GEORGIA The negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Georgia on visa facilitation and readmission are successful, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, David Jalaganiya said at a traditional meeting on Aug. 31. He said during the third round of the talks, held last week in Brussels, the parties agreed texts for …

BiH A leading Bosnian opposition movement, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, warns that, by further escalating the current political crisis, Bosnia’s ruling parties are leading the country to the brink of a new war. The warning comes after fresh political quarrels and tensions paralysed the work of the government of …

CROATIA The foreign ministers of Croatia and Slovenia say further progress has been made in solving their countries’ grinding border dispute, DPA reports. Speaking after talks on Sunday in the Slovenian resort of Bled, Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Jandrokovic and his Slovenian counterpart Samuel Zbogar said they had discussed “major …

ALBANIA Albania’s President Bamir Topi decreed on Monday that the new parliament will convene on September 7, despite ongoing ructions concerning the contested June 28 parliamentary elections. After the new parliament takes its seats, the president is expected to mandate the Democratic Party, PD, of Prime Minister Sali Berisha to …

SERBIA UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres will meet with Serbian senior officials to discuss the refugee problem in Serbia and the region. Before arriving to Belgrade, Guterres was in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he said that it would be ideal if all of the open questions regarding refugees …

AUSTRIA Serbia has received clear approval from the U.S. to have Serbia citizens convicted by the Hague Tribunal transferred to serve their time in Serbia. According to Justice Minister Snežana Malović, this approval has nothing to do with the so-called “secret deal” to have convicts from Guantanamo Bay transferred to …

SLOVENIA Slovenia is expected to sign the agreement for constructing a part of the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory soon, Prime Minister Borut Pahor said. Pahor added that the details regarding the agreement will be confirmed soon at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, according to …

RUSSIA Russia has accused Kyiv of attempting to seize property belonging to its Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine, in a further sign of escalating tension between the ex-Soviet neighbors. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet said it had barred Ukrainian court bailiffs as they tried to seize navigation equipment on August 27 …

TURKEY U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler has met with Turkish officials to discuss all aspects of bilateral ties, regional developments and Turkey’s European Union bid. Wexler held meetings with President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin late Wednesday and met with Foreign Minister Ahmet …

GREECE NATO Secretary General Andres Fogh Rasmussen will visit Athens for talks with Greek officials. NATO chief will meet Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Defense Minister Evangalos Meimarakis. Details will be announced at the press conference, which will be hold by Karamanlis and Rasmunssen. …