The Tirana-based Macedonian Association ILINDEN strongly denounced the statement by Pandeli Majko, who called on Albanians to burn Macedonian flag. In a statement to media, the ILINDEN Association also condemned the recent incident in Tirana, where Macedonian national flag was set ablaze. “We are appalled at this vandalistic and uncivilized …

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is surprised at inconsistency of the Tagliavini Commission. Recognizing the presence of Russia’s regular troops in the Georgian territory, particularly in the Tskhinvali region, the commission still did not name Russia as the aggressor, Saakashvili added. “The Commission recognized that the foreign country’s armed forces have …

Georgia will hold the NATO Days on Oct. 5-9. Various activities, including conferences, meetings with students, non-governmental organizations and politicians, will be held during the event, the NATO Information Center reported. A special delegation of the alliance will attend the NATO Days. Representatives of the NATO Information Center and guests …

Chairman of the Parliamentary Interim Commission for restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity, Shota Malashkhia assesses the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov’s scheduled visit to Abkhazia as another challenge to the international community. Lavrov will visit Sukhumi today, on Oct. 2. During the visit, he will legalize several agreements between Abkhazia …

United States president Barack Obama has named James Warwick to be the next US ambassador in Sofia, Bulgarian news agency Focus said on October 2 2009. However, on October 2 there were no statements about the nomination on the websites of the White House or the US senate.

Bulgaria’s Cabinet was considering seeking a 1 billion euro loan from the World Bank under the Government Priorities funding budget, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Rosen Plevneliev said. The new credit would add to the 1 billion euro the country was seeking from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc has taken the post of chargé d’affaires ad interim of education minister, media informed. Minister of Tourism Elena Udrea heads the Ministry of Environment, communications minister Gabriel Sandu was elected Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment; economy minister Adrian Videanu will …

Three former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, have been found guilty of conducting a torture campaign at a prison camp in the remote Kosovo hills. Latif Gashi, Nazif Mehmeti and Rrustem Mustafa were convicted on Friday of war crimes committed during the conflict in Kosovo.

The Kosovo and Metohija Political Forum has been established in the town of Gracanica, ahead of Kosovo’s forthcoming local elections, to represent local Serbs. Broadcaster B92 reports that the forum was created at the initiative of 50 Gracanica residents, and neighbouring villages, in order to unite Kosovo Serbs. The leader …

Albanian Foreign Affairs Minister Ilir Meta, has said that the EU rule of law mission, EULEX, is vital in strengthening Kosovo’s institutions. “EULEX will help bring European standards to Kosovo’s institutions, especially [in moving] towards a government based on the rule of law” Meta said during a meeting with ethnic …