September, 2011

• 19 September

  Netherlands will block Bulgaria and Romania Schengen accession

  The Netherlands will “work against” Bulgaria and Romania joining the Schengen Agreement, the country’s Immigration Minister Gerd Leers promised late on Thursday evening. Neither Bulgaria nor Romania is doing enough to combat corruption, Leers reportedly told

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• 18 September

  Romania-US deal seen as security milestone

  Romania and the United States signed a missile defence agreement during President Traian Basescu’s visit to Washington on Tuesday (September 13th). The accord is being widely hailed in Bucharest as a major security breakthrough. It was signed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Romanian counterpart, Foreign Affairs …

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• 18 September

  Rasmussen calls for dialogue, not confrontation in northern Kosovo

  The visit, just one day before Pristina and EULEX resume customs and police control over the northern border gates 1 and 31, prompted Serbs in Northern Kosovo to block the main roads with make-shift barricades, as well as the main bridge over the Ibar that connects the ethnically divided city …

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• 18 September

  Kosovo-Serbia trade embargo lifts, consequences unclear

  The first trucks entered Kosovo from Serbia through the Merdare border in Podujevo, 30km northeast of Pristina, on Friday (September 16th), as the agreement on customs stamps was initiated. According to EULEX, the agreement was the last missing piece needed to relaunch a proper customs system. Kosovo became a single …

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• 18 September

  Sarajevo Talks Fail To Produce New Government

  Leaders from six of Bosnia’s main parliamentary parties held a meeting in Sarajevo yesterday, ten days after similar talks were held in Mostar. Although agreement was achieved on the subjects of state census, law on military aid, military property and the representation of Roma in government, the most important decision …

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• 18 September

  Albania Court Nominates New Experts in Video Corruption Trial

  Meta was charged with corruption in May after a video was broadcast appearing to show him discussing corrupt deals with another former minister, Dritan Prifti. The three new experts will review the video’s authenticity, which Meta contends had been doctored and his words taken out of context.

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• 18 September

  Kosovo Serbs Man Barricades But Stay Calm

  Serb-run northern Kosovo remained calm on Saturday, one day after the controversial deployment of EU police and Kosovo customs officials on border crossings with Serbia. Kosovo customs staff and EULEX police arrived by helicopter at the crossings at Jarinje and Brnjak at around 8am on Friday under an agreement with …

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• 13 September

  Macedonian FM to visit Serbia

  Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki leaves Tuesday on an official visit to Belgrade. During the visit Poposki will meet with Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic. The two will discuss the development of the bilateral cooperation and support in the Euro-Atlantic processes in the two countries.

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• 13 September

  Macedonia, Kosovo have no open issues, says Kosovo’s ambassador

  There are no open issues standing between Macedonia and Kosovo, Kosovo’s ambassador to Skopje Skender Durmishi after meeting with Mayor of Debar Argetim Fida. In Durmishi’s words, there are no open issues but there are new motives and hopes for further development of the bilateral relations and cooperation. Durmishi gave …

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• 13 September

  EU Envoy Urges Bosnian Serbs To End Impasse

  Ahead of a meeting in Sarajevo on Wednesday, Peter Sorensen pleads with Bosnia’s leaders to let people ‘have an ordinary life’. In a move to nudge Bosnia’s quarreling leaders in the direction of forming a central government, Peter Sorensen, the EU’s Special Representative to Bosnia, met the Bosnian Serb leader, …

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