March, 2009

• 20 March

  Djelic says EC will ease visa regime for Serbia by year’s end

  BELGRADE, Serbia — Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic insisted on Wednesday (March 18th) that Serbia would receive a positive assessment from the EU Council of Ministers and would join the countries on the so-called White Schengen List before the end of the year.

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• 20 March

  Macedonia invites Greece to improve relations

  SKOPJE, Macedonia — Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki says Macedonia has proposed different initiatives to Greece aimed at improving bilateral relations that have been strained for the past 18 years over the countries’ bitter name dispute.

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• 20 March

  Albanian opposition again criticises process for issuing ID cards

  TIRANA, Albania — The opposition Socialist Party (SP) warned on Wednesday (March 18th) that the process of issuing new electronic ID cards is about to fail. SP leader Edi Rama proposed a draft law to issue the identification documents for free, arguing that many citizens have trouble paying for them. …

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• 20 March

  Mitrovica honors a Norwegian for contribution to Kosovo

  Tor Arne Martinsen, the principal of the Celeburg School of Fredrikstad municipality in Norway, yesterday received the Honorary Citizen of Mitrovica Award for his contribution given to Kosovo and the Mitrovica municipality, particularly in the field of education. The members of the Mitrovica Municipality Assembly granted the Honorary Citizen of …

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• 20 March

  World Bank approves $13.5 million for Serbia Health Project

  The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a $13.5 million loan in additional financing for the Serbia Health Project. The aim of the project is to develop a sustainable, performance-oriented health care system where providers are rewarded for quality and efficiency. Building on the achievements of the Serbia Health …

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• 20 March

  EU leaders approve Belarus joining Eastern Partnership program

  BRUSSELS – The leaders of the 27 EU member countries have approved the inclusion of Belarus in the bloc’s Eastern Partnership program, the Czech prime minister’s spokesman said on Friday. “Belarus is on the list,” he said. The Czech Republic currently holds the European Union’s rotating presidency. 

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• 20 March

  Medvedev, Obama may set nuclear agenda

  Russian and US presidents should make progress on long-range nuclear weapons cuts when they meet next month, but Moscow will be linking this to US anti-missile plans which it opposes, an official said. A follow-up pact to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1), which expires in December, is on …

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• 20 March

  Russia stands firm on sovereignty of Abkhazia, South Ossetia

  MOSCOW- Russia will not back away from its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in order to begin a dialogue on relations with Georgia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Davaid Bakradze, a spokesman for the Georgian parliament, said on Thursday that Tbilisi was ready to begin a dialogue …

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• 20 March

  Romania must close 65 polluting landfills to avoid EC punishment

  BUCHAREST – Romania must close the remaining 65 non-ecological landfills by mid-July this year, in order to avoid the launch of infringement procedure by the European Commission (EC), said on Thursday Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi. “I believe we are close to seeing the launch of the infringement procedure by the …

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• 20 March

  Stanishev wants EU watchdog in Sofia to oversee progress

  An article in the Economist magazine reports that Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev has proposed a kind of committee of European Union officials to visit Bulgaria in order to monitor and enforce progress in the country’s drive against corruption and organised crime. Stanishev’s idea follows the European Commission’s decision to …

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