Balkans

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (Reuters) – Citizens of Bosnia’s Serb Republic voted on Sunday in an early election for the mainly ceremonial post of regional president after the sudden death of President Milan Jelic.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO ministers pledged on Friday to keep their KFOR peace force in Kosovo at current strength as the Serbian province heads towards independence and to make more troops available as necessary to deal with any violence.

BELGRADE (Reuters) – Ratko Mladic, the fugitive Bosnian Serb general wanted for genocide by the U.N. tribunal, is most likely hiding in Serbia, Serbia’s war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic was quoted as saying on Thursday.

BELGRADE (Reuters) – An independent Kosovo would be a “puppet” of the United States and NATO, Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on Thursday, vowing that Serbia would never give up its breakaway province.

Voters in Russia’s Far East have begun voting in parliamentary elections that are expected to hand a huge majority to the ruling party which has Vladimir Putin, the president, as a candidate.

RUSSIANS relish President Vladimir Putin’s earthy phrases. Reacting to sharp western criticism of Russia’s parliamentary elections today, Putin, playing `Vlad the Bad’, warned western powers not to ‘poke their snotty noses’ in his nation’s business.

По сообщениям СМИ, борцы за независимость оккупированной Россией Дальневосточной Республики призвали своих граждан к полному бойкоту  выборов в России, к которой ДВР не имеет совершенно никакого отношения.

Чекисты дали понять дали понять Буковскому, что он «никто». В Питере 1 декабря в 1:30 ночи членами путинской банды «МВД» были схвачены члены группы сопровождения Буковского — юрист Петербургского гражданского комитета Григорий Соломинский  (starij_abramych) и Михаил Войтенков (mike2304).

Первой жертвой репрессий со стороны нынешнего кремлевского режима может стать часть силовой бюрократии, которая является опорой нынешней путинской власти. Об этом на пресс-конференции заявил экс-советник Путина по экономическим вопросам Андрей Илларионов.

Vladimir Putin’s future is featured in IZVESTIA’s collection of opinion pieces. Russia says a sweet and tasty “no” to meddling in its affairs and are the enemies we have the enemies we deserve? These topics are addressed by Russian newspapers.