February, 2010

• 22 February

  Closing in on Balkan Criminals

  Bosnia and Herzegovina is due this month to annul one of the biggest post-war legal absurdities with Croatia and Serbia by signing agreements that will finally allow the punishment of convicted criminals holding dual citizenship, Anes Alic writes for ISN Security Watch. A number of people suspected of or indicted …

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• 22 February

  Serbian FM meets with Turkish counterpart

  Turkey and Serbia are ready to work together on the establishing of stability and peace in the Balkans, Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglou says. His statement came after a meeting in Ankara on Saturday with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremić. The free trade agreement between Serbia and Turkey, which will considerably …

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• 22 February

  Croatian President Josipovic discusses possible RS referendum

  Croatia’s new president, Ivo Josipovic, said on Friday (February 19th) that any possible referendum on the independence of Bosnian Serbs would not affect the current structure of neighbouring BiH. Republika Srprka (RS) cannot change the current situation unilaterally, Josipovic said, adding that even if Bosnian Serbs hold a referendum, it …

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• 22 February

  Romania confirms invitation to join South Stream

  Romanian Economy Minister Adrian Videanu announced on Friday (February 19th) that Russian gas giant Gazprom has officially invited Romania to join the South Stream gas pipeline project. “We will analyse this initiative with interest,” Videanu said, adding that Romania is open to any initiative that would contribute to the energy …

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• 22 February

  Hague rejects Seselj’s demand to drop charges

  The UN war crimes tribunal on Friday (February 19th) rejected a request by Serb Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj to drop all charges against him and terminate war crimes proceedings, due to the alleged violation of his rights as a defendant. Seselj based his request on the “doctrine of …

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• 22 February

  IMF disburses $3.3 billion to Romania

  The IMF announced it would give Romania $3.32 billion as part of a big loan to help the country recover from its deep recession. The IMF, the World Bank and the EU drafted a $27.2 billion aid package last May. The latest tranche, which will be disbursed “immediately”, will bring …

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• 20 February

  Austrian MEP: “EU can’t ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo”

  The European Union cannot request Serbia to recognize Kosovo, says an Austrian MEP. This is because the unilateral declaration of independence of Serbia’s southern province had not been recognized by some EU member-states, European parliament member and Vice-President of the Socialist group in the EP Hannes Svoboda has stated.

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• 20 February

  U.S. delegation visits Belgrade

  A delegation of U.S. senators, including George Voinovich [R-OH] and Jeanne Shaheen [D-NH], visited Belgrade on Thursday. They met with President Boris Tadić, and called for a partnership between Serbia and the U.S.

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• 20 February

  Catherine Ashton in Belgrade Talks Serbia’s EU Integration

  The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, has welcomed Serbia’s EU membership application and stressed that cooperation with the UN war crimes court, ICTY, is central to Serbia’s further progress toward the EU. Speaking about Serbia’s EU integration at a press conference in Belgrade on Thursday, Ashton said that …

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• 20 February

  ICJ Sets Date for Croatia Reply to Genocide Suit

  The International Court of Justice, ICJ, has set a deadline of December 20, 2010, for Croatia to submit its response to Serbia’s genocide countersuit. At the same time, the ICJ set a deadline of November 2011 for Serbia to reply to Croatia’s response.

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