ZAGREB, Croatia Parliament on Thursday (July 2nd) approved the surprise resignation of Ivo Sanader from his post as prime minister. This starts the clock on up to 30 days of consultations before President Stipe Mesic taps a successor. The frontrunner is Sanader’s choice, Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, of the …

TIRANA, Albania The Central Election Commission (CEC) decided on Thursday (July 2nd) to bring the last voting boxes from the Lezha and Fier regions and count the ballots live on national TV in Tirana. The final results are expected late Friday. Voting has been contested in Shkodra, Berat and Fier.

BELGRADE, Serbia The government backed President Boris Tadic on Thursday (July 2nd), agreeing that minority Serbs in Kosovo should not participate in November local elections there. Tadic, leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DS), says conditions for Kosovo Serbs are inadequate and that their security cannot be guaranteed.