The military aviation services are observing two days of mourning, following the deaths of two pilots, killed on Monday (July 23rd) when their firefighting plane crashed while trying to put out a blaze caused by record heat on the island of Evia.

The High Judicial Council decided on Tuesday (July 24th) to appoint Slobodan Radovanovic as acting public prosecutor. Parliament relieved state public prosecutor Slobodan Jankovic and district public prosecutor Milovan Bozovic of their duties Monday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, his wife Cecilia Sarkozy and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner became “honourable citizens of Sofia” on Tuesday (July 24th) , following an extraordinary session of Sofia’s Municipal Council.

OSCE Secretary-General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut met with heads of the Kosovo parliamentary caucuses on Tuesday (July 24th) in Pristina. He assured them that Kosovo institutions would receive OSCE support even after the final status of the province is resolved.

Prosecutors on Tuesday (July 24th) ordered the release of a prominent Kurdish activist after she won a seat in parliament Sunday. Sebahat Tuncel had been indicted on charges of belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party terrorist group.

Parliament announced to the international community on Tuesday (July 24th) that Serbia would take measures against any country that recognises an independent Kosovo.

The EU expects Macedonia to continue constructive political dialogue on key issues, the Stabilisation and Association Council (SAC) said in a statement Tuesday (July 24th) after talks with officials in Skopje.

Bamir Topi was sworn in as president of Albania on Tuesday (July 24th). He pledged to work for the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration.

Montenegro did not strengthen civil liberties during 2006, and democracy in the country deteriorated slightly, according to the latest report by Freedom House. In particular, the NGO cited a sluggish fight against corruption, excessive government influence on state television, and public mistrust of the judicial system.

The United States on Wednesday played down the prospect of higher-level talks with Iran after Iran’s foreign minister was quoted as saying his government was open to moving negotiations to a more senior level.