Dragan Jokic, sentenced for crimes committed in Srebrenica in 1995, should be released from prison in Austria by mid February, while seven former high ranking military and police officers await their verdict for crimes committed in the Bosnian Serb enclave. The decision to release Jokic was made by the International …
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Bosnia’s Forgotten Minorities
As Jewish and Roma officials win a major victory in Strasbourg against Bosnian constitutional discrimination, which should pave the way for the ‘Others’ to participate in government, recent history indicates that the Court’s decision is unlikely to be implemented, Anes Alic writes for ISN Security Watch. The European Court of …
Read More »UN envoy satisfied with intensified Cyprus reunification talks
UN Special Envoy for Cyprus Alexander Downer said on Tuesday (January 12th) that he is satisfied with intensified talks on reunification that began this week between Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. “We are happy with the way the two leaders are conducting the negotiations,” …
Read More »Great Britain and Hungary strongly support Macedonia’s EU and NATO entry
Great Britain and Hungary want Macedonia to join EU and NATO, support setting a date for accession talks with EU and hope Macedonia to find an acceptable name solution, British Foreign Minister David Miliband and Hungarian President László Sólyom said in their letters send to Macedonia President Gjorgje Ivanov.
Read More »Merkel: Long road to EU for Bosnia
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she does not have much hope for a quick European Union accession for Bosnia-Herzegovina. After meeting with Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency head Željko Komšić in Berlin, she said that “a very long road” is ahead of Bosnia towards EU membership. Without changes to the Constitution, which …
Read More »Moldovan leader presses for language name change
Moldova’s acting president, at the risk of touching off a damaging row, is pressing for the national language to be renamed Romanian rather than Moldovan. The ex-Soviet republic, independent since 1991, speaks a language virtually identical to that in Romania and much of its territory belonged to its larger neighbour …
Read More »EU enlargement commissioner-designate vows to keep Turkish talks going
European Commissioner-designate for EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule promised on Tuesday (January 12th) that the bloc will continue talks on Turkey’s accession despite opposition from some members, including France and Germany. “I intend to go ahead with accession negotiations with Turkey. They are the best leverage we have …
Read More »Slovenia, Croatia ready to clear way for Zagreb’s EU talks
Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and his Croatian counterpart Jadranka Kosor said Wednesday they were ready to clear the way for Zagreb’s EU membership talks next month. “My wish is that, by the next EU-Croatia accession conference in February, we can solve at least two of the three open issues,” …
Read More »Croatian Operation Storm War Crimes Probe
A Zagreb county court began hearing on Tuesday an investigation about war crimes committed in the village Grubori, near Knin, in August 1995 during the military operation code named Oluja (Storm). The court heard the first five of about 70 witnesses that will be called, according the media. Zeljko Sacic, …
Read More »Bosnian Arrested for War Crimes in Sweden
A Swedish citizen of Bosnian origin was arrested Tuesday in relation to war crimes charges, according to local media. The identity of the person who was arrested in northern Sweden is still not known to the public, except that he is 43 years old and served as a guard at …
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