About: Serbia
Three countries agree mini Schengen in the Balkans
Three Western Balkan EU hopefuls, Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, have decided to advance regional cooperation by forming the so-called "mini-Schengen" in order to improve life and the economy in the region until the EU opens its doors to them.
Kosovo dissident Albin Kurti reaches halls of power
Political prisoner turned parliamentary troublemaker Albin Kurti is within reach of becoming Kosovo's next prime minister after an electoral triumph that could reshape the political scene in Europe's youngest democracy.
MEPs to act as mediators to break Serbian Parliament impasse
European Parliament representatives will attempt to help bring back dialogue to the Serbian parliament, which the opposition has boycotted for months. The first meeting of European and Serbian parliamentarians in Belgrade is to take place in early October, six months before the country's next general election.
Visegrad countries back opening of accession talks with North Macedonia, Albania
Four eastern European Union members on Thursday (12 September) backed the accession of Western Balkan countries to the bloc, saying North Macedonia and Albania should start talks this year.
New US Balkan envoy says restarting Serbia-Kosovo dialogue a priority
The new US Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, said on Tuesday (4 September) a priority in his new role is restarting a dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.
15 countries, and counting, revoke recognition of Kosovo, Serbia says
With Togo becoming the fifteenth country to revoke its recognition of Kosovo, according to Serbia's foreign minister, Belgrade has moved closer to its goal of having half of UN member states not recognising its former province's independence.
Kosovo president sets 6 October as date for snap parliamentary vote
Since Kosovo’s government collapsed last week, Western countries expect a new cabinet to relaunch talks between Belgrade and Pristina and make sure these countries lift obstacles for joining the EU in the longer term.
West urges Kosovo, Serbia to restart talks ‘with urgency’
Western powers on Tuesday (13 August) urged foes Serbia and Kosovo to reboot their stalled dialogue "with urgency", warning that the lack of progress is hindering their dreams of joining the European Union.
Belgrade condemns ‘hate’ after Orthodox graves in Kosovo vandalised
Graves at a Serbian Orthodox cemetery in Kosovo have been vandalised, police said on Sunday (14 July), in an incident that comes at a time of rising tension between Belgrade and Pristina.
North Macedonia’s Sekerinska: Postponing decisions is not the best policy
North Macedonia has done its part in removing the obstacles on its road to EU accession, but the EU has been slow to follow suit, North Macedonia’s Defence Minister Radmila Šekerinska told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Radmila Šekerinska is...
Turkey, Russia and China covet Western Balkans as EU puts enlargement on hold
Unless the EU accession process of the Western Balkans picks up the pace, the six countries of the region may examine alternatives for their countries’ external orientation, including boosting relations with China, Russia, Turkey and the Gulf States, a report...
Bosnians protest against migrant influx in border town
Several hundred Bosnians protested on Sunday (16 June) against an influx of migrants in the western border town of Bihac, warning of security and health risks from thousands sleeping rough. Bosnia, spared the big migrant wave of 2015, is now...
Europe’s ambitious but uncertain future on show at Bratislava forum
As Globsec’s 2019 forum in Bratislava kicked off earlier this week, EURACTIV went along to listen to world leaders from politics, civil society and business on the Future of Europe. Here we present a summary of the main talking points in the field, across the first two days.
Enlargement debate: Western Balkans, torn between hope and outrage
With enlargement being a “hot potato” for EU institutions, EURACTIV addressed the issue in a debate on Tuesday (5 June). Diplomats and journalists talked freely about the perceived reluctance of some member states, but also about existing real internal obstacles.
Commission recommends opening accession talks with Albania, North Macedonia
The European Commission recommended on Wednesday (29 May) opening accession talks with two Western Balkan countries, Albania and North Macedonia, saying they had “embraced the opportunity and delivered on reforms”. But this will need to be approved by the member states....
Serbia places forces on alert after Kosovo police operation in Serb-populated north
Serbia ordered its troops on full alert on Tuesday (28 May) and Russia accused Kosovo of provocation after a Kosovan police anti-crime operation in a region populated mainly by Serbs led to clashes.
Kosovo’s Haradinaj wants Mogherini out of dialogue with Belgrade
Kosovo PM Ramush Haradinaj has asked that EU diplomacy chief Federica Mogherini be excluded from the Belgrade-Priština normalisation dialogue, after saying earlier that under her guidance, the presidents of Kosovo and Serbia, as well as Albania's prime minister had "probably" negotiated a division of Kosovo.
Dialogue on Kosovo dominates Western Balkan summit in Tirana
Leaders of the six Western Balkans countries, plus Croatia, Slovenia and the EU, discussed regional cooperation at a summit in Tirana on Thursday (9 May), as well as ways to bring the region closer to the EU.
Kosovo and Serbia agree to resume talks after Macron, Merkel push
Kosovo and Serbia have agreed at a summit in Berlin to resume talks, after the leaders of France and Germany warned the bitter foes that resolving their dispute was crucial to future ties with the European Union.
Macron and Merkel try to resurrect Serbia-Kosovo talks at Berlin summit
European leaders will try to bring bitter foes Serbia and Kosovo back to the negotiating table at a regional summit in Berlin on Monday (29 April), hoping to reboot a dialogue over one of the Balkans' thorniest disputes.
Serbia’s civil sector, NGOs demand more rights
NGOs in Serbia have adopted a joint document aimed at preserving the civil society and its freedoms in the EU candidate country, after seeing a growing number of physical assaults on their activists and verbal abuse in pro-government media. EURACTIV Serbia reports.
Serbia in the EU in 2025 – mission (im)possible
Serbia's accession to the EU in 2025 seems unrealistic, given its slow pace of progress, though not entirely impossible, civil society representatives have said but warned that neither Belgrade nor Brussels were trying very hard. EURACTIV Serbia reports.
Western Balkans to abolish roaming charges by 2021
Western Balkans countries agreed on Thursday (4 April) to lower and eventually abolish roaming charges, in a rare act of neighbourly goodwill in region riven with political feuds.