Balkans

BULGARIA The Independence Day of Bulgaria – September 22, will be observed throughout the country. The center of festivities will be the town of Veliko Tarnovo. At 8.00 am in St. Forty Martyrs Church, where in 1908, Prince Ferdinand declared Bulgaria’s independence, will be held by the world Liturgy by …

GREECE Greece is unconvinced that Macedonia will receive a date for the start of its EU accession talks in this autumn’s European Commission, EC, progress report, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis said. Macedonia hopes a date for the start of EU integration talks will be included in the report, scheduled …

SERBIA Leading a delegation to the UN General Assembly, Serbian President Boris Tadic says Belgrade is seeking closer ties with the US. AT the start of its trip, the Serbian delegation met representatives of the Serbian diaspora, Senator George Voinovich, Ohio governor Ted Strickland and Ohio National Guard Commander Gregory …

Visoki predstavnik međunarodne zajednice za BiH nametnuo je jučer Zakon o podjeli sredstava koje je BiH dobila sukcesijom bivše SFRJ po kojem će oko 170,9 miliona KM podijeliti država, entiteti i distrikt Brčko. Zakon o raspodjeli sredstava od sukcesije dio je paketa mjera koje je jučer, koristeći se bonskim ovlastima, …

KOSOVO Serbians would not accept Montenegrins to be mentioned in Kosovo’s Constitution, leader of Self-determination Movement Albin Kurti said. He noted despite Serbians in Kosovo are 6% of the population they can impose veto on political decisions mentioned in the Constitution. “Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and the Prime Minister Hacim …

MACEDONIA Name dispute with Greece is the only obstacle for Macedonia’s European Atlantic ambitions, said Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. “I assess positive good neighborly relations besides name dispute with Greece. We do not have any other serious problems despite these are the Balkans,” Gruevski pointed. In his words Macedonia …

BULGARIA Bulgaria and Russia agreed Friday to create common working groups to prepare details of the “South Stream” natural gas pipeline project. Bulgaria Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister, Traicho Traikov,and Russia Energy Minister, Sergei Shmatko, held talks in Sofia on Friday regarding the future of the South Stream gas pipeline, …

MONTENEGRO According to second half of the year’s report of Institutional Investor magazine Montenegro has improved its rating with 1,3 points and now occupies the 85th place in the list of nearly 180 countries, Radio Television of Montenegro / RTCG / informed.

SERBIA President Boris Tadić says the state will react to all forms of violence in the streets of Belgrade and will not allow an atmosphere of chaos to be created. Tadić fiercely condemned the barbaric behavior of sport fans and assaults on foreign nationals in previous days, adding that the …

SERBIA Serbia is fully cooperating with the Hague and is doing its utmost to bring the last two fugitives before the Hague, says the National Council for Cooperation. “The government’s position is clear. As soon as Hague fugitives Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić are located, if they are in Serbia, …