAGREB, Croatia Parliament member Branimir Glavas received a ten-year prison sentence on Friday (May 8th) for war crimes committed against Serb civilians during Croatia’s war of independence in the early 1990s.

PODGORICA, Montenegro President Filip Vujanovic formally proposed that incumbent Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic serve a sixth term Thursday (May 7th). According to Vujanovic, Djukanovic is the best person to lead Montenegro through the economic crisis and guide it to its ultimate goal of EU membership. The coalition led by Djukanovic’s …

TIRANA, Albania Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha on Thursday (May 7th) promised government support to Albanian immigrants living in Greece. Meeting with their representatives in Tirana, Basha stressed that the government expects to reach an agreement soon with Athens authorities regarding social insurance and pensions for Albanian immigrants in Greece. Other …

PRISTINA, Kosovo The government announced Thursday (May 7th) that it is launching the process of fulfilling criteria to achieve visa liberalisation with EU countries. Acknowledging that the non-recognition of Kosovo’s independence by five EU member states will

PRISTINA, Kosovo EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon said Thursday (May 7th) that it is everyone’s right to return to their homes. His comment came during a meeting with Mitrovica Mayor Bajram Rexhepi, in which they discussed the political and security situation in the divided city. Serbs have been protesting this …

TBILISI Georgia’s opposition agreed to talks with the government yesterday after month-long street protests spilled over into violence in the former Soviet republic, the focus of tensions between the West and Russia. The agreement followed the intervention of Georgia’s influential Orthodox Church leader and an appeal from the European Union …

SARAJEVO Bosnia’s defence minister yesterday defended the country’s decision to send troops to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises in Georgia, a move that has provoked new tension with the Bosnian Serb leadership.