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

1244 +

A Kosovo Albanian woman passes a garbage container sprayed with the number 1244, denoting the U.N. Security Council resolution that has governed Kosovo since the end of the 1998-99 war, in the Kosovo capital Pristina, Febuary 1, 2007. U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari will hand over his plan for the future of the breakaway Serbian province on Friday in Belgrade and Pristina. REUTERS/Hazir Reka (SERBIA)

Ahtisaari To Unveil Kosovo Plan To Belgrade And Pristina
Playfuls.com - 3 hours ago
During the Vienna talks, Serbia adamantly insisted on sovereignty over Kosovo, a territory dominated by an Albanian majority that has been intolerably hostile to Belgrade after its its heavy-handed rule.
US slams Serb leader's hard line on Kosovo Washington Post

Kosovo Railways can reach EU standards
ECIKS.org - 2 hours ago
Expert on railways, Bernard O’Donell, said that during his stay in Kosovo he saw that the railway infrastructure in Kosovo is in a very good state, but there are problems with financial means, maintenance and the lack of staff.

Kosovo government is disturbed by Vojislav Kostunica’s
Focus News - 3 hours ago
Kosovo’s government is disturbed by the statements coming from some parts of the Serbian political spectrum, which claim they are part of the democratic and reforming parties, the spokeswoman of the Cabinet in Pristina Ulpiana Lama said, cited by Radio ...

Kosovo ready to pay back foreign debts
ECIKS.org - 2 hours ago
It is estimated that Kosovo’s foreign debts are around €850 million. Officials of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce (KCC) and also economic experts said Kosovo should not pay these debts as long as it is not considered an equal member when it comes to ...

16000 returnees to Kosovo since 1999
B92 - 6 hours ago
More than 16100 displaced persons of ethnic minority communities have gradually returned since 1999 to villages and towns within Kosovo, either spontaneously or facilitated by UNMIK, UNHCR and other international and local institutions.

Albania and the EU: strong support, little understanding
Portalino - 8 hours ago
The results, it said, show confusion about where Albania stands in terms of its EU bid. While 49% believe Albania is ready to join, 24% think the country will be invited even if it is not fully ready.

Turkish FM to visit Albania on further development of bilateral ...
People's Daily Online - 17 hours ago
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will pay an official visit to Albania on Thursday for talks on further development of bilateral relations, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Wednesday.

Playfuls.com

Croatia Beat Spain To Qualify For Match For Fifth Place At Worlds
Playfuls.com - 1 hour ago
Inspired by their superstar Ivano Balic, Croatia overcame an early 7-5 deficit and paved the way to victory with a 16-12 halftime lead in Cologne.

Five French citizens arrested over card skimming scam in Greece
International Herald Tribune - 4 hours ago
THESSALONIKI, Greece: Five French citizens were arrested in northern Greece Thursday, accused of using stolen bank account data to withdraw more than €100000 (US$129500) in Greece, police sad. The five suspects and an unidentified accomplice, ...

Romano Vod'i

Public hearing for the condition of the Roma in Macedonia
Romano Vod'i - 3 hours ago
The Roma issue in Macedonia - lack of knowledge or lack of political will is a subject on the today’s public hearing which is held in the Assembly of Republic of Macedonia. According to the report of the European Roma Rights Centre and the National ...

Visit Montenegro

Montenegro leases Sveti Stefan
B92 - 4 hours ago
"The objective is to bring Sveti Stefan back to its former glory and pre-eminent position in the tourism industry in the Mediterranean," said Adrian Zecha of Amanresorts, who signed the deal with Montenegro's tourism and ecology minister, ...

US criticizes Serbia's threats to cut diplomatic ties in case of ...
International Herald Tribune - 4 hours ago
As its condition for joining Serbia's next government, the conservative Popular Coalition has demanded that the future Cabinet must reject Kosovo's independence and cut all ties with countries that recognize it as a separate country.

Aljazeera.net

War Crimes Court Prosecutor Urges EU to Keep Pressure on Serbia
Men's News Daily - 12 hours ago
Swiss lawyer Carla del Ponte, who is chief prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunal, said Wednesday she is concerned the European Union might resume talks with Serbia before the leading fugitives from the Balkan wars have been arrested.
Del Ponte against EU Serbia talks MWC News

Come to Serbia - home to few people and Kazakh music
Reuters.uk - 32 minutes ago
The "Serbia - Moments to Remember" commercial was widely pilloried at home as being boring and misleading for showing Serbia as a land of rolling hills, churches and nature reserves full of wildlife, but apparently devoid of people.

Washington Post

Gates opens Microsoft support centre in Romania
Ireland Online - 38 minutes ago
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates inaugurated a technical support centre in Bucharest today, saying he was confident that Romania’s recent accession to the European Union would boost foreign investment and the country’s IT industry.
Piracy worked for us, Romania president tells Gates Washington Post

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.

Elections, Elections

Playfuls.com

UN envoy poised to recommend ’provisional independence’ for Kosovo ...
Boston Herald - 3 hours ago
BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Union officials and diplomats in Belgium expect a UN mediator to recommend limited sovereignty for Serbia’s breakaway province of Kosovo that could eventually lead to full independence for the region, a UN protectorate ...

US Seeks Pro-Europe Outcome for Serbia Election, Kosovo Ruling
Washington File - 51 minutes ago
Washington - The United States would like to see pro-European political parties defeat nationalists in Serbia’s elections January 21, which will be followed by an international decision on Kosovo’s future status, a senior US diplomat says.

Kosovo Government adopts agenda for EU partnership
ECIKS.org - 6 hours ago
Prishtina, 18 January 2007 - The Government of Kosovo adopted yesterday an action plan for European partnership, which foresees regular meetings of ministers to discuss the European integration agenda.

Nationalism on Balkans is like cheap alcohol: Fried
Makfax - 9 hours ago
Nationalism is like cheap alcohol, first it makes you drunk, then it makes you blind, then it kills you, said high-ranking US official Daniel Fried, on the occasion of the upcoming elections in Serbia.

Election campaign in Albania started
Makfax - 5 hours ago
The campaign for local elections in Albania to be held on 18 February officially started on Thursday. As reported by Makfax's correspondent, largest opposition and ruling parties are finishing their agreements with coalition partners.

Macedonia requested extradition of Cocorovska
Makfax - 9 hours ago
Necessary extradition documents were handed over to the Ministry of Justice of Serbia, in accordance with the Law on Criminal Procedure and provisions of the Agreement between Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro on legal assistance in civil ...

Montenegro joins the International Monetary Fund and World Bank
CBC News - 13 minutes 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.

Voice of America

Serbia’s Fateful Choice
Council on Foreign Relations - 54 minutes ago
The endgame for Kosovo’s final status and, to some extent, the closing chapter on the late 20th-century’s Balkan wars, begins with Serbia’s parliamentary elections (ElectionGuide) on January 21. UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari is waiting until after ...
Fate of Kosovo looms large over Serbia election MSNBC
West urges Serbia to vote for European future Southeast European Times

Jurnalul National

Row threatens Romania coalition
BBC News - 5 hours ago
Romania is in the grip of a political storm as relations between President Traian Basescu and his prime minister hit rock bottom.

Angus Reid Global Monitor

The Turkey Question: The EU and the Concept of Borders
Brussels Journal - 1 hour ago
The acceptance speech made last Sunday by Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s Interior Minister and now Union pour un Mouvement Populaire presidential candidate, has attracted considerable attention for its references to Turkey’s European future.

The holiday spirit

It seems that Kosovars manage to get into the holiday spirit even though they don't know for sure what the future holds for them. In fact, the holiday season this year is very interesting. As some of you might know, Kosova has two Christmasses: one is the Western Christmass celebrated by Catholic and Protestant Albanians (and virtually all other types of Albanians in a secular way); the other is the Eastern Orthodox Christmass, celebrated by Kosova Serbs. Both of these are official holidays. Then there is the New Year's Day, probably the most important and the most celebrated holiday in Kosova, given the secular character of its society. This year however, all these holidays are joined by the Muslim holiday of Kurban Bajram celebrated by Kosova Muslims, Albanian and Slav (also celebrated by all other types of Albanians in a secular way).

Kosova is one of the most diverse places in Europe. All these holidays are celebrated in with a communal spirit. The traditional celebrations very interesting, because they are imbued with pre-Christian traditions as old as Albanians themselves. Western Christmass and New Year's especially exhibit these traditions. Some of the most exciting holidays combine pagan, Western Christian, Eastern Orthodox and (Sufi) Muslim traditions in a beautyful day. One such holiday is St. Georges day, known as ShenGjergji.

The modern way of celebrating all the above-mentioned holidays is equally exciting. As you may have already guessed, it involves a lot of drinking, music and partying. Hotels, Restaurants, and bars are full of young people. The way in which all holidays are celebrated by all people regardless of religious background (Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Secular, Atheist) has many implications such as the traditoin inter-religious tolerance. However, I would like to point out just one: Kosovars just wanna have fun!




A Kosovo child waves a U.S. flag after he received Christmas presents from U.S. Marine Corps in Djakovica, 100 km (60 miles) west of capital Pristina, December 23, 2006. REUTERS/Hazir Reka

Sejdiu: Kosovo close to status resolution
B92 - 3 hours ago
There are only a few months to go until we reach the status solution”, Sejdiu said at a gathering marking the 17th anniversary of the establishment of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, a party he heads. Sejdiu repeated that Kosovo was determined to ...

Ruecker: Timely solution for Kosovo
B92 - 7 hours ago
Asked whether the international community has a precisely defined deadline when it came to determining Kosovo’s status, Ambassador Ruecker told Večernje Novosti that he was convinced Kosovo solution would be reached “at the right time”.

Robust Rule of Law Crucial in Balkans
Institute for War and Peace Reporting - 22 hours ago
The president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia this week told the UN Security Council that strengthening the rule of law in the Balkans is crucial ahead of the ICTY’s closure in 2009. With local courts in Bosnia, ...

Serbia Evangelical Church Fire-Bombed Amid Reports of Revival in ...
BosNewsLife (subscription) - Dec 22, 2006
It comes amid signs of a growing interest in Christianity, including among Gypsies, who prefer to be known as Roma, the most impoverished group in Serbia and elsewhere in the Balkans. In a statement, the international Christian broadcaster Trans World ...

esctoday.com

Tonight Albania decides the entry for Helsinki
esctoday.com - 18 hours ago
The second song of Eurovision Song Contest 2007 will be selected tonight in Tirana, Albania. 31 songs have been performed in the two semifinals and tonight at 21:00 we'll know the 16 qualifiers who will compete in final.


A Reluctant Bulgaria pays for EU Entry by Closing Nuclear Reactors
Sofia News Agency - 2 hours ago
Bulgaria is the chief supplier of electricity to the Balkan states. Based on 1992 studies conducted by the G7 group of industrialized nations, the EU believes that reactors of this type (VVER 440-230) cannot be modernized at a reasonable price and ...

EU calls Macedonia to press ahead with reforms
Portalino - 3 hours ago
marcello ha scritto "The Council of the European Union "welcomed the continued progress made by the Republic of Macedonia but regretted that the pace of reforms has slowed down in 2006", says the announcement released late on Monday from the external ...

In Turkey, it's Santa vs. St. Nick
Chicago Sun-Times - 8 hours ago
ANKARA, Turkey -- What's a huge plastic Santa Claus doing among palm trees in a seaside town in Turkey? The mayor's answer is simple: He's back home.

Bono Awarded Knighthood
Voice of America

CIA predictec breakup of Yugoslavia

Kosovo solution hard to reach, Serwer says
B92 - 5 hours ago
WASHINGTON, PRIŠTINA -- Lack of Russian support and consensus within the EU will make the Kosovo solution difficult, Daniel Serwer believes.

Macedonia wants quick solution on Kosovo's status
Makfax - 5 hours ago
"We want the solution on the final status to be reached as soon as possible. Quick solution does not necessarily mean a non-quality solution, however it would be good to bring the whole process to the end.

Human trafficking in the Balkans at 120,000 a year
World Peace Herald - 40 minutes ago
By United Press International | Published Today | Europe , Human Rights | Unrated. By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL. BELGRADE, Serbia -- Serbia plans a media campaign to increase awareness of the trafficking of ...

DiCarlo says elections crucial for Albania's NATO membership
Makfax - 6 hours ago
The local elections in Albania will be very important not only for the development of the democratic processes but also for the country's NATO membership bid, US official said.

Austin American-Statesman (subscription)

Declassified report shows how US intelligence predicted ...
International Herald Tribune - 7 hours ago
AP. UNDATED: US intelligence predicted the violent breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s with pinpoint precision, but also assessed that the United States and its European allies would do nothing to ...

Nationwide Wi-Fi a Success in Macedonia
Wi-Fi Planet - 5 hours ago
By Naomi Graychase. What began as an attempt to get more computers (and Internet access) into schools in Macedonia, has become, through the unlikely pairing of American dollars and Chinese computers, a successful ...

Playfuls.com

Serbia arrests Customs fraud ring members
Monsters and Critics.com - 5 hours ago
BELGRADE, Serbia (UPI) -- Serbian police arrested 15 Customs officials on suspicion of being linked to a smuggling ring that robbed the state of $6.6 million.

Romania Decides on EU Labour Counter-Measures in 2007
Sofia News Agency - 6 hours ago
Bulgaria: Romania's government will announce in the next several months whether the country would impose counter-measures to the EU block on Romanian or Bulgarian migrant workers.

MRT online

Turkey 'committed' to EU bid
News24 - 4 hours ago
Ankara - Turkey remained committed in its bid to join the European Union despite a partial freeze of its troubled membership talks over a trade dispute with Cyprus, said Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul on Friday.

Weapons, gypsies, monks, war criminals etc

Some interesting developments going on in Kosovo. The Kosovo police seized some weapons and arrested some people in central Kosovo. This has quite a few implications: 1. Kosovo police did a good job. Kudos to them. 2. Are these weapons left from the war or brought in recently? 3. Are the extremists preparing for the worst case scenario?

In any case, this is definitely a message to that the status process should move quickly. It is interesting that this find came right after the ICG report which urges for fast EU action. Let's hope the worst case scenario doesn't happen, and we get this over with.

Meanwhile, the craziness in Slovenia is going on and gets more interesting. This time the authorities demolished the houses of the gypsy families. Wow!

EU inaction could see 'crisis' in Kosovo, NGO warns
EUobserver.com, Belgium - 11 hours ago
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – EU procrastination and internal division on the future status of Kosovo could see the region relapse into instability, ...

Kosovo police seize arms, arrest 3 people
DailyIndia.com, FL - 5 hours ago
PRISTINA, Serbia, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Police and NATO troops in Serbia's mainly ethnic-Albanian Kosovo province seized a large number of weapons and arrested ...

U.S. Deports Bosnian Serb War Suspects
Two Serbs deported to Bosnia for lying to U.S. immigration officers about their role in the 1991-95 Yugoslav war are to be charged with war crimes.

Mladen Blagojevic, 35, and Zdravko Bozic, 42, are the first Bosnian Serbs sent by U.S. authorities to their native Bosnia-Herzegovina to face charges of being involved in the massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in July 1995 at Srebrenica.

Playfuls.com

Resolving Kosovo status is of Serbian interest
MRT online - Dec 20, 2006
NATO Deputy Secretary-General, Alessandro Minuto Rizzo, gave a statement in Belgrade today, saying that resolving of the Kosovo status issue is in the best interest of Serbia and that that issue will be solved in the course of the next year.

EU Opens New Areas In Entry Talks With Croatia, Urges More Action
Playfuls.com - 3 hours ago
The European Union on Thursday started membership negotiations on three new areas with Croatia and urged the EU-hopeful to step up economic reform efforts to meet the bloc's entry standards.
Poll: Croatians among biggest EU skeptics United Press International

Alarab online

Bulgaria Wants To Take Libyan "torturers" To Court
Playfuls.com - 3 hours ago
Meanwhile, action was continuing in support of the nurses in Bulgaria Thursday, with Bulgarian Orthodox Church leaders calling for people to pray for their release.
Bulgaria's President Discusses Medics' Fate With Bush Sofia News Agency
Outrage in Bulgaria over death sentences for nurses in Libya AIDS ... San Diego Union Tribune

Wyoming News

EC Accelerates Staff Recruitment from Bulgaria, Romania
Sofia News Agency - 3 hours ago
With just over one week to go before Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union, preparations are well under way to welcome not only two new Commissioners, but also hundreds of officials at all levels of the Commission.

Rebel Monks Holed Up at Chapel in Greece
Forbes - 18 minutes ago
Monks at the rebel Esphigmenou monastery in northern Greece have turned against other monasteries on the all-male, self-governing peninsula of Mount Athos.

Playfuls.com

Slovenia Pulls Down Gypsy Homes
Playfuls.com - 2 hours ago
Demolition teams Thursday pulled down homes of a Gypsy family at Ambrus, Slovenia, on land the family legally owned, local media reported.

Playfuls.com

“EU is Not Ready to Conduct Negotiations with Turkey!”
Journal of Turkish Weekly - 6 hours ago
JTW - At the last meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) dated 20 December, there became a consensus on the subject that one chapter would be opened within the framework of Turkey-EU negotiations. The chapter on which the EU ...