Serbia

SERBIA The head of the Democratic Party, Serbian President Boris Tadic, announced at a party board meeting on Saturday that the country is facing a difficult economic recovery and will be implementing serious reforms, broadcaster Mondo reported. Announcing a decrease in public spending, Tadic underlined that public sector layoffs are …

ALBANIA Over the weekend, ethnic Albanian political leaders from Presevo and Bujanovac spoke with Kosovo’s President Fatmir Sejdiu in Pristina about the problems they are facing in southern Serbia. They told Sejdiu that Serbia’s failure to recognise Kosovo university diplomas was one of the gravest challenges. The speaker of the …

SERBIA DS leader Boris Tadić told his party’s main board meeting in Belgrade on Saturday that the end of the economic crisis is at hand, but that it is “not over yet”. However, he warned against complacency. Serbia is looking at a long and hard economic recovery and serious reforms, …

KOSOVO The United States and the EU have welcomed the signing of a police cooperation protocol between MUP and EULEX. EU representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith was quoted as saying this morning that he is convinced the agreement does not violate “Kosovo’s sovereignty” and that the Ahtisaari package allows the …

SERBIA Interior Minister Ivica Dačić announced on Friday a declaration on joint fight against terrorism and organized crime in Southeast Europe. According to him, the declaration “will be signed in the coming months”.

SERBIA It is time to apply the Interim Trade Agreement of the EU with Serbia, Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Spindelegger said. After Slovenia and Croatia reached a deal about a border dispute, Spindelegger said that this positive period should be used to finally make some progress regarding Serbia. …

SERBIA Interior Minister Ivica Dačić and OSCE Mission Chief Hans Ola Urstad have signed an agreement on a strategic partnership and priorities in police reform. Dačić said that the agreement was important for visa liberalization, as the strategy it contains will enable the implementation of all the remaining criteria from …

SERBIA, KOSOVO The EU supports the signing of an agreement on technical cooperation between EULEX and Belgrade, and is now explaining the benefits of the deal to Priština. EU sources told Beta in Brussels today that this was the thrust of EULEX official Karin Lindahl’s statement, who stressed that the …

SERBIA The Special Court in Belgrade has sentenced four Wahhabi to a total of 27 years in prison. Adis Murić and Bajram Aslani were sentenced to eight years, Nedžad Bulić to seven, and Enes Mujanović to four years. The group was accused of criminal association with a view to unconstitutional …

HOLLAND Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic could go on trial as early as October 19 for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the pre-trial judge of the tribunal overseeing his case said on Tuesday. Karadzic, the most prominent figure being prosecuted for crimes during the 1992-95 Bosnian war, asked …