“‘We are friends with Russia, but we fully completely support territorial integrity of Ukraine. We do not support an independent Crimea. We think it’s one of these things that will open Pandora’s Box. Accession to the EU is on the top of the list of priorities of Serbia’ said […]
Kosovo
“As EU President, Bulgaria To Push For Reduced Roaming Charges For Western Balkans”
“The Bulgarian ambassador to the European Union says his country will work for reduced mobile-phone roaming charges between the EU and the countries of the Western Balkans that are not members of the bloc. Dimitar Tzantchev, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency from January through June, was […]
RFE/RL – “Kosovo’s Haradinaj Cancels U.S. Visit After ‘Failing To Get Visa'”
“A spokesman for the Iowa National Guard says Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has canceled a planned visit to the U.S. state this week because “he was unable to get a visa.” The spokesman, Colonel Greg Hapgood, told RFE/RL on January 8 that the National Guard’s commanding officer, […]
Kosovo MFA in UAE – Kosovo plans to open embassy in UAE, encourages investment in Kosovo
Translated from Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs Begjhet Pacollli‘s Facebook page: “I just finished a very friendly meeting with my counterpart from the United Arab Emirates, the Foreign Minister and International Co-operation, His Majesty Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I thanked him for the continued support they […]
MUST READ – Director of CEAS (Belgrade): Russians will try to interfere in the during elections in Montenegro, but joining NATO was best news in balkans in the last decade
“‘The Russians have not yet given up on their intentions, and I expect their interference during the upcoming local and presidential elections in Montenegro,’ said Jelena Milic, Director of the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies (CEAS). She also said that ‘Montenegro’s NATO membership is the best news in the Balkans in the […]
BiH WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Dodik – If there is a NATO base, there should be a Russian base; BiH farmers gain access to EU funds; Qatar Charity reaches orphans in Bosnia, Kosovo
“The President Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik said that RS made a decision on military neutrality and therefore there will be no base of NATO in BiH, nor in Brcko, as some have mentioned. ‘Any opportunity, hypothetically speaking, to get a NATO base would imply that it would mean, that […]
Kosovo WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Kosovo citizens petition to ratify demcarcation; WaPo – “Western powers warn Kosovo on changing war crimes court law”; Serbs cancel Christmas trip to Kosovo amid threats of protests
Thousands of Kosovo citizens have clearly expressed their stance towards two of the hottest topics in the recent past: the country’s demarcation of the country with Montenegro, which is holding Kosovo hostage to visa liberalization by the European Union, and the possible abolition of the Special Court, which […]
WaPo – “Kosovo court finds 4 opposition MPs guilty of using tear gas”
“A Kosovo court has found four opposition lawmakers guilty of repeatedly disrupting parliament by using tear gas. The four members of the left-wing Self-Determination Party — Albin Kurti, Donika Kadaj Bujupi, Albulena Haxhiu and Faton Topalli — were sentenced Wednesday to up to 18 months in prison. They […]
Deputy PM Hoxhaj – Kosovo risks missing out on visa liberalization for 2018….and 2019
“Kosovars risk being isolated even in 2019, if the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro is not ratified by the Assembly in January. It is the main condition of the European Union for visa liberalization. This is the warning given to political parties by former Foreign Minister (and current […]
SPECIAL – Barbara Surk (NY Times) – “E.U. Hoped Balkan Border Deal Would Be Model for Peace. Then It Collapsed.”
“This was supposed to be the year in which Slovenia and Croatia, members of the European Union and NATO, triumphantly ended a 26-year border dispute after an international court ruling in June. But it was not to be. Slovenia backed the deal, but Croatia had already dropped out of arbitration, […]