Balkans

PRISTINA, Kosovo OSCE spokeswoman Elli Flen told the BBC on Sunday (May 24th) that the organisation’s role in the upcoming municipal elections will only be supervisory and observatory. President Fatmir Sejdiu is expected to decide the date of this year’s vote by the middle of this week, following consultations with …

SKOPJE, Macedonia Dozens of earthquakes shook the southeast on Sunday (May 24th). The strongest measured 5.4 on the Richter scale at around 6 pm local time in the Valandovo region near the border with Greece. Seismologists counted more than 70 quakes throughout the day, which caused public panic and damaged …

A resolution adopted the Organisation of Islamic Conference, OIC, which welcomes cooperation with Kosovo and calls on the international community to continue to foster the country’s economy, has been greeted as a success by both Pristina and Belgrade. But while both countries claim victory, they give very different interpretations to …

SKOPJE, Macedonia EU members states begin debate Monday (May 25th) on the European Commission’s (EC) latest progress report on efforts by Western Balkan countries to meet criteria for joining the EU’s visa-free travel area, Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Bocevski announced on Friday.

ATHENS, Greece More than 1,000 Muslim protesters clashed with police in central Athens on Friday (May 22nd), causing havoc in the streets. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protesters. At least 14 people, seven Muslim immigrants and seven policemen, were injured, and 46 people were arrested.

HE HAGUE, Netherlands The trial of former war crimes tribunal spokeswoman Florence Hartmann will run from June 15th to June 17th, the UN tribunal announced on Friday (May 22nd).

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Zeljko Komsic, the Croat member of BiH’s three-member presidency, said on Friday (May 22nd) that he has asked the state prosecutor to file war crimes charges against former Yugoslav presidents Dobrica Cosic and Zoran Lilic.

All trade in poultry, live fish and beef between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia has been stopped as the two countries again wage trade wars, media reported on Monday. The dispute started late last week after Croatia banned imports of these products from Bosnia, citing risks of animal and fish …

Fearful locals in the southeast Macedonia slept out under open skies on Sunday night after over 180 earthquakes hit the region over the weekend. The strongest tremor hit at 6.15pm on Sunday, measuring 5.4 at the Richter scale. It was felt across the country and in the capital, Skopje. Smaller …

The US Ambassador in Tirana, John L Withers, on Monday appealed to Albanian citizens from the town of Berat to apply for new identity cards so they can vote in the June 28 parliamentary elections. The appeal follows a similar call made last week by the head of the OSCE …