The Balkans
Serbian coalition not set on abandoning Kosovo
The “betrayal” of Kosovo “is the furthest thing from the mind” of the ruling coalition in Serbia, parliament speaker Ivica Dačić said on Thursday, adding that the option of recognising the territory’s independence in a dialogue with Priština was not...
Nuclear energy ‘indispensable’ for Slovenia’s self-sufficiency
“In Slovenia, nuclear technology is indispensable for a modern, strategically-oriented energy self-sufficiency of the country and for strengthening its economic and social development,” said Danijel Levičar, chief operating officer of the GEN Energija consortium, which operates the Slovenian half of...
France ‘understands’ Croatia’s wish to join Schengen
Paris understands Croatia’s wish to be admitted to the Schengen area, France’s Foreign and Europe Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said during his visit to Zagreb. Zagreb is thankful for France’s permanent support of Croatia’s efforts to join the Organisation for...
Bulgaria’s parliamentary elections to be held in April
Parliamentary elections in Bulgaria will take place on 4 April, announced President Rumen Radev, adding that every Bulgarian’s health and right to vote must be guaranteed and that citizens should be convinced that their votes will be counted correctly. Radev...
Bihać mayor opposed to migrants being placed in centre financed by EU
The German and Austrian ambassadors to BiH, Margret Uebber and Ulrike Hartmann, together with EU Delegation head in BiH, Johann Sattler, paid a visit to the Lipa migrant camp, near northwest city Bihać. “First important goal achieved – 750 migrants/refugees...
HRW: Limited progress in human rights protection in Serbia
Serbia made limited progress in 2020 when it comes to protecting human rights, according to Human Rights Watch’s annual report about the state of human rights in the world published on Wednesday. On Serbia, the international NGO declared that, during...
‘Slim chance’ for no-confidence
The planned no-confidence motion against the government has a slim chance but still might succeed, and would then result in early elections, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša said on Wednesday. Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL) is planning to propose voting on...
Vaccination with Moderna vaccine begins in earthquake-destroyed Petrinja
Epidemiologists used the Moderna vaccine to start jabbing residents of Petrinja, the town that received the first shipment of 3,600 Modern doses because the devastating earthquake that hit the country on 29 December increased the risk of the virus spreading....
Romanian government mulls pension increase during pandemic
While Romania still has no budget for 2021, the country’s Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the Parliament needs to clarify a law requiring a 40% increase of pensions. The government wants a much lower increase, in the current economic...
Bulgaria will not allow mail-in voting despite pandemic
The ruling coalition in Bulgaria does not intend to allow mail-in voting in the coming parliamentary elections – something they referred to as “an exotic idea”. This became clear when President Rumen Radev met the ruling GERB party as a...
Migrants have no place in Republika Srpska, says Dodik
BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik has dismissed the possibility of providing accommodation for migrants in the territory of the Bosnian Serb entity (Republika Srpska) to facilitate efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis related to illegal migrants in the country. “I...
Serbian president discusses Western Balkans transportation network with EU
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Matej Zakonjšek, the director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, met in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss the development of a regional transportation network and transport networking of the Western Balkans with the...
Slovenia’s interior ministry makes public the salaries of striking policemen
The interior ministry has released a document featuring the payslips for nearly 9,000 members of the police force and ministry employees, in a full disclosure which – despite being public information according to the law governing freedom of information –...
Opposition leaders joined forces with the media to undermine HDZ, says Commissioner Šuica
“Nothing that occurred at the meeting [ed. the leadership meeting of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)] should concern you and it won’t endanger democracy,” Speaker Gordan Jandroković said when asked whether it was worrying that European Commission Vice President...
Romania delays joining the eurozone once again
Romania’s government will again delay the calendar for eurozone entry, citing the need to re-balance its macroeconomic indicators because of the COVID-19 pandemic context. Romania does not currently meet the criteria for joining the eurozone and the measures taken to...
Bulgaria prepares a national plan for adopting the euro
Bulgaria’s national plan for adopting the euro will contain details about the actions to be taken by the Bulgarian authorities and business for the successful adoption of the European currency. “We expect that our country will join the eurozone in...
Strasbourg cour urges Albania to not deport Selami Simsek to Turkey
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg sent an official request to Albania not to deport the Turkish citizen Selami Simsek to Turkey as long as his trial was not finalised, the Tirana Times reported. Selami Simsek and Harun...
Most migrants accommodated in tents, Dodik muted
EU High Representative Josep Borrell held a call with Milorad Dodik, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 11 January to discuss the dire humanitarian conditions of hundreds of migrants in the country, according to a statement published...
Serbian citizens can apply for COVID-19 vaccinations online
Serbian citizens were able to apply for COVID-19 vaccinations by filling in a form as of Monday via the e-government portal. For Serbian citizens, it is possible to choose between COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices...
Slovenian parliament adopts ‘options’ for when Italy and Croatia proclaim EEZ
Slovenia’s options in the event that Italy and Croatia to proclaim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Adriatic Sea were presented by Foreign Minister Anže Logar to the parliament’s foreign policy committee and unanimously endorsed behind closed doors. “I...
Vaccination campaign in Romania enters phase two
Romania will start the second phase of its vaccination campaign on Friday with the aim to immunise people above 65, those suffering from chronic diseases, and essential workers. Among those doing essential work are people working in the military, public...
Bulgaria is trying to change tactics with Skopje
Sofia has proposed an action plan for cooperation with North Macedonia in the implementation of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation, Bulgaria’s foreign ministry announced after Deputy Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva met in Sofia with North Macedonia’s special...German MP congratulates illegal Republika Srpska day
Conservative German MP Stefan Kaufmann (CDU) congratulated the controversial Day of Republika Srpska (RS), which Bosnian Serbs celebrate on 9 January as the day the Bosnian Serb republic was declared in 1992, though BiH’s Constitutional Court has since declared it...