Charles Tannock, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Montenegro, has said that the European Commission will likely complete its report on Montenegro’s readiness to become an EU candidate by the fall, which could allow the country to obtain EU candidate status by the end of this year.

On the last stop of his Balkans tour, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg visited Kosovo and met with President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Steinberg praised the Kosovo government for the most recent municipal elections, claiming that such elections signal the building of an inclusive …

Prime Minister George Papandreou said that Greece may have to use a proposed EU-IMF financial aid package. On last Sunday, Papandreou said resorting to the mechanism is not his country’s ” first option ” , but it may be needed. ” The question remains whether this mechanism will convince markets …