Serbia

Serbian President tells General Assembly he seeks top-level talks ‘in good faith’ with Kosovo, while reiterating Belgrade’s staunch opposition to Kosovo’s independence.President Tomislav Nikolic told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that while Serbia would never recognize the independence of Kosovo, Belgrade was “committed to achieving a lasting peace between …

In an attempt to rectify the EU’s expected negative assessment of its progress, Serbia is hurrying to address outstanding issues concerning the judiciary, education and Kosovo.Serbia’s new government is busy adopting last-minute reforms, in an attempt to impress EU officials compiling a progress report before its final version is released. …

The EU’s assessment of Serbia’s judicial reforms will not be positive, said the Serbian Minister of Justice after his meeting with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement.After his meeting in Brussels on Monday, the Serbian Justice Minister, Nikola Selakovic, said that the EU supports Serbia’s judicial reform programme, but is unlikely …

Belgrade has told Brussels that it is ready to implement an agreed deal with Kosovo on joint control of the border.Dejan Pavicevic, head of Belgrade’s negotiating team in the EU-led dialogue with Kosovo, on Monday said Serbia had told the European Commission that it accepted the agreement on Integrated Border …

Deputy Prime Minister Suzana Grubjesic said the partition of Kosovo was no longer worth considering as an option, as the international community clearly opposed the idea.Suzana Grubjesic, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU integration, said that the partition of Kosovo might well be the most rational solution to …

Media watchdogs welcome government’s decision to set up international commission to investigate unsolved murders of reporters in Serbia.Serbia’s new goverment has decided to set up an “International Commission” to investigate the unsolved murders of journalists in the country. The Commission will primarily investigate the killings of three prominent journalists, Dada …

Post-Yugoslav countries have made significant progress compared to the 1990s, but a number of reforms still need to be implemented, international and regional leaders concluded on Belgrade’s panel discussion.Addressing the Belgrade Security Forum, Serbia’s Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, said that the ex-Yugoslav countries have learnt the lessons from their troubled …

Belgrade District Court clears man of setting fire to the US embassy in riots in 2008 but jails him for theft of clothing.The court jailed Milan Zivanovic, 24, on Thursday for one year after finding him guilty of stealing a leather jacket and gloves, which belonged to an embassy employee. …

As pressure grows on Serbia to recognise breakaway former province, Vucic says Serbia may have to hold an ‘either-or’ referendum on the country’s priorities.Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister, has said that Serbia may hold a referendum inviting voters to choose between Kosovo and EU integration. “A referendum is always …

Serbia’s public prosecutors and judges who were fired during the 2010 justice reform will be reinstated in the upcoming days, the Ministry of Justice said.Hundred and twenty-two Serbian public prosecutors and their deputies will be officially readmitted to the Association of Prosecutors on September 22, and two days later they …