Limaj Lawyer Urges EULEX to Give Up

balkan insight
22 SEP 2011 / 09:21

Fatmir Limaj’s lawyer called on EU prosecutors to abandon charges against his client, saying they had yet to produce any proof of corruption on Limaj's behalf while he was minister for transport.

Fatmir Aliu

Tahir Rrecaj, the lawyer representing the vice-president of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK,and former transport minister, said Limaj was innocent and would be proven so....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/lawyers-ask-eulex-to-drop-case-against-limaj

Ex- Yu States Agree to Divide Assets Worth $65m

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 16:26

An agreement has been reached in Sarajevo on the division of diplomatic properties of the former socialist Yugoslavia.

Vecernje Novosti

The handover of 44 properties in OECD countries is due to be completed by next August.


Two decades after the violent collapse of Yugoslavia, the former republics are finally accelerating the process of dividing diplomatic property....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/serbia-gains-ex-yu-assets-worth-26-million

Montenegro’s Biggest Cinema Snapped Up By Austrians

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 14:28

Austrian company "Cineplexx International" announced this week that it had bought the biggest cinema in Montenegro "Ster Cinema", according to media reports.

Source: Balkans.com and CDM

According to the Montenegrin media, the Austrian company bought the cinema, which is located in the Montenegro’s capital city Podgorica, from the Greek "Audiovisual groups".....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/montenegro-s-biggest-cinema-snapped-up-by-austrians

EULEX Police Arrest Two Kosovo Serbs

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 11:42

A teenager and a 20-year-old Kosovo Serb have been arrested on suspicion of shooting at the house of a Kosovo Police officer in northern Kosovo.

Fatmir Aliu Pristina

The drive-by shooting, in which no one was injured, took place yesterday in the village of Leshak in the Leposavic municipality.

Besim Hoti, a spokesman for the Kosovo Police, said that the two young people had been charged with causing general danger and illegal possession of fire arms....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/eulex-police-arrest-two-kosovo-serbs

New Guide Puts Dragash on the Tourist Map

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:55

Dragash in Kosovo is one of the poorest regions in the country, but it also happens to be one of the most beautiful. A new guide will encourage hikers to these underexplored mountains and plant the seeds of a sustainable tourist industry.

Shengjyl Osmani Pristina

Interested in exploring the beauties of Kosovo’s nature and still haven’t visited the Dragash area? Well, look no further: travel blogger and Pristina resident Todd Wassel has turned his incredible hiking experience in this forgotten region into a guide to discover and enjoy the area....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/new-guide-puts-dragash-on-the-tourist-map

Pristina Digging Itself Out of a Pot Hole

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:52

After years of neglect, Pristina’s roads are being rejuvenated with 15 million euro of investment – but not everyone is convinced traffic jams or pot holes are a thing of the past.

Liridon Alidemaj Pristina

With 80 roads currently being worked at, at a cost of 15 million euro, and Pristina’s own version of Spaghetti Junction to open soon, motorists in Kosovo’s capital hope that they may soon be spared some of the gridlock and pothole dodging which has dominated driving in recent years....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/pristina-digging-itself-out-of-a-pot-hole

Palestine and Israel Court Albania’s UN Vote

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:52

Ahead of a tight vote in the UN on whether to recognize a Palestinian state, both sides are bidding for Albania's favour.

Besar Likmeta Tirana

The deputy head of the Palestinian embassy in Tirana, Hani Hussein, told Balkan Insight that after contact with Albanian authorities, they remain confident that Tirana will support the Palestinian proposal. ...more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/palestinians-and-israelis-vie-for-albania-s-un-vote

Serbia Takes Kosovo Border Row to New York

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:51

As tensions fizz in the Serb-run sliver of North Kosovo, Belgrade has launched a diplomatic push aimed at forcing Kosovo to withdraw its customs officials from northern border crossings.

Bojana Barlovac Belgrade

Not even pouring rain has stopped local Serbs from manning barricades in the Serb-run north of Kosovo for the fifth day in a row, following last Friday's deployment of EU police and Kosovo customs officials on border crossings with Serbia....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/belgrade-launches-diplomatic-action-over-kosovo-north

Rapporteur Hopeful on Macedonia Name Compromise

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:33

Macedonia could get its much-desired start date for EU accession talks by the end of this year provided it reaches a "name" compromise with Greece by then, says European Parliament rapporteur on Macedonia, Richard Howitt.

Sinisa Jakov Marusic Skopje

Speaking in an optimistic tone, Howitt, who is paying a two-day visit to Macedonia, on Tuesday, told Balkan Insight that he “would like to see resolution as quickly as possible, before the EC meeting in December”...more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/ec-rapporteur-hopeful-on-macedonia-name-compromise

Montenegro's Luksic Attends Global Forum in New York

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:20

Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic took part in the inaugural meeting of the “Open Government Partnership”, hosted by US President Barack Obama and his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousek yesterday.

The partnership is comprised of eight founding governments- among them the UK, South Africa, US and Mexico- and aims to boost transparency and accountability among governments across the globe....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/pm-luksik-attends-global-forum-in-new-york

Fins Weigh In On Bulgaria-Romania Schengen

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:18

Finland will follow the Netherlands' examples and veto Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen accession, Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi has revealed after meeting his Dutch and Finnish counterparts, according to Sofia News Agency.

Novinite (Sofia News Agency)

"However, we need consensus and we need a positive vote on behalf of all EU member states," Baconschi has declared after he met his colleagues at the UN General Assembly in New York....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/finland-weighs-in-on-bulgaria-romania-schengen-entry

Croatian PM Receives EU Accession Treaty

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 09:12

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk officially delivered Croatia's EU accession treaty text to the head of the Croatian government, prime minister Jadranka Kosor, at a ceremony in Zagreb on the weekend.

Sofia Echo

"The great effort of the Croatians, and your government will pay off in the future. I say this as a Pole, who, like my compatriots, has been benefiting for years from the fact that Europe is united, and we are a part of it," Tusk said after the ceremony, as quoted by the Polish EU presidency website....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-pm-receives-eu-accession-treaty

Kosovo Court Ruling Heightens Arrest Risk for Limaj

balkan insight
21 SEP 2011 / 08:12

Constitutional court clarification that MPs do not enjoy immunity from prosecution removes an important bar preventing EU police from arresting former minister.

Fatmir Aliu Pristina

Fatmir Limaj’s chances of being arrested rose yesterday after Kosovo’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that parliamentarians are not immune from prosecution if sought by the law....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-court-ruling-heightens-arrest-risk-for-limaj

Serbia Arrests Rogue Cops Behind 2001 Revolt

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 18:46

Police have arrested five former members of the now disbanded Special Operations Unit, JSO, over their involvment in a rebellion in 2001, Belgrade's B92 has reported.

b92
Serbia's special police unit has launched an operation to arrest former JSO members involved in a revolt by the unit in 2001, B92 reported....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/police-arresting-jso-members

Kosovo Court Ruling Heightens Arrest Risk for Limaj

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 18:12

Constitutional court clarification that MPs do not enjoy immunity from prosecution removes an important bar preventing EU police from arresting former minister.

Fatmir Aliu Pristina

Fatmir Limaj’s chances of being arrested rose today after Kosovo’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that parliamentarians are not immune from prosecution if sought by the law....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-court-ruling-heightens-arrest-risk-for-limaj

Croatian Politician Relives Tragic Car Accident

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 16:40

Croatian politician Radimir Cacic, one of the heads of Croatia’s opposition coalition, tried on Tuesday to explain the circumstances of a car accident in Hungary when two persons died in January last year.

Croatian Times

"I wasn't driving too fast. Visibility was bad," the president of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) Radimir Cacic said at the trial in the Municipal Court in the Hungarian town of Macala....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-politician-describes-tragic-car-accident

Thaci and Berisha Dine in The Big Apple

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 14:27

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci attended a working dinner in New York together last night ahead of the 66th general assembly meeting of the United Nations.

Maryrose Fison London...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/thaci-and-berisha-dine-in-the-big-apple

Israeli Architect Warns Albania against Damaging Heritage

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 12:45

An ongoing road development project in southern Albania could threaten archaeological heritage sites, a member of the International Council of Monuments and Sites, ICMS, has warned.

Besar Likmeta Tirana

Giora Solar, an Israeli perseveration architect who led a joint fact-finding mission with UNESCO last year aimed at identifying the impact a road expansion would have on Albania’s Butrint Archeological Park, said ongoing road developments along the coast could have a detrimental affect on heritage sites....more...
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http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albania-road-project-poses-threat-to-world-heritage-site

Serbian Media Airs New Theories on Death of Former PM

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 12:45

The name of late Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic has once again drawn headlines in Serbia after some media reports question who was behind his death.

B92, Blic, Beta

Controversy over the death of Serbia's late prime minister, Zoran Djindjic, has been reignited by allegations his own deputy was behind his death....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/controversy-over-djindjic-s-murder

Kosovo Accuses Serbia of Renewing Trade Embargo

balkan insight
20 SEP 2011 / 12:23

In a letter to Brussels, Pristina warns that it will reactivate its trade ban with Serbia if Belgrade fails to honour the September 2 deal.

Fatmir Aliu Pristina

Kosovo’s government on Monday sent a letter to the European Union, calling on Brussels to get Serbia to honour a September 2 agreement about the free movement of goods between the two countries....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/kosovo-accuses-serbia-of-renewing-trade-embargo