Balkans

Skopje – Macedonia’s parliament on Thursday rejected a bill that would have granted financial compensation to soldiers and policemen wounded or killed in the 2001 conflict between Macedonian state forces and ethnic Albanian guerillas.. The bill, which foresaw one-off payments for families of dead servicemen and various pension, healthcare and unemployment …

Brussels – The United States Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried says there will be no more talks with Serbia on the UN Plan’s for the deployment of the EU mission to Kosovo. “I don’t think the debate on the six-point plan will be reopened, I think it’s time to stop …

Sofia – The director of the European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, claims the EU budget had lost between €10 million to €100 million because of misuse of EU money in Bulgaria, local media report. However, Franz-Hermann Bruener declined to specify the exact amount of the losses caused by the violations in Bulgaria …

Pristina – The International Steering Group on Kosovo’s final status says Pristina’s independence is justified given the recognitions of its statehood by 52 countries, including neighbouring states. Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni and Minister for Economics and Finance, Ahmet Shala were given a warm welcome by the International Steering Group in …

Belgrade – Serbia’s ambassador to the US, Ivan Vujacic says Belgrade returned its envoys to countries which have recognised Kosovo’s independence in hope of improving ties. Belgrade initially called back for consultations its ambassadors from countries that recognised Kosovo’s unilateral independence proclamation in February, of which the United States was one …

Bujanovac – Serbia’s Army has received a certificate to join military peace operations all over the world, especially in the medical field, says Defence Minister, Dragan Sutanovac. Sutanovac, who attended a military medial exercise called Safe Way in Bujanovac spa in southern Serbia, which was joined by the armies of Macedonia …

13 November 2008 Skopje – The method used in the recent murder of Croatian journalist Ivo Pukanic and his marketing chief, Niko Franjic, is similar to the one used in the attempt on a former Macedonian President’s life in 1995, local media have reported police sources as saying.

13 November 2008 Belgrade – The arrest of former Bosnian Serbs leader Radovan Karadzic created difficulties for the investigation into the whereabouts of fugitive Ratko Mladic, Serbian Labour Minister Rasim Ljajic said in an interview published today in Belgrade’s Politika newspaper.

13 November 2008 Tirana – Ten lawmakers from Albania’s smaller parliamentary parties are continuing the hunger strike they began on Monday in the parliament building to protest against proposed changes to the electoral code.

13 November 2008 Zagreb – Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader called for what media have dubbed “a Croatian New Deal”, a national strategy to battle the country’s economic crisis.