Kosovo's Thaci seeks independence timetable at EU

CTV.ca

Kosovo's Thaci seeks independence timetable at EU
Reuters - 2 hours ago
By Matt Robinson PRISTINA, Serbia, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci meets top European Union and NATO officials this week in the hope of securing a timetable for the province's independence from Serbia within the next two months.

AFP

Rice warns EU against dithering on Kosovo status
AFP - 1 hour ago
BERLIN (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sent a warning to European nations here Tuesday that there was a "danger" in delaying resolving the issue of Kosovo's status. "I don't think we have a gap with Europe on Kosovo.

'We all share the same heritage'
Scotsman - 16 hours ago
By SUE WILSON FOR most of us in this country, knowledge of the Balkans pretty much starts and ends with the conflict that wracked the region in the early 1990s, following the demise of Soviet-bloc Yugoslavia.

Italian firm to build power link with Albania Economic Times - Jan 21, 2008 MILAN: Italian construction and energy firm Moncada Costruzioni plans to start this year building a 400-kilovolt power link with Albania to boost electricity imports to Italy. "We have received all necessary authorisations for building and starting up ... Albania to Fight Grey Economy BalkanInsight.com - 2 hours ago Underlining the significance of introducing flat rate taxes at an exceptionally low rate at the beginning of the year, Berisha said on Monday that this was an important “welcome” sign for foreign investors in Albania. “We have increased incomes. Albania to Build Major Wind Farm BalkanInsight.com - 23 hours ago 21 January 2008 Tirana _ Albania is to host one of the biggest wind farms in Europe, according to plans announced by the Italian Moncada construction company.

Croatia bans smoking in public places; amends zero tolerance for ...
Southeast European Times - 1 hour ago
By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 22/01/08 One of the first actions by Croatia's new ruling coalition government earlier this month was to ban smoking in public places and to amend the zero tolerance alcohol policy for drivers ...

The Moscow Times

Russia and Bulgaria build South Stream
Courrier International - 2 hours ago
Russia and Bulgaria have signed the contract for building the South Stream gas pipeline, which is to pass through the Black Sea.

Peninsula On-line

Macedonia, Greece fail to resolve name dispute in fresh talks
Xinhua - 19 hours ago
21 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia and Greece demonstrated willingness but failed to resolve the two Balkan neighbor's differences over Macedonia's name following the fresh talks at the lakeside town of Ohrid on Monday, said reports reaching here from Macedonia.

Help.me, love.me: new registry for Montenegro domain
Heise Online - 5 hours ago
Montenegro's governmental council for the top level domain (ccTLD) .me has opted for a consortium of US registrar GoDaddy, Afilias, and the local ME-Net.

gibfocus.gi

Montenegro citizen arrested for 'practical joke' No 6 Bomb Hoax
gibfocus.gi - 12 minutes ago
A man from Montenegro has been arrested for a hoax phone call made to No 6 Convent Place two weeks ago stating there was a bomb on the Government premises.

CBS News

Serbia Agrees to Russian Pipeline Deal
The Associated Press - 4 hours ago
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Serbia said Tuesday it had agreed to a multibillion dollar gas pipeline project as part of an energy deal with Russia that would boost Moscow's control over supplies to Europe.
Serbia agrees Gazprom energy deal BBC News
Serbia agrees to Russian pipeline deal BusinessWeek

Blogged with Flock

Kosovo Wants Independence

Kosovo Wants Independence
Wall Street Journal - 5 hours ago
By AGIM CEKU The Kosovo status process is reaching its natural conclusion. The present negotiations come to their appointed end on Dec. 10.

Albania Approves Hydro Plant
Houston Chronicle - 15 hours ago
2007 AP TIRANA, Albania - Albania's government approved a new hydroelectric plant project and an undersea grid connection with Italy on Wednesday, in deals worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.9 billion) and aimed at addressing acute power shortages in this ...

MANOWAR BACK IN BULGARIA IN DECEMBER 2007
Sofia Echo - 2 hours ago
Joey demaio and Eric Adams from legendary US metal band Manowar will visit Bulgaria again on December 1 2007. The two would come to Bulgaria for the world promotion Manowar’s DVD Magic Circle Festival Volume I, avtora.com said.

NATO expert team to visit Macedonia
MRT online - 35 minutes ago
NATO expert team, led by Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Ambassador Martin Erdman, will pay a two-day visit to Skopje on Thursday for talks with senior government officials.

Albany Times Union

Report: Disabled Kids Abused in Serbia
The Associated Press - 9 hours ago
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Troubled children bound tightly to fetid cribs they have never left since birth. A 6-year-old boy who tried to rip off his ear while tied to a chair.
Serbia's mentally disabled face "inhuman" treatment: rights group AFP
Disabled Serbians in Harsh Conditions TIME
Adnkronos International English - International Herald Tribune
all 212 news articles »

Xinhua

Brazil demolishes Serbia 3-0 at women's volleyball World Cup
Xinhua - 1 hour ago
15 (Xinhua) -- Brazil produced an outstanding performance to demolish Serbia 3-0 here on Thursday, moving one step closer to a top three finish at the World Cup and a berth in in Beijing Olympics.

SLOVENIA: Skis even stand by the cradles
Liverpool Daily Post - 11 hours ago
IF YOU’RE learning to ski, Slovenia is a great place to start, as the country seems to have the pastime in its blood. Having never hit the slopes before, I frequently observed youngsters who had barely learned to walk whizzing down with ease, ...

Blogged with Flock

Kosovo PM: Independence not for Sale

Kosovo PM: Independence not for SaleBIRN - 19 hours ago30 10 2007 Pristina _ Kosovo’s Prime Minister Agim Ceku has said that Albanians will not consider any option that would freeze Kosovo’s political status in exchange for economic aid. “Nobody can cheat us by offering money instead of independence”, ...

Serbia Rejects German Model for KosovoBIRN - 16 hours agoBy Aleksandar Vasovic 30 10 2007 Belgrade _ Resolving the long-term status of Kosovo along the lines of an intra-German deal agreed in 1972 is unacceptable to Serbia, a minister said on Tuesday.

Corruption in way of reform in west BalkansFinancial Times - 11 hours agoBy Tony Barber in Brussels Corruption, organised crime and ethnic tensions are slowing reforms in the western Balkans, the European Commission says in a report that indicates near-term EU membership is unlikely for most countries in the region.

آكيBalkans: 'Serbian Orthodox Church to split' paramilitary group ...آكي - 14 hours agoBelgrade, 30 Oct. (AKI) - The commander of the paramilitary Tsar Lazar Guard organization, Hadzi Andrej Milic, on Tuesday predicted a split in the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC).

Nuclear ambitions fan controversy in BulgariaInternational Herald Tribune - 3 hours agoBy Matthew Brunwasser SOFIA: As governments around the world struggle to secure energy supplies, cut carbon emissions and adapt to rising oil prices, Bulgaria has adopted an ambitious solution: Construct a new nuclear power plant, the country's second, ...

Spiegel OnlineGreece to Probe Migrant Abuse ClaimsThe Associated Press - 8 hours agoATHENS, Greece (AP) - The government ordered an investigation Tuesday into claims that the Greek coast guard systematically mistreated illegal immigrants heading for the country's eastern islands.

A visit to Dracula's castle in RomaniaLos Angeles Times - 5 hours agoWhen I take my seat, a friend turns to me and says, "Bucovina is seeing Romania in Technicolor and Bucharest is seeing Romania in black and white." I press play on my iPod and look out the window. Red-tasseled horses draw wooden carts laden with ...

Talks on Kosovo status resume in Brussels

Turkish Press

EU Kosovo mediator urges move on Serb visas
Reuters - 39 minutes ago
By Mark John BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - The European Union's mediator on Kosovo urged European states on Sunday to relax visa rules for Serbian travellers, arguing the move could help unlock talks with Belgrade on the future of its breakaway province ...
EU envoy urges Serbia, Kosovo to accelerate status talks AFP
Talks on Kosovo status resume in BrusselsXinhua

Swissinfo

Swiss heads tough OSCE Mission in Kosovo
Swissinfo - 3 hours ago
Kosovo is not an island and its future status can be decided only in partnership with the international community, says a Swiss diplomat.

Serbia's Kostunica: Kosovo will never be independent
Earthtimes - 14 minutes ago
Belgrade - Kosovo "will never be independent," Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said at a convention of his Democratic Party of Serbia Sunday in Belgrade.

Authorities condemn Czar Lazar Guard rally

Euronews.net

Kosovan negotiators set for more talks with Serbia
Euronews.net - 4 hours ago
A delegation from Kosovo has left Pristina airport for a face-to-face meeting with a delegation from Serbia, in Brussels. Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu said he was not expecting anything new from the meeting, insisting his side could not move from ...

AFP

Albania, Croatia, Macedonia Expect NATO Invitation in 2008
Voice of America - 6 hours ago
By VOA News Croatia's foreign minister says she expects her country, Albania, and Macedonia to be invited to join the NATO military alliance next April.
Albania, Croatia, Macedonia expect NATO invitation in 2008 AFP


Euro 2008 Albania Share The Points In Slovenia
Goal.com - 15 hours ago
Albania's luckless run in the Euro 2008 qualifiers continued in Celje as they couldn't take down an ambitious Slovenia side... Albania came to Slovenia with high hopes for a good result after the disappointment of near-misses against the likes of ...
Slovenia 0 Albania 0 Sportinglife.co.za

Javno.hr

Soccer: Croatia ends Israel's Euro hopes
Jerusalem Post - 12 hours ago
By ALLON SINAI Croatia ended any illusion Israel coach Dror Kashtan still had of guiding his side to Euro 2008, defeating the national team 1-0 at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb on Saturday night.
Eduardo goal gives Croatia 1-0 win over Israel Guardian Unlimited

Sofia News Agency

Bulgaria defends its Cyrillic spelling of 'euro'
AFP - 20 hours ago
SOFIA (AFP) - Bulgaria's bizarre linguistic row with the European Union over the spelling of the euro on Friday threatened to spike a pact Montenegro is due to sign with the bloc.

Goal.com

Greece edge past Bosnia, widen Group C lead
Guardian Unlimited - 14 hours ago
By Karolos Grohmann ATHENS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Greece beat Bosnia 3-2 in a scrappy performance in their Euro 2008 Group C qualifier on Saturday, opening up a four-point lead over second-placed Turkey and edging closer to qualification.
Greece beats Bosnia 3-2 in Euro 2008 qualifier International Herald Tribune

Javno.hr

Goian helps Romania down Dutch
Sports Network - 14 hours ago
Constanta, Romania (Sports Network) - Romania took sole possession of the top spot in Group G on Saturday as Dorin Goian scored in the 71st minute to give his side a 1-0 win over the Netherlands at Stadionul Farul.

Yahoo! Eurosport

Euro 2008: Germany qualify, Poland, England and Romania take giant ...
Bangkok Post - 12 hours ago
Also taking a major step towards qualification where Poland, who beat Kazakhstan 3-1 in Warsaw, Scotland who won against Ukraine by the same score, England who had no problems in overcoming Estonia 3-0 and Romania who stunned the Dutch 1-0.
France and Italy battle for Euro 2008 places Guardian Unlimited
Germany first to advance to Euro 2008; Scotland, France, England ... The Canadian Press

Turkish Press

Turkey shells Iraq border areas amid incursion talk
AFP - 45 minutes ago
Wahid Kista, 42, who lives in the village of Kista near the Iraq-Turkey frontier, said by telephone the shelling was targeting villages in the Metin mountain area "where the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) has bases.

Blogged with Flock

Kosovo’s economic growth rate is 5%

U.S envoy to Kosovo Frank Wisner speaks and gestures during a press conference after talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, in Belgrade, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007. Wisner's visit is part of stepped up diplomatic activity following the presentation last week of the plan for Kosovo drafted by the U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Serbia awaits word on plea for Kosovo delay

Reuters AlertNet - 1 hour ago
BELGRADE, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Serbia was still hoping major powers would delay final talks on a United Nations plan for the eventual independence of its Kosovo province, despite a US envoy's refusal to be drawn on its request on Tuesday.

ECIKS.org

Ruecker: Kosovo’s economic growth rate is 5%
ECIKS.org - 4 hours ago
Prishtina, 6 February 2007 - UNMIK chief Joachim Rücker has told BBC that as both Serbia and Kosovo aspire to become part of the European Union, they will seriously consider the strong encouragement by the European Union to engage in consultations with ...

Albania, Bulgaria appeal to EU to allow the reopening of nuclear ...
Southeast European Times - 4 hours ago
"Bulgaria doesn't have the capacity to help Albania if the two units remain closed," Stanishev said. "The impacts of reactors' closure will be seen not only in Albania, but also in the other neighbouring countries. I think the countries of the region ...
Bulgaria to Get EUR 450 M for Wild Life Preservation
Sofia News Agency - 54 minutes ago
Bulgaria: In the next seven years Bulgaria will receive over EUR 450 M from the European Union for the preservation of country's wild life.

Greece won't hinder Macedonia's EU, NATO bid
Makfax - 6 hours ago
Greece, however, spelled out its only condition - Macedonia to be referred to as FYROM in all documents, Ta Nea daily said, adding that this strategy was agreed at a closed-door meeting in the Greek Foreign Ministry, focusing on name dispute with ...

Macedonia police arrest Serb murder, kidnapping suspect sought by ...
International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago
SKOPJE, Macedonia: Macedonian police have arrested a Serbian man sought by Interpol and suspected of murder, kidnapping and robberies in Belgium, officials said Monday.

Rosemary diCarlo: we stand behind Macedonia's membership in NATO
Makfax - 2 hours ago
The United States of America supports fully Macedonia's accession to NATO, once the country completes the process of standards fulfilling in a year's time.

Playfuls.com

Lindh killer's Serbia move rejected
Ireland Online - 1 hour ago
The Swedish Prison and Probation Service said it turned down Mijailo Mijailovic’s request because authorities in Belgrade could not specify how long his prison term would be in Serbia. Mijailovic, 28, is serving a life sentence at the Kumla prison in ...

Kosovo independent during summer 2007

A Kosovo Albanian woman enjoys a sunny day in southern town of Prizren, January 2007. Belgrade was seeking a new strategy after admitting that a United Nations plan for Kosovo paved the way for the province's independence, against the will of the Serbian government.(AFP/File/Dimitar Dilkoff)

Macedonia Gives Thumbs Up To UN Kosovo Plan
All Headline News - 3 hours ago
Skopje, Macedonia (AHN) - Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said Saturday that the United Nations plan for Kosovo was acceptable to the Macedonian government.

UNMIK Head: Marti Ahtisaari’s Proposal on Kosovo is
Focus News - 55 minutes ago
The Head of the UN mission in Kosovo /UNMIK/ Joachim Rücker said the proposal on the statute of Kosovo, presented by the UN Special Envoy Marti Ahtisaari was a very important step, Makfax reports.

“Kosovo independent during summer 2007”
B92 - 4 hours ago
Koha Ditore reports that Belgrade and Priština will be asked to attend the general discussion on the future Kosovo status in Vienna on February 13, and to consider the first two annexes of the draft proposal on the same day.

Turmoil and bloodshed do not threaten Kosovo: political scientist
Focus News - 10 hours ago
Turmoil and bloodshed do not threaten Kosovo, the political scientist Anton Panchev said in an interview for Focus Agency. Panchev, who is currently working on his dissertation on the Albanian political system and have been specializing in the ...

Austrian Mobilkom set to become Macedonia's third mobile operator
International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago
SKOPJE, Macedonia: Macedonia announced Sunday that it has selected Austria's Mobilkom as the Balkan nation's third mobile operator.

The Observer Blog

Serbia's foreign minister says Belgrade should insist on its right ...
International Herald Tribune - 5 hours ago
Vuk Draskovic said in an interview on B92 Television that Serbia should lodge complaints with the United Nations to demand changes to the proposal drafted by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
Serbia should work out proposals for amendments to Focus News
Ethnic Albanians say UN plan backs independence, Serbia warns of ... San Diego Union Tribune
Reuters.uk - France24
all 653 news articles »

Germany heads EU mission to Russia, Ukraine and Serbia
Monsters and Critics.com - 2 hours ago
UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari presented a blueprint for Kosovo's future on Friday, but Moscow has said it will only endorse a plan in the Security Council if it meets with Serbia's approval. Taking part with Steinmeier in the talks is EU foreign ...

AlaskaReport

EU newcomer Romania expects wave of immigration from Moldova
Monsters and Critics.com - 3 hours ago
Bucharest - Romanian President Traian Basescu said in an interview broadcast Sunday that he expects a wave of potential immigrants from neighbouring Moldova as a result of Romania's recent accession to the European Union. In the interview on Romania's ...
Piracy helped us, Romania tells Gates IT Week
Romania president tells Gates that piracy is good TG Daily
Guardian Unlimited - Foreign Policy (subscription)
all 38 news articles »

Playfuls.com

Romania’s Foreign Affairs Minister To Submit His Resignation Monday
Mediafax - 2 hours ago
Mihai Ungureanu said Sunday in a press conference that he would submit his resignation from the position of Romania’s foreign affairs minister on Monday, January 5, 2007.

Slovenia: AI condemns forcible return of “erased”
B92 - 1 hour ago
Amnesty International is concerned that the Slovenian authorities have not restored retroactively the status of permanent residents of those "erased" in 1992 and, in this case, have deported from Slovenia one of them, with his family.

BBC News

Turkey killer video sparks fears of state collusion
Reuters AlertNet - 8 hours ago
ANKARA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Video footage of a self-confessed murderer striking a heroic pose alongside security force members after his arrest for the killing of a Turkish Armenian editor has revived fears in Turkey of a shadowy state within a state.

Turkey’s EU Membership Process: Short Term Problems and Long Term ...
ABHaber - 29 minutes ago
Turkey faces a momentous time and challenges in its increasingly complex and frustrating (for both sides) accession negotiations with the EU.

US Urges Support for UN Kosovo Plan

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, right, talks on a news conference following his meeting with Kosovo's oppositional leader Hashim Thaci, left, in Macedonia's capital Skopje, Saturday, Feb.

UN Kosovo plan shows deep fault lines
Houston Chronicle - 1 hour ago
UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari presented his proposal on Friday to officials in Belgrade and to ethnic Albanian leaders in Kosovo. The plan, which must be approved by the Security Council, spelled out conditions for internationally supervised self-rule for ...
Serbian leaders close ranks after UN envoy proposes self-rule for ... International Herald Tribune
UN Kosovo Plan Shows Deep Fault Lines Washington Post

US Urges Support for UN Kosovo Plan
HULIQ - 3 hours ago
The United States Friday called the newly released Kosovo settlement plan of UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari fair and balanced, and urged authorities in both Serbia and Kosovo to work toward a final settlement. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is ...

B92

BALKANS: FOCUS - FEW MOURN UN CHIEF PROSECUTOR DEL PONTE'S EXIT
AKI - Feb 2, 2007
Belgrade, 2 Feb. (AKI) - Politicians, commentators and people in the street from the countries of the former Yugoslavia had no kind words on Friday for the departing chief prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former ...


Albania backs UN envoy's plan on Kosovo
People's Daily Online - 13 hours ago
Ethnic Albanians, who make up 90 percent of Kosovo's population, are demanding independence, while Serbia and Serbs in Kosovo want it to remain inside Serbia.
Balkan jigsaw seeks final piece BBC News
Kosovo says Yes to UN plan, Serbia says No Reuters

Playfuls.com

Bulgaria ,France decide to establish strategic relationship
People's Daily Online - 16 hours ago
Bulgaria and France will be not only good friends, but also strategic partners in the European Union ( EU), Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev told a news conference held jointly with French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin on Friday, ...

5.8 magnitude quake jolts southern Greece
International Herald Tribune - 3 hours ago
ATHENS, Greece: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake rattled southern Greece on Saturday, the Athens Geodynamic Institute reported.

Macedonia backs Kosovo blueprint, defying Serbia
Reuters AlertNet - 3 hours ago
Macedonia has a large Albanian minority -- roughly 25 percent out of a population of 2 million -- and is anxious to avoid fresh instability in Kosovo that might spill across their joint border.

B92

Del Ponte Opposes New EU Talks with Serbia
Institute for War and Peace Reporting - 21 hours ago
But several states - including Spain, Hungary and Slovenia - have said in recent weeks that the EU must not isolate Serbia, especially since Belgrade's cooperation will be crucial in ensuring a peaceful deal on the final status of Kosovo.

Slovenia: Amnesty International condemns forcible return of ...
Amnesty International USA - Feb 2, 2007
Amnesty International is concerned that the Slovenian authorities have not restored retroactively the status of permanent residents of those "erased" in 1992 and, in this case, have deported from Slovenia one of them, with his family.

Kosovo: impatience grows

Kosovo: impatience grows
Helsingin Sanomat - 23 minutes ago
With its plastic finger, the mannequin points at a transparent box one metre high containing maps and posters of Kosovo monasteries, as well as cartoons mocking the United Nations.

Kosovo: investments in waste management
ECIKS.org - 1 hour ago
Prishtina, 30 January 2007 - Four prestigious German and Swiss companies have expressed interest in building a company that recycles waste and turns it into energy in Kosovo. However, UNMIK ist delaying the decision to allow this investment.

Mojsiu calls UN to declare independence of Kosovo
Makfax - 17 minutes ago
"The wars that broke out in the wake of Yugoslavia's disintegration and the time Kosovo has spent under UN Administration confirms that the status should reflect the wish of the majority of Kosovo's population as well as the international community's ...

About that coal in Kosovo
Fistful of Euros - 3 hours ago
I say “over twenty years” because even back in the 1980s, the Kosovo coal fields were the ugly stepsister of Yugoslav energy.

Reuters AlertNet

Helping regardless of national affiliation in Kosovo
Reuters AlertNet - 6 hours ago
January 2007 saw the launch of two family strengthening programmes in Kosovo, located in the vicinity of SOS Children's Village Pristina.

Hовини.bg

RTK: Albania and Bulgaria Support Marti Ahtisaari’s
Focus News - 2 hours ago
Albania and Bulgaria confirmed their support for the plan of Marti Ahtisaari for the statute of Kosovo, RTK reports. The Prime Ministers of the two countries - Sali Berisa and Sergey Stanishev �-aid yesterday in Tirana that they support the decision ...

MRT online

Bulgaria Signs Deal for Danube Bridge
Houston Chronicle - 4 hours ago
SOFIA, Bulgaria - Bulgaria signed a euro100 million (about US$130 million) deal on Tuesday for a new bridge across the River Danube with Spanish construction company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas SA.

Olive tree leaves spark frenzy in Greece, one dead
Khaleej Times - 12 minutes ago
Supermarkets on the oil-producing island of Crete and in Athens started stocking the leaves that, in some cases, cost more than the oil itself, which is renowned for its health benefits and known as liquid gold in Greece.

Ochrid Agreement is Macedonia’s Entrance Ticket for the EU: Jan ...
Focus News - 2 hours ago
‘The Ochrid agreement is the entrance ticked of Macedonia for the European Union. Ignoring and disregarding it could jeopardize the country’s membership in EU’, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary faction of PES in the European ...

Rupel says Mladic's arrest is not prerequisite for EU-Serbia talks
Makfax - 43 minutes ago
European Union will not set Ratko Mladic's arrest as a precondition for resumption of stabilization and association negotiations with Serbia, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said. In an interview with weekly newspaper European Voice, ...

Deputy Charges Slovenia Police Over Gypsy
Romano Vod'i - 5 hours ago
Slovenia's ombudsman is charging police for unauthorized surveillance of reporters and a relocated Gypsy family, media said Wednesday.

Boston Globe

Hrant Dink: Turkey remembers
Café Babel - 5 hours ago
«‘Hrant was the perfect target for those who want to hinder the democratisation of Turkey and its entry into the European Union’, declared a reporter for Agos, the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly of which Hrant Dink was co-founder and editor in chief ...

Self-determination in the Balkans

Playfuls.com

Serbia offers ‘internalautonomy’to Kosovo
Peninsula On-line - 40 minutes ago
BELGRADE • Serbia is offering “internal independence” to the Albanian majority of Kosovo under a deal to preserve a symbolic “membrane of Serbian sovereignty” around the breakaway province, a senior Serb official said yesterday.
Kosovo: A No-Win Situation for Russia World Politics Watch

Pravda

NATO urges Kosovo's Balkan neighbors to support Ahtisaari status ...
Pravda - 8 hours ago
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged Kosovo's Balkan neighbors to back the proposals by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari on the future of Serbia's breakaway province which are expected to be presented in the region this week.

Agreement signed with UNESCO for restoring cultural sites in Kosovo
International Herald Tribune - 7 hours ago
The deal defines guidelines for UN authorities in Kosovo and the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for work to preserve two mosques, a Turkish bathhouse, three Orthodox churches and a monastery.
Agreement Signed For Preservation Of Kosovo's Heritage Playfuls.com

Kosovo's Ceku meets with Contact Group representatives, urges patience
Southeast European Times - 6 hours ago
"We should be patient until we get the package in our hands and then we will be sure of its contents," Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku said, voicing expectations that the status plan will be a positive one.

RFI: France Says Kosovo Status Plan Balanced
Focus News - 3 hours ago
UN diplomat Martti Ahtisaari's roadmap for the future of Kosovo seems balanced, France’s Foreign Ministry announced calling on Belgrade and Pristina to play a constructive role in the coming consultations.
The Independent: UN Plan for Kosovo Promises Focus News
all 2 news articles »

FM Believes Stability Would Facilitate Investment in Kosovo
Slovenia Business Week - 8 hours ago
Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said in Ljubljana on Wednesday, 24 January that the situation in Kosovo was "relatively stable, yet fragile" and added that the province needed a clear political situation to facilitate investment.

Playfuls.com

Self-determination in the Balkans
University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily - 13 hours ago
IN THE Balkans, the unresolvedissue of Kosovo has dominated the region's modern political affairs and left a bitter taste in the mouth of everyone involved.
Reality Dawns Transitions Online
Kosovo: Divided We Stand, United We Fall? Fistful of Euros

AlaskaReport

Number of developments in trial of Bulgaria's nurses
Sofia Echo - 14 hours ago
On January 17, however, Justice Minister Georgi Petkanov said that Bulgaria would respect the wish of the nurses and bring back Sheitanov.
PRISON AUTHORITIES DENY BULGARIA'S NURSES VISIT RIGHTS Sofia Echo
Gaddafi's son says medics will not be executed Swissinfo

Reuters: Bulgaria may join ERM-2 before summer
Dnevnik.bg - 16 minutes ago
European Union newcomer Bulgaria might join the Exchange Rate Mechanism 2, the two-year currency stability test before an EU country adopts the euro, ahead of the summer, an EU source was quoted as saying Monday by news agency Reuters.

Pravda

Scheffer - Macedonia is on threshold of membership in NATO
Makfax - 7 hours ago
Scheffer voiced positive opinion on the defense reforms, confirming the assessment of the NATO team that stayed on a several-day visit to Macedonia last week. The Secretary General expressed gratitude for Macedonia's participation in Afghanistan ...
Macedonia’s Stand on Kosovo to be in Concord with UN, EU and NATO ... Focus News
NATO Secretary General: Macedonia’s Government Focus News
Pravda - Makfax - Makfax - International Herald Tribune
all 7 news articles »

Macedonia could get EU negotiations date in 2008, Slovenia says
Southeast European Times - 6 hours ago
Macedonia should get a date for the start of EU membership negotiations in the first half of 2008, when Slovenia holds the rotating EU presidency, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa told the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week.

Launch of part of project "For European Macedonia"
Makfax - 8 hours ago
The project on informal education "Together for European Macedonia" and the project on reconstruction of the Cvetan Dimov primary school are financed in the framework of co-operation with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway.

Montenegro joins IMF as 185th member Country
Portalino - 12 hours ago
"Montenegro is claiming its place as a respected member of the global community of nations, and it is demonstrating its commitment to meet the responsibilities and reap the benefits of international cooperation," IMF chief Rodrigo de Rato said in ...

As Leskovac goes, so goes Serbia
International Herald Tribune - 1 hour ago
LESKOVAC, Serbia: The crumbling factory walls and idle smokestacks that dominate this town are replicated across Eastern Europe, symbols of once-proud industrial centers that fell into decline almost as soon as the Berlin Wall came down.

Portfolio.hu

Romania triumphs over Hungary for the first time in GDP battle
Portfolio.hu - 7 hours ago
Romania left Hungary behind in terms of gross domestic product for the first time ever in 2006. The score was 97 to 89 (billion euros).


Science and Technology: Bill Gates to visit Romania
Southeast European Times - 6 hours ago
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, will visit Romania in early February. Gates will appear at an event marking the launch of a new Microsoft product on the Romanian market.

PM Hosts Traditional Reception for Ambassadors to Slovenia
Slovenia Business Week - 9 hours ago
The EU presidency in the first half of 2008 is the biggest project of independent Slovenia to date and the country is actively preparing for the occasion, Prime Minister Janez Jansa said on Wednesday, 24 January at a traditional reception for ...

Mail & Guardian Online

Turkey reels after killing
Mail & Guardian Online - 15 hours ago
Ogun Samast, alleged to have gunned down the bridge-building ethnic Armenian Turkish journalist Hrant Dink last week, reportedly told investigators he was defending Turkey’s national honour. Instead, Turkey’s honour stands besmirched before an appalled ..

Status resolution approaches

BBC Bulgaria

UN proposal lets Kosovo access world bodies - sources
Scotsman - 3 hours ago
PRISTINA, Serbia (Reuters) - A UN proposal on the future of Kosovo to be presented on Friday recommends the breakaway Serbian province be granted the right to join international bodies, political and diplomatic sources said.

US to push for quick resolution on Kosovo's future following ...
International Herald Tribune - 12 hours ago
WASHINGTON: Despite gains by ultranationalists in Serbian elections, the United States is looking for international negotiators to settle within months whether Kosovo, the restive Serbian province, will be recognized as independent.

ECIKS.org

Local Kosovo producers face problems
ECIKS.org - 3 hours ago
Prishtina, 22 january 2007 - KTV reported that following the EU membership of Bulgaria and Rumania, Kosovo producers are facing great difficulties as they have to wait several days in order to obtain a visa for Bulgaria, which is considered to be ...

Albania's economy 61.4% free
FreshPlaza - 2 hours ago
Albania is ranked 30th in a list of 41 European countries in the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom published in Washington by The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation.

Albania and the EU: Strong support, little understanding
Southeast European Times - 2 hours ago
The agreement, considered a first step towards EU membership, governs ties between the EU and Albania. It focuses mainly on enhanced political and economic co-operation as well as the creation of a free-trade area within the next ten years.

Montenegro in EU in 8 years
Visit Montenegro - 8 hours ago
He marked that in this phase joining of Montenegro in EU no one of the politicians will give precise time frames about the term of the termination of that process, which is understandable, because that process depends on a lot of factors, ...

The Observer Blog

EU, NATO call for pro-Western coalition government in Serbia
Southeast European Times - 2 hours ago
With preliminary results showing that democratic forces will dominate in Serbia's new parliament, top EU and NATO officials called on Monday (January 22nd) for the speedy formation of a government committed to the country's Euro-Atlantic integration.

Euro Welcomed to Slovenia with Fanfare
Slovenia Business Week - Jan 22, 2007
Slovenia ushered in the euro with a high-profile ceremony befitting of the keynote speakers' words about a historic event for the country as well as the whole of the EU.

Canada.com

In Turkey, mourners pay respects to slain journalist
Baltimore Sun - Jan 22, 2007
ISTANBUL, Turkey // Tens of thousands of people marched in a funeral procession for a slain ethnic Armenian journalist who had angered Turkish nationalists -- an extraordinary outpouring of support for a more liberal Turkey where people are not killed ...

EU Sets Deadline for Turkey to Open Up Its Ports
Journal Chrétien - 22 hours ago
The EU believes that a solution to the Turkish-Cypriot dispute that threatens to derail membership talks for Turkey to join the 25-member bloc is still possible with help from the United Nations.