Zoran Radosavljevic
Slovenia parliament OKs former actor as prime minister-designate
Slovenia's parliament approved on Friday (17 August) a minority coalition government led by comedian-turned-politician Marjan Šarec, ending a political stalemate after an inconclusive June 3 parliamentary election. However, analysts said the cabinet, supported by five centre-left parties, might have a limited shelf life
Slovenia’s PM-frontrunner fails in first round of government-forming talks
The relative winner of Slovenia's parliamentary election, conservative Janez Janša, said on Thursday (18 July) he did not gather enough support to become prime minister and form a new government. But he said he was still hopeful to create a parliamentary majority "in the coming weeks"
EU Commission gives nod to Kosovo visa liberalisation
The European Commission said on Wednesday (17 July) that Kosovo has met the remaining benchmarks to win visa liberalisation with the EU that other Western Balkan countries already enjoy.
Commission approves close surveillance of Greece after bailout
The European Commission adopted a set of measures on Wednesday (11 July) to closely monitor Greece's fiscal policy after it concludes an eight-year-long bailout programme on 20 August, closing one of the darkest chapter's in the single currency's short history.
Architect of Romania’s EU bid says decade of membership was mishandled
Since Romania joined the EU in 2007, successive governments have failed to make the best of bloc membership but there is strong pressure for change in the country, the man who supervised Bucharest’s accession negotiations told EURACTIV.com.
EU’s high-speed rail plan is ineffective, unrealistic, say Auditors
The EU’s long-term plan for a high-speed rail network is unlikely to be achieved and there is no solid EU-wide strategic approach, according to a highly critical report by the European Court of Auditors released on Tuesday (26 June).
Kosovo-Serbia status remains biggest challenge in Balkans – EU envoy
Normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia is "the most complicated process in the Balkans at the moment", according to the head of the EU's office in Pristina. But both sides need steady encouragement from the international community to reach a final solution and progress towards EU membership.
Europe’s biggest challenge now comes from the US, Timmermans says
Europe’s most important task for the rest of this year is to stay strong and united in the face of challenges coming from the United States, the European Commision First Vice-President Frans Timmermans told a business forum on Wednesday (23 May), in comments likely to irk Washington.
EU leaders take joint position on Iran deal, US trade
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday (17 May) a "united approach" to salvage the Iran nuclear agreement and deal with the trade tariffs US President Donald Trump plans to impose on European steel and aluminium.
Croatia’s deputy PM resigns over Agrokor debt crisis
Croatia's deputy prime minister resigned on Monday (14 Monday), after pressure from coalition partners and the public about her alleged conflict of interest in the restructuring of the country's biggest private company, the debt-laden food and retail concern Agrokor.
Commission proposes starting EU talks with Albania, Macedonia
The European Commission proposed on Tuesday (17 April) to open EU membership talks with Albania and Macedonia, in line with its new focus on the integration of the Western Balkans.
EU, UK make major breakthrough in Brexit talks
The European Union and the United Kingdom have agreed a "large part" of what will make up the Brexit agreement, including the transition period, taking a major step towards ensuring the UK's orderly withdrawal from the bloc next year, the two sides' negotiators said on Monday (19 March).
The Brief – Europe united
Who says the European Union cannot be united? Or that it can no longer see eye to eye with Washington on anything?
Portuguese PM: eurozone needs fiscal leg for stability, growth
The eurozone will never reach its full potential and may face a new crisis in the future without a fiscal capacity, Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa told the European Parliament on Wednesday (14 March).
Budget committee to look into ‘Selmayrgate’ after fury in Strasbourg
The European Parliament's budgetary control committee will look into last month's "fast-track promotion" of Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker's top aide, after MEPs called the appointment a "perfect stitchup" and a "grave error" that only fuels Euroscepticism.
Trans-Europe Express -Juncker’s Magical Mystery Tour
Jean-Claude Juncker completed his shuttle diplomacy tour of the Western Balkans this week in the manner of an ageing soccer captain playing the last games of his career.
Croatia’s Agrokor crisis worsens as crisis manager quits
A prolonged crisis in Croatia's top employer, food and retail concern Agrokor, took another dramatic twist on Wednesday (21 February) as its government-appointed caretaker manager stepped down and the Zagreb Stock Exchange suspended trade in all Agrokor companies.
Turkey sentences journalists, draws criticism ahead of summit
Turkey's sentencing of five journalists to life for involvement in a failed 2016 coup shows that the country's judiciary cannot make independent decisions, the president of the Association of European Journalists said on Monday and urged the Council of Europe to take action.
Trans-Europe Express: The EU’s regional Pandora’s Box
The Catalan crisis, which kept Spain on edge for a few months last year, appears to have been laid to rest. Whether it's once and for all or until next time remains to be seen.
Trans-Europe Express – EU is gaining on economy but not on democracy
Europe is back, the world’s business and political elites heard in Davos this week. But, as Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa rightly cautioned, there is no room for complacency.
Commission advisor: EU needs bigger budget, and needs to start debating it now
EU leaders should start debating the next multi-annual budget as soon as possible because the talks will be more complex than ever and may produce legal disputes that will force the union to revert to an interim budget in 2020, a senior adviser to Commissioner Günther Oettinger told EURACTIV.com.
The Brief – How to shoot down ambitious Balkan plans
Events in the Western Balkans may indeed seem peripheral to the EU, particularly as it braces for debates on the new budget and eurozone reform, but let’s not forget the old quote by Winston Churchill: “The Balkans produce more history than they can consume.”
Serb leader from Kosovo shot dead, Serbia cancels EU-sponsored talks
A Kosovo Serb leader was shot dead outside his party offices in Serb-run northern Kosovo on Tuesday (16 January), raising concerns of renewed tensions in the Western Balkans and prompting a Serbian delegation to cancel EU-sponsored talks with Kosovo in Brussels.