Balkans

SERBIA The Special Court in Belgrade has sentenced four Wahhabi to a total of 27 years in prison. Adis Murić and Bajram Aslani were sentenced to eight years, Nedžad Bulić to seven, and Enes Mujanović to four years. The group was accused of criminal association with a view to unconstitutional …

BULGARIA Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov expressed concern about what he called the lack of competence that the new Cabinet and Prime Minister Boiko Borissov have shown about the country’s energy policy and asked Borissov to take a firm stand when dealing with Russia and energy giant Gazprom. In an article …

BULGARIA SAPARD program would be part of the talks at high level between Bulgarian Prime Minister (PM) Boyko Borisov and the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso. Thus political trust, which Bulgaria has expected, would come from the highest level, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva said.

BULGARIA We need succession in the energy strategy and policy of Bulgaria, , reads an article by President Georgi Parvanov titled “Energy Strategy and Policy Needs Pragmatism and Leadership”.

HOLLAND Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic could go on trial as early as October 19 for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the pre-trial judge of the tribunal overseeing his case said on Tuesday. Karadzic, the most prominent figure being prosecuted for crimes during the 1992-95 Bosnian war, asked …

GREECE The construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline suits the interests of both Greece and Bulgaria, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said in an interview with local media.

GREECE “The market suffocates, small and medium-sized enterprises suffer and the unemployment rate endangers the families in Greece. The lack of state over the last years turned Greece into a state of inter-firm indebtedness and affairs”, the leader of the Greek oppositional political party PASOK George Papandreou said after his …

GREECE The signing of president’s decree officially kicked off the early elections campaign in Greece. The two biggest political parties started their elections battle. Leaders of the New Democracy and PASOK – Kostas Karamanlis and George Papandreou, respectively, agreed to organize TV debates in parallel to the elections campaigns, inviting …

MACEDONIA On Tuesday, September 8, Macedonia marks its Independence Day, local media report. It is a holiday in the country and all workers have an off-day. The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy announced that September 8 is declared off-day in line with country’s holiday act.

BiH The ruling political party in the Serb-dominated Bosnian entity of Republika Srpska has rebuffed what it claims is the international community’s political plotting and meddling. “Certain circles from the international community are trying to gather and activate certain groups that work on the destabilisation of Republika Srpska,” said Milorad …