The application is currently with the European Council, until the ministers ask the European Commission to produce its opinion.

Croatia has opened two more chapters in its EU accession talks, moving closer to its goal of becoming a member of the European Union. Croatia opened the chapters on the environment and fisheries at the Intergovernmental Conference Friday in Brussels.

A high level delegation from the Council of Europe, led by the president of the assembly, Mevlut Cavusoglu, is holding meetings with key political players in Tirana on Monday in an effort to resolve the country’s political crisis.

The EU ministers are today deciding on extending the mandates of the organization’s special representatives. This includes the six-month mandate of Pieter Feith in Kosovo.

Georgian Vice Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze met with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis in the framework of his working visit to Italy.

Macedonian leaders are to hold consultations Monday ahead of tomorrow’s arrival of the UN mediator in the Athens-Skopje “name” row, US diplomat Matthew Nimetz. Macedonian President Georgi Ivanov, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and Deputy Prime Minister Abdilaqim Ademi are to discuss their expectations for the upcoming …

Bulgaria’s new Foreign Affairs Minister Nikolay Mladenov has said that Bulgaria backs Macedonia’s bid for European Union membership. He said that he wants Macedonia to drop its suspicion that Bulgaria has ill intentions towards it. He said that since the Republic of Macedonia was recognised Bulgaria has done what it …

“Georgia, bypassing Russia, is ready to cooperate with North Caucasian republics”, the Pirweli agency reported with reference to the deputy of the Georgian parliament Nugzar Tsiklauri. Tsiklauri said it is a political will of the Georgian side and added that “Georgia is aware that the proposals put forward to the …

Bosnia and Herzegovina is due this month to annul one of the biggest post-war legal absurdities with Croatia and Serbia by signing agreements that will finally allow the punishment of convicted criminals holding dual citizenship, Anes Alic writes for ISN Security Watch. A number of people suspected of or indicted …

Turkey and Serbia are ready to work together on the establishing of stability and peace in the Balkans, Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglou says. His statement came after a meeting in Ankara on Saturday with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremić. The free trade agreement between Serbia and Turkey, which will considerably …