The US State Department cleared on Wednesday the US ambassador in Tirana, John L Withers and his staff of allegations that they helped cover up a murky arms deal between a pentagon contractor and the Albanian Ministry of Defence to supply the Afghan army. “The Inspector General has reviewed all …

The Albanian Supreme Court Judge, Ardian Nuni, who was shot and wounded a month ago in Tirana has sought asylum in the United States with his family due to fears for his safety, local media reported. Nuni was operated in Tirana’s Military Hospital, and left the hospital a few says …

One of the leading figures and symbols of the unrecognized Macedonian minority movement in northern Greece, the orthodox priest Nikodim Carknjas claims he is a victim of classic state sponsored repression. He was recently sentenced to six months in prison for beating of a 12 year old seven years ago. …

Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will visit Belgrade in late March to speak with Serbian officials, said his spokeswoman Olga Kavran. At a regular Tribunal press conference, Kavran said that this would be a regular, working visit, during which the chief prosecutor would be meeting Serbian officials responsible for cooperation …

The Bulgarian government will allocate an additional 190 million euro to training and job creation in an attempt to offset the effects the economic slowdown is having on the labour market, Social Minister Emilia Maslarova said. The new funds, under the Human Resources Operational Programme will be aimed at improving …

Croatia’s government begun its planned salary cuts for public employees and on Wednesday said it would decrease the salaries of 420 state officials by ten per cent, adding that it plans a similar reduction for the salaries of some 2,500 judges and judiciary officials. The ”Jutarnji list” daily said the …

Kosovo’s International Civilian Representative has called on the country’s Serb population to begin to take part in the administrative structures at a municipal level, and seize opportunities that decentralisation offer them. “It is the time for the Serbs to make use of the possibilities decentralisation offers to them,” said Pieter …

Three citizens, who said they were Afghans, caught by Kosovo’s police on the Macedonian border near Kacanik, have asked for political asylum. Kosovo’s police did not want to comment or speculate on the reasons that prompted the citizens to seek asylum, saying that “their confidentiality is guaranteed by Geneva’s Convention”, …

KABUL – President Hamid Karzai warned the international community Wednesday against meddling in Afghanistan’s politics as it prepares for a presidential election later this year, saying the country is not “a puppet state.” Karzai faces an election in August, at a time when the country is embroiled in a vicious …

`When we collect enough evidence about concrete people, we will raise charges,` said Sofia City Prosecutor Nikolai Kokinov. Bulgaria’s national security agency and prosecutors raided the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday and seized documents in an investigation into large-scale illegal land deals. The raid was part of Bulgaria’s drive to assure …