KIEV, Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko criticized domestic and foreign detractors on Monday and said Ukraine needed strong institutions to parry threats to its future prosperity. Yushchenko, whose standing is at rock bottom as he seeks re-election in January, was marking the 18th anniversary of independence from Soviet rule as Ukraine’s …

MACEDONIA Essential progress has been achieved in the Athens-Skopje UN talks over Macedonia’s official name, but a final resolution is still a long way off, Macedonia’s president says. Greece and Macedonia responded last week to the latest set of ideas on the naming dispute put forward by UN mediator Matthew …

BiH The Bosnian Serb political scene was shaken up over the weekend by the news that prominent former politician Dragan Kalinic may return to public life, after being given permission to do so by Bosnia’s High Representative Valentin Inzko. Kalinic may provide the biggest challenge yet to undisputed Bosnian Serb …