July, 2009

• 28 July

  Serbia’s Jeremic optimistic about interim trade deal

  BELGRADE, Serbia Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Saturday (July 25th) he is optimistic that Serbia’s interim trade agreement with the EU — as part of the broader pre-membership agreement — would be unblocked by the beginning of 2010. In an interview with the newspaper Danas, Jeremic said talks on …

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• 28 July

  Colak says BiH will not extradite its citizens

  SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Justice Minister Barisa Colak says BiH will not extradite its citizens to other countries, regardless of the type of the arrest warrant involved, local media reported on Sunday (July 26th). He was responding to his Serbian counterpart Snezana Malovic, who visited Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon …

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• 28 July

  Albanian Election Commission poised to issue results

  TIRANA, Albania The Central Election Commission (CEC) is ready to deliver the final results of the June 28th general elections, having reviewed all complaints from political parties through the Election Council, local media reported on Sunday (July 26th). But various parties still have another week to file complaints related to …

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• 28 July

  EC allocates funds for Kosovo municipalities

  PRISTINA, Kosovo Ten municipalities will benefit from a grant of 340,000 euros each provided by the European Commission (EC), which they will use to strengthen local governance. “Public administration reform and local governance reform play a key role in Kosovo’s future,” EC official Kjartan Bjornsson said on Friday (July 24th). …

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• 28 July

  Macedonia remembers victims of devastating earthquake

  SKOPJE, Macedonia The country paid tribute Sunday (July 26th) to the victims of a devastating earthquake that struck Skopje 46 years ago, killing more than 1,000 people. Official delegations laid flowers in front of a monument to the victims at the cemetery in the capital. The quake, which registered 6.9 …

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• 28 July

  Croatia observes day of national mourning

  ZAGREB, Croatia A day of national mourning in memory of the victims of Friday’s train accident near the town of Split is being observed Monday (July 27th). The derailment killed six people and injured at least 50. All sport and cultural events scheduled for Monday are cancelled. The trade union …

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• 27 July

  Skopje Hints at Visas for Balkan States

  Macedonia will follow directions given by the European Commission, EC, in deciding whether to establish a visa regime for citizens of Kosovo and Albania. According to Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry, this issue has yet to be discussed. Until now, citizens of Albania and Kosovo have travelled freely into Macedonia. “It is …

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• 27 July

  EC Mission Head: Serbia on Right Path

  The outgoing head of the European Commission, EC, mission to Serbia, Josep Lloveras, considers that Serbia is on the right path to EU integration but needs to maintain momentum. “Unfortunately, Serbia has lost a lot of time and cannot allow itself further failures. Thus, the best way to alleviate the …

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• 27 July

  Borissov Takes Office

  Bulgaria’s new government was voted in overwhelmingly by the country’s parliament on Monday, with new Prime Minister Boiko Borissov taking the oath of office.  Bulgaria’s parliament voted new Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and his cabinet into office on Monday. The vote confirming Borissov as head of the incoming government was …

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• 27 July

  Macedonian Parties Agree Reform Agenda

  Leaders of the main Macedonian parties have agreed on several key issues regarding the adoption of reforms needed for the start of EU accession talks. Meeting late on Friday, the party leaders attuned their positions concerning a law mandating parliamentary reforms and on changes to the law on financing political …

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