February, 2013

• 13 February

  Albania Court Hears Arguments on Trash Ban

  The Albanian government on Tuesday argued in the Constitutional Court that a referendum on a banning imports of trash would only flood the country with yet more hazardous waste.Activists united under an umbrella called the Alliance Against Waste Imports, AKIP, have collected 64,000 signatures seeking a referendum that would delete …

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• 13 February

  Sweden’s IKEA and H&M Come to Serbia

  Two Swedish brands, the furniture giant Ikea and the retail-clothing company H&M, have confirmed they are opening stores in Belgrade this year and next.Aleksandar Vucic, the Deputy Prime Minister, announced that the popular Swedish furniture company Ikea will be coming to Serbia in April 2014. “After a long time, the …

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• 12 February

  Deadline Looms for Macedonia Local Elections

  As the deadline nears for a decision on the announced opposition boycott of the local elections, EU politicians are heading to Skopje to kick start dialogue between opposition and government.As the deadline to submit lists of candidates for the March local elections looms on February 16, it will soon be …

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• 12 February

  Suspected Criminal Denies Ties to Saric Clan

  Rodoljub Radulovic, a member of suspected drug lord Darko Saric’s gang, has sent a letter denying all ties with the clan, describing the affair as a set-up.In a letter allegedly “sent to Belgrade friends”, Radulovic denies ties to the runaway suspected drug lord Darko Saric, and accuses another suspected criminal, …

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• 12 February

  Strasbourg Orders Belgrade to Pay War Veterans

  The European human rights court dismissed Belgrade’s appeal and confirmed that Serbia must pay overdue wages to veterans of the 1990s conflicts.Belgrade must now spend millions of euro on satisfying the ex-servicemen’s claims. The European rights court initially ruled in favour of the war veterans in July 2012 but Belgrade …

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• 12 February

  Romania Denies Blame For Horsemeat Scandal

  As EU ministers prepare to meet to discuss the horse meat scandal, Romania says two slaughterhouses are under investigation in connection to the row – but denies wrongdoing.Romania on Tuesday disclosed the names of two local companies that are under investigation for alleged involvement in the frozen food scandal spreading …

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• 12 February

  UK No ‘Soft Touch’ for Bulgarians, Romanians

  UK Immigration Minister says Britain will not be a “soft touch” for migrants from Bulgaria and Romania once the remaining curbs on working in Britain expire.Mark Harper told parliamentarians on Monday that the UK had no obligations to offer any more benefits to Bulgarians and Romanians seeking to come to …

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• 12 February

  Albania Court to Weigh Historic Trash Referendum

  The Constitutional Court on Tuesday will hear arguments about a referendum on waste imports, the first such grassroots initiative in Albania’s history.The request, which is spearheaded by a group of activists, environmentalists and intellectuals, has collected more than 64,000 signatures, calling for the annulment of a law that allows waste …

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• 12 February

  Bosnia Serbs Will Call Referendum on NATO

  As Bosnia vows moves closer to NATO membership, the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said a referendum needs to be held first on the issue.Milorad Dodik said in Banja Luka on February 11 that if Bosnia wants to join the NATO alliance, a referendum will have to be held …

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• 11 February

  Serbia PM May be Grilled on Drug Gang Ties

  The Prosecutor for Organized Crime may summon Ivica Dacic for questioning as part of a wider probe into official links to a notorious drugs gang.The Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime has launched an investigation aimed at gathering all information on communications between officials and Rodoljub Radulovic, a member of suspected …

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