About: South Eastern Europe
Official: Western Balkan countries are ‘milking coal power plants until the bitter end’
Disparities between the EU and Western Balkan countries on energy are only getting bigger, with many of them still addicted to highly-polluting coal power stations that provide cheap electricity as well as revenues to governments and the local population. “They’re milking them until the bitter end,” says Janez Kopac.
Beyond coal, nationalism and EU accession: Squaring the circle for Kosovo
Joining the EU means meeting all of its rules and criteria, including energy legislation. But bloc-hopeful Kosovo, just like its other Balkan neighbours, is struggling to make any headway there, writes Philippe Charlez.
Commission fleshes out energy strategy for Southeast Europe
As energy ministers of eight countries from Southeast Europe meet in Sofia today (9 February) to discuss the countries’ needs and ambitions, a leaked paper has shed light on the European Commission’s plans to help the region overcome its various problems.
Energy Community reform: What will the EU push for?
Ahead of the ministerial meeting in the Western Balkans on the EU energy reform, Dragana Mileusnic calls for the adoption and the implementation of the new energy rules as soon as possible. A clear and speedy EU message will benefit not only the people but it will also ensure security of energy supply in the whole region.
Energy poverty takes toll on Balkan forests
SPECIAL REPORT / Governments' inability to address energy poverty in Southeastern Europe is increasing the threat of deforestation, as illegal timbering is seen by needy people as their only chance for survival through harsh winters.A step in the right direction: Frontex, Greece & the fight against irregular migration
The EU's border management agency, Frontex, will open its first Operational Office in Piraeus, Greece on 1 August 2010. Although political and administrative gaps remain, the new office should enhance Frontex's role in South-Eastern Europe and help combat illegal migration in the Mediterranean, write Stavros Kourtalis and Gerasimos Tsourapas, researchers at the Hellenic Centre for European Studies (EKEM), in an exclusive commentary for EURACTIV.New rapprochement in the Western Balkans: How to advance it?
Despite a number of unresolved issues in the region, one can see a new spirit of rapprochement and genuine cooperation in the Western Balkans and its leaders must seize the moment in order to translate this trend into an irreversible process, writes Hido Biš?evi?, secretary-general of the Regional Cooperation Council for South-East Europe, in an exclusive commentary for EURACTIV.
EU-Montenegro relations
Despite problems with corruption and organised crime, Montenegro, a small Adriatic country with a population of less than a million, is set to open EU membership talks as early as 2011.
Diplomat: Montenegro had to ‘regain’ independence for EU future
Although many of its citizens still feel very strong ties to Serbia and the former Yugoslavia, Montenegro had to ''regain'' independence in order to preserve its European future, Vladimir Radulovi?, the ambassador of Montenegro to Germany, told EURACTIV.de in an interview.New EU members hit by FDI outflow
The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the EU halved in 2009 and particularly declined in the new member states – where the foreign sector is economically vital, writes the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies in an analysis of FDI in 20 Central, East and South-East European countries based on the latest update of its database.
Expert: In Bosnia every reform fails due to corruption
The EU should not give up on Bosnia and Herzegovina despite its ongoing internal divisions, yet the country must improve its legal system as governmental reforms simply fail as a result of corruption, Jan Havránek, an expert on security issues and a research fellow at the Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI), told EURACTIV Czech Republic in an interview.
Albanian FM: Serbia and Kosovo should meet without flags
Flexibility and responsibility for the common EU future of the Western Balkans should come first and Serbia and Kosovo should sit at the same table in a forthcoming regional forum, leaving country names and flags behind, Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
EU-Albania relations
Albania formally applied for EU membership in April 2009, but if its accession bid is to move forward it must tackle a number of issues: particularly political stability, economic reform and corruption.Ambassador: Bosnia and Herzegovina will apply for EU membership this year
By the end of this year, the conditions will have been met for Bosnia and Herzegovina to apply for EU membership, Almir Šahovi?, the country's ambassador to France, told EURACTIV.fr in an interview.South East Europe is well-known for its self-cynicism
South East Europe must make use of current developments in Europe and the EU enlargement process to streamline itself with the grand project of European integration. But ''does not have the luxury of time',' writes Hido Biš?evi?, secretary-general of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) for South East Europe.Why the Greek crisis matters to its neighbours in southeast Europe
The countries of southeastern Europe cannot remain indifferent to the ongoing fiscal and debt crises in Greece due to the latter's track record of foreign investment, foreign policy focus in the region and growing trade volumes, writes Jens Bastian, senior economic research fellow at the Athens-based Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and European Policy (ELIAMEP), in a March op-ed.