Balkans

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Wednesday he was hopeful Romania and Bulgaria could make progress toward entry into the passport-free Schengen area despite continued resistance. After talks with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Baconschi in Berlin, Westerwelle said Bucharest could count on Germany’s continued backing in attempts to wear down …

Macedonia expects a positive progress report from the European Commission (EC), said parliament chairperson Trajko Veljanovski. “I am convinced that Macedonia will be given a date for start of the accession talks,” he remarked. According to Veljanovski, the region needs a positive impulse and it will come with sitting a …

European Union mediator Robert Cooper will visit Belgrade on Oct. 7 and Pristina on Oct. 10. He will attempt to convince the two sides of the benefits of continuing their dialogue, but he will also be prepared “to listen and engage” in talks about the checkpoints and the implementation of …

The U.S. State Department says it is “disappointing” that Bosnia-Herzegovina is starting its second year with no government. Last year’s election for a central parliament and three members of the federal presidency ended in a deadlock, with no

EU ministers on Wednesday in Brussels are to count the latest figures on asylum claims from the Western Balkans, and decide how to curb a trend that has accelerated since visas were scrapped. EU ministers are to assess whether the number of Balkan asylum-seekers is rising or declining, and decide …

Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci said that the institutions in the country are about to set the supremacy of the law in North Kosovo, where the majority of the residents are ethnic Serbs, and to close the historical chapter of the clash between Kosovo and Serbia.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele has confirmed that €96 million of funding from a special Balkans assistance package will be allocated to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Previously, Fuele had suspended the allocation after political infighting broke out between leaders in Bosnia’s two semi-autonomous entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, FBiH, …

Croatia’s accession to the European Union will offer a new hope for the entire western Balkan region, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said after meeting his Croatian counterpart Gordan Jandrokovic on Monday. “The accession treaty will be signed in December, ahead of Christmas,” said Sikorski, whose

European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia, Jelko Kacin, said on Monday that along with EU candidate status, Serbia should also get a date for the beginning of negotiations. He pointed out, however, that in order to make progress in the Euro-integration process, the country needed to resolve the issue of Kosovo.

A delegation headed by Bulgarian Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov has ended a working visit to Uzbekistan. Traikov held meetings with Uzbek Economy Minister Galina Saidova and Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade Minister Ravshan Gulyamov.