The recognition of Kosovo’s independence by the Maldives has created a furore in this small chain of Indian Ocean islands. After a good of lobbying by Kosovo politicians, the Maldives recognised the country on February 19. But just two weeks on, President Mohamed Nasheed has ordered police to investigate allegations …

Imer Selmani, the head of the freshly formed New Democracy party has a serious chance of becoming the first ethnic Albanian to ever enter the second round of Macedonia presidential election, the latest opinion poll shows. The presidential candidate of the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party, Georgi Ivanov leads the …

The voting process in Macedonia’s presidential and local election to be held on March 22 – with a likely second round on April 5 – will be the most complex ever staged in Macedonia’s democratic history, the head of the State’s Election Commission said on Thursday. The situation will be …

Ministers, friends and former colleagues Thursday paid tribute to Serbia’s first democratically elected prime minister Zoran Djindjic, shot in front of his government’s headquarters exactly six years ago, on March 12. Current Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, other members of his government, as well as former members of Djindjic’s government plced …

Russians aged under 18 will get free tourist visas for Bulgaria when making group visits, the Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Milen Keremedchiev was quoted as saying by Focus news agency on Thursday. Teachers accompanying the groups will also get a free visa provided there is one teacher for every 15 …

Slovenia vetoed Zagreb`s EU accession talks in December because of the border dispute, which goes back to the 1991. Slovenia’s foreign minister insisted on Wednesday that Slovenia and Croatia must agree on the basic goal of an EU mediation effort in their border conflict before Croatia can continue its EU …

Austrian diplomat is now all but certain to become the international community’s representative. An Austrian diplomat, Valentin Inzko, has been appointed to be the European Union Special Representative (EUSR) to Bosnia and Herzegovina after the United States government dropped its opposition. The appointment was made by EU member states in …

BELGRADE, March 12  – Serbia will need $2.0 billion from the International Monetary Fund for 2009 alone and a new three-year loan deal with the lender would mean a lot more money to maintain stability, the central bank governor said on Thursday. In a live interview with B92 radio, governor …

Croatia was behaving relatively well in the present global economic crisis, unlike some other countries in the region that have been hit hard, a senior official of the World Bank said on Wednesday. Shigeo Katsu, World Bank vice president for Europe and Central Asia, said that this was partly thanks …

BAKU, March 12 – Russia’s foreign minister told his Azerbaijani counterpart on Thursday that Russia wants to continue using the Gabala early-warning radar after the current lease expires in 2012. “Russia is interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan in using the Gabala radar station, and will seek appropriate agreements with our …