June, 2009

• 22 June

  European leaders back Western Balkans’ integration

  BELGRADE, Serbia Presidents of fourteen Central and Southeast European countries voiced strong support Friday (June 19th) for the Western Balkans’ integration into the EU and its visa liberalisation process, media reported. Attending a two-day summit in the northern town of Novi Sad, the leaders stressed the entire region’s future depends …

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• 22 June

  Inzko repeals controversial RS parliament resolution

  SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) High Representative Valentin Inzko announced on Saturday (June 20th) he is repealing a resolution by Republika Srpska’s (RS) parliament, obliging the entity’s institutions and officials to oppose any future transfer of power to BiH.

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• 22 June

  EU warns BiH about violating CEFTA accord

  SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) The EU said on Friday (June 19th) that BiH has violated its commitments under the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) by adopting a controversial law on customs duties, media reported. On Thursday, parliament endorsed the bill, which imposes higher duties on nearly 1,000 items, …

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• 22 June

  Turkish Cypriots hint of alternative to reunification talks

  NICOSIA, Cyprus Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun said on Friday (June 19th) his government may consider other options if the ongoing reunification talks with Greek Cypriots fail. His statement followed a meeting with UN special envoy for Cyprus Alexander Downer in Nicosia.

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• 22 June

  US, EU renew calls for fair elections in Albania

  TIRANA, Albania The United States and the EU on Friday (June 19th) once again called on Albania to hold free and fair elections to boost its chances for closer ties with the West, media reported. In a statement, the US Embassy in Tirana said next week’s elections will test the …

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• 22 June

  Greece inaugurates new Acropolis Museum

  ATHENS, Greece The long-awaited new Acropolis Museum was officially inaugurated on Saturday (June 20th) at a ceremony in Athens. Greece’s political leaders and hundreds of foreign dignitaries, artists and academics attended the ceremony. The museum was intended to open in time for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but technical and bureaucratic …

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• 22 June

  Paramilitaries Get 15 – 20 Years for Kosovo Crimes

  Three Scorpions paramilitaries have been sentenced to serve up to 20 years in prison for killing 14 civillians in Podujevo, near Pristina, in March 1999. The verdict, handed down yesterday at the Belgrade District Court War Crimes Chamber, sentenced Zeljko Djukic, Dragan Medic, and Dragan Borojevic to 20 years, and …

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• 22 June

  Serbia Pulled Off EU Summit Agenda

  Talks surrounding Serbia’s European future were withdrawn at the last minute from this week’s EU Summit agenda in Brussels. Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission President had no comments or information for journalists about the talks and if Serbia had made it on the agenda. Other topics at the press conference …

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• 22 June

  Summit of Leaders Under Way in Novi Sad

  Fourteen presidents are taking part in a summit of Central and South-East European heads of state in Novi Sad to discuss issues integral to the region. Today’s plenary session will tackle the economy, energy and European integration. Serbian bilateral meetings are taking place as President Boris Tadic met last night …

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• 22 June

  UN to Solve Serbian Refugee Crisis

  The UNHCR has identified Serbia as one of the top five countries with a recurring refugee crisis. At a UNHCR meeting held in Vienna today, Serbia’s UNHCR representative Lennart Kotsalainen stated that fourteen years after the war in the Balkans, “a great number of refugees still live in Serbia, which …

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