March, 2009

• 23 March

  OSCE: Macedonia Passes Election Test

  The first round of Sunday’s presidential and mayoral election in Macedonia met most international standards, western monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe say. The poll was “well administered and free of the violent incidents that clouded last year’s parliamentary elections,” the OSCE said. Election day was …

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• 23 March

  NATO Bombing of Serbia ‘Was Right’

  NATO’s air attack on the former Yugoslavia a decade ago was “the right thing to do” and had improved the lives of Kosovo Albanians and Serbs, the US envoy Richard Holbrooke argues. Speaking at the Brussels Forum conference on Saturday, Holbrooke, a former envoy to the Balkans and currently United …

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• 23 March

  Spain: Kosovo Troop Withdrawal ‘Flexible’

  Spain says the withdrawal of its troops from Kosovo is flexible after receiving criticism from NATO concerning their previous plans to pull their troops in the next four or five months. “Defence Minister Carmen Chacon will meet NATO’s Secretary General next week to explain the reasons for the withdrawal and …

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• 23 March

  Kosovo to Push UN Exit at Security Council

  Kosovo’s Foreign Minister is to urge the United Nations Mission in Kosovo to wrap up its administration at a UN Security Council meeting later in Monday. Kosovo will be represented by UNMIK chief, Lamberto Zannier and Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni. The chief of Kosovo’s diplomacy will also discuss the security …

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• 23 March

  Croatia Should ‘Calm Down’ in Slovenia Spat

  Croatia should tone down its bellicose rhetoric urges Slovenia President as a border row between the two countries threatens to undermine Croatia’s bid to join NATO and the European Union. “At this moment I see too much loud diplomacy, too many expressions that harm good relations. I think we should …

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• 23 March

  US Worried over ‘Blocked Progress’ in Bosnia

  US State Secretary Hillary Clinton has cheered Bosnia’s parliament for making headway in adopting amendments on the disputed Brcko district but also echoed concerns that bitter ethnic rivalries could block the country’s path to EU and NATO membership. “The United States of America remain committed to seeing the future advance …

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• 23 March

  Serbia, Croatia ’Like France & Germany’

  Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has hailed his visit to Serbia over the weekend as significant in reviving dialogue between the one-time bitter foes, and likened their relationship to that of France and Germany. Speaking to Serbia’s state news agency, Tanjug, Sanader said Serbia and Croatia had a difficult past …

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• 23 March

  New Romania Opposition Chief Vows Victory

  The new leader of Romania’s main opposition party, Crin Antonescu, has said his main task is to rally his centre-right Liberal Party (PNL) to take on Traian Basescu who is expected to run in the presidential election later this year. “My mission is to represent liberal values in the future …

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• 23 March

  Kosovo Minister: Time for UNMIK To Go

  The UN presence in Kosovo is viewed as unnecessary by Kosovar Albanians and their mandate meaningless in Kosovo’s working as a state, argues Kosovo’s deputy Prime Minister. Hajredin Kuci emphasised that Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence in 2008, the installment of the constitution, the passing of new legislation, and the deployment …

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• 23 March

  Bulgarian Diaspora Set Up Political Party

  Bulgarian migrants living abroad have set up their own political party called “The Other Bulgaria” vowing to tackle corruption and ‘restore the country’s credibility’ in the European Union. Named after a popular television show that tracks the lives of Bulgarian migrants in different parts of the world, the party sets …

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