Balkans

Cause of Fire in Bosnia Mosque Disputed

n independent expert has disputed the conclusion of the official investigation, saying the mosque in the village of Fazlagica Kula was not razed by accident but in “professionally planed and executed” arson attack. “Our suspicions have been confirmed because the findings of this expert are completely different from the findings …

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Serb Politicians Flaunt Presence in Kosovo

Two Serbian ministers cut the ribbon in a post office in the Kosovo town of Gracanica on Monday, a move meant to showcase Belgrade’s hold on Serb areas of its former province. Serbia’s Minister for Kosovo, Goran Bogdanovic, and minister for Local Government Milan Markovic, did not inform Kosovo’s Albanian …

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Kosovo threatens to ban products from Serbia

MERDARE, Kosovo (Reuters) – Kosovo threatened on Tuesday to ban products coming from Serbia if Belgrade does not reverse its policy of blocking goods that carry a customs stamp from its former province. Since early December, Serbia has refused to allow in products with labels reading “Customs of Kosovo” because …

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Students march, gunman shoots police bus in Greece

ATHENS (Reuters) – Hundreds of anarchists marched through Athens on Tuesday hours after a gunman opened fire at a riot police bus, in a third week of anti-government protests since police shot dead a teenager. Police said the unidentified gunman shot at the bus carrying 19 officers when it stopped …

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First Greece-Macedonia Court Hearing in Jan

The first official meeting of Macedonian and Greek representatives at the World Court over Skopje’s suit against Athens is to be held on January 19, Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry says. The International Court of Justice has already notified both countries’ foreign ministries. The meeting will focus on procedural issues regarding the …

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EULEX ‘Must Probe Ethnic Crimes in Kosovo’

The EU’s law-and-order mission in Kosovo, EULEX should urgently probe cases of ethnically-motivated crimes and improve the justice system, argues Human Rights Watch. The letter by the New York-based organisation was sent to EULEX chief, Yves de Kermabon. “Progress on prosecutions linked to the March 2004 riots and prosecutions for …

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Kosovo President: UN Plan Not Obligatory

The UN’s Six-Point Plan for Kosovo is not obligatory since it does not outline what will happen if the plan is not implemented, Kosovo’s President Fatmir Sejdiu claims. Instead, Sejdiu advocates the superiority of the four-point plan proposed by the Kosovo government. “Pristina’s stance (the Four-point plan) is referred to …

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UN: Serbian Trains ‘Should Not Enter Kosovo’

Northern MitrovicaBelgrade had no permission from the UN to allow Serbian trains to enter Kosovo, says a UN mission spokesman after a train reportedly terminated in the town of Zvecan. “Concerning this issue, Belgrade did not discuss it with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, I’m sorry to say. We …

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Hungary, Romania Ties ‘To Remain Strong’

Hungary will enjoy good ties with Romania even though the ethnic Hungarian party, the UDMR, will not be part of Romania’s new government, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz says. “We are determined to maintain good relations with the Romanian government even if it does not have any Hungarian ministers or …

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OSCE: Albania Lustration Law Unconstitutional

The OSCE has slammed a law presented by Albania’s centre-right government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha, for the lustration of high administration figures as unconstitutional. “The law breaches several articles of the [Albanian] constitution and an all-inclusive debate it’s necessary before its passed,” said Organisation for Security and Cooperation in …

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