Balkans

Bulgaria is willing to share with Romania its experience in dealing with challenges, related to EU funds absorption, the press service of European affairs minister Tomislav Donchev said on November 9 2011. Donchev was on a two-day visit to Bucharest where he met with Romanian government officials.

A phased-in Schengen entry is still a possibility for Romania, even though not all Schengen member countries would be ready for a decision like that, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated.

The swearing-in ceremony for Greece’s new prime minister and cabinet has been delayed. The ceremony was delayed by two hours to 4 pm (1400 GMT), the office of President Karolos Papoulias said, without providing a reason.

Greece’s two main parties reached an agreement to form an interim coalition government to secure a new €130 billion ($177 billion) debt deal and keep the country in the euro, the outgoing prime minister said Wednesday.

The US prosecutor heading the investigation into allegations of Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, organ trafficking will visit Tirana on November 10. John Clint Williamson, who leads the seven member Special Investigative Task Force of the EU mission, EULEX, will meet with

Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the European integration, Teuta Arifi, said that this month the Macedonian government would start lobbying ahead of the EU summit in December. “The picture in the region has changed this year in terms of the European integration and it is important for Macedonia …

Serbian President Boris Tadić will confer with Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz on Wednesday, the second day of his visit to Belgrade. Brammertz is visiting Serbia as part of his regular activities as Hague Tribunal chief prosecutor, prior to

Certain EU member states want the decision on Serbia’s EU candidate status to be delayed until further notice. EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule has been lobbying in order to ensure that the Council of Ministers will vote on it on December 9.

Rival political parties in Greece again pledged Wednesday to conclude power-sharing talks, which have dragged into a third day despite rising pressure from the country’s European partners for a swift resolution to the political crisis. Greece’s big two political parties, the Socialists and the conservative New Democracy, are renowned for …

Bosnia’s High Representative has accused the country’s political leaders of causing stagnation, according to local media reports. Valentin Inzko says in a report to be submitted to the United Nations on November 15 that the leaders of Bosnia’s six political parties are to blame for failing to adopt a budget …