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Beijing Paralympics set to begin Dozens of Balkan athletes will participate in the 13th Paralympics, opening Saturday in Beijing. The Paralympics is about competition, not disability. Many hope to return home with medals.
Summer in Croatia is not just sea and sun With a growing number of artists and performers making Croatia a summer destination, the country offers rich summer experiences for visitors and locals alike.
EU's Rehn urges Turkey to speed up pro-EU reforms ANKARA, Turkey -- EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan Friday (September 5th), on the sidelines of an...
Campaigning for local elections kicks off in BiH SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Campaigning for the local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) began officially on Friday (September 5...
Coach crash kills 13, injures 30 in Croatia ZAGREB, Croatia -- A coach crash early on Sunday (September 7th) killed at least 13 people and injured other 30 in Croatia, local authorities reporte...
Explosions, clashes kill four Turkish soldiers ANKARA Turkey -- A blast killed two Turkish soldiers in the southeastern province of Sirnak on Friday (September 5th), local authorities said. The so...
Thousands rally against economic policy in Greece ATHENS, Greece -- More than 10,000 people gathered in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Saturday (September 6th) to protest against the gove...
SETimes news - English News and Views of Southeastern Europe
RTL eyes EUR1.1 bn acquisition of Bulgaria's bTV German media group RTL is considering a 1.1 billion acquisition of Bulgaria's main private TV channel bTV, which is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., finanznachrichten.de website reported Friday.
Spains says to stop hiring foreign workers Spain will stop hiring foreign workers because of slowing economic growth and rising unemployment, Labor and Immigration Minister Celestino Corbacho said Thursday.
Bulgarian, U.S. broker chaged with security fraud of US$1 billion A Bulgarian and U.S. broker may be sentenced to up to 65 years in prison in New York on charges of swindling investors out of 1 billion of dollars through a securities fraud, the International Herald Tribune reported on Thursday.
Bulgaria faces currency devaluation, report says Bulgaria is among five east European countries running the risk to have their currencies severely devalued due to excessive current account deficits, a UN report said Thursday.
Cheney slams Russia for invasion in Georgia United States Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday blasted Russia for its invasion in Georgia calling it an "illegitimate and unilateral" attempt to change the country's borders.
IMF to lend Georgia US$750 mln The International Monetary Fund announced Wednesday it would lend Georgia 750 million U.S. dollars to help it szabilize its war ravaged economy.
EU Parliament moves to soften carbon caps on cars The EU Parliament industry committee is proposing that planned carbon dioxide caps on new cars be enacted just for 60 percent of the manufacturers' fleets as of 2012, the EU Observer reported.
EU confirms support for Georgia The European Union confirmed Tuesday its support for Georgia and warned it might freeze its talks with Russia on a treaty to succeed the expiring partnership and cooperation agreement.
Bulgarian News Network The latest bulgarian news online in English. Business, finance, politics and sports. A quick, accurate and dispassionate report of everything that matters. The shortest cut to the heart of the Balkans.
The McCain Clinton or Obama Balkan Line? Which presidential hopeful will best lead the US into a new era will not necessarily be the best for its foreign policy in the Balkans. The US has maintained hegemonic policy in the Balkans throughout the 1990s fueling turmoil and...
Drug road troubling for EU road With most Western Balkan states heading towards EU membership its worrying that a well-known drug trafficking route running through the heart of the region is a driving factor of Europes black economy and is adapting to new economic demands. The...
A new state - is spirit enough? The initial thrill that Kosovo Albanians expressed last week after their long-awaited declaration of independence may soon die down as the real challenges of state-building surface. There is no turning back. They are now faced with working alongside the EU...
A response to The Balkan Line: Bosnias status quo finale I have read your article entitled Bosnias status quo finale November 18th by Elisabeth Maragoula and would like to take this opportunity to clarify the position of the government of Republika Srpska RS on the issues that have been mentioned...
Bosnias status quo finale Anticipating tomorrows political arena in the Balkans is nearly impossible; but one thing is for certain: Bosnias political status quo is not functional. The country is facing its worst political crisis in the last 12 years which is fuelling an...
Kosovo elections face major hurdles Insecurity over their future status intensifying ethnic loyalties a flawed arena for elections and below par social and economic conditions are several of the difficulties Kosovo citizens are facing as they mull voting on November 17 in the provinces third...
Serb authorities slammed: Neo-Nazis hit the streets despite ban In the wake of the nationalist struggle for Kosovo the recent failure of the Serb government and police to prevent neo-Nazis from causing a ruckus in the multicultural city of Novi Sad is a serious problem as things may soon...
Wakeup call on cluster bombs from Serbia More than eight years after NATO pounded Serbia and Montenegro with cluster bombs in the Kosovo war the organisation last month finally released its target data including 218 sets of coordinates so groups like the Serbian Centre for Demining can...
EU travel a tough road for Balkan citizens Travel through Europe is slated to get easier and cheaper for Balkan citizens but much more is needed. When Milosevic was in power the lines in front of the embassies were explained by the political circumstances in the former Yugoslavia....
No happy ending in sight for Kosovo Calls by international envoys last week for fresh ideas and realistic proposals for Kosovos future status may be too late. The diametrically-opposed Belgrade and Pritina delegations made no progress meeting separately with troika envoys US EU and Russia on September...
Distrust mounting over Kosovo question Last weeks headlines of a shootout at a jewellery store outside Pritina and a fatal clash with police in neighbouring FYROM former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia near the Kosovo border are examples of regional insecurity. Distrust is mounting as impatience...
Europes test on Kosovo: Unity first diplomacy second The Kosovo issue may just make or break the European Union. With more than 1.6 billion Euro in EU funds poured into Serbias southernmost province since 1999 Kosovo still has rampant crime higher than 40 percent unemployment and no tangible...
Serbias Last Hand: The Battle for Kosovo Rages In a last-minute bid to push Belgrade and Pristina to agree on a final status for Kosovo troika envoys met in Vienna separately with the two delegations on August 30 in what looked like more dead-end talks. This fresh 120-day...
New Europe News: The European News Source New Europe News: The European News Source.
EU Steps Up Mission in Kosovo The true conqueror of the Balkans takes control now that NATO and the U.S. have finished the dirty work.
Karadzic and Islam's Northward Push A coming clash of civilizations may be accelerated by the outcome of the forthcoming trial of Radovan Karadzic.
Karadzic and the Anti-Serbs A pervasive anti-Serb bias guarantees that the trial of Radovan Karadzic will be at least as unjust as was the sham trial of Slobodan Milosevic.
Cracks Appear in the EU Facade Does the present EU crisis herald a change in the unification process? Will Europe's emerging disorder develop into a situation that will eventually require the use of military force to fulfill the EU vision?
The Vatican Purposes to Evangelize Kosovo The Roman Catholic bishop of Kosovo believes that Kosovo's Muslims need a "cultural baptism" into Catholicism. How is the Vatican influencing events in the Balkans?
Bosnia: Terrorist Attacks Thwarted Recent arrests in Bosnia remind us that Islamic terrorism has taken root in the underbelly of Europe.
Russia's Balkans What is at stake at the coming NATO summit? Why is it "an issue of survival" for Moscow? Why does Russia want to keep Ukraine and Georgia out of the alliance?
Adding Injury to Insult NATO and Europe are pouring troops and police into Kosovo to put down Serbs who are actually angry their country has been torn apart.
Kosovo Declares Independence How will the international community respond to Kosovo's newly declared independence?
Black Sea--New EU Frontier? In less than two decades the European Union has pushed its eastern frontier from Berlin to the Black Sea. How much more will Russia tolerate--and what of Iran, beginning to feel the EU breathing down its neck?
Pope Meets Kosovo Leader The Vatican meddling in Balkan affairs should be sounding off historically terrifying echoes.
German Fascism Is Conquering Kosovo! What is happening in Kosovo reaches far beyond the Balkans. It is so shocking that the nations of this world would be paralyzed with fear if they truly understood! Shamefully, America is its chief architect.
Final Resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire Is Here The Vatican and Germany already have a disturbing level of control over the European Union. The religious and political sides of the resurrection of an ancient empire are forming fast.
France to the U.S.: "Trust Europe" Laced with flattery and lavish praise, the French premier's speech received a standing ovation from Congress. But there was far more to his speech than pious platitudes.
theTrumpet.com: Balkans theTrumpet.com -- Understand your world.
Relocating Displaced Roma in Belgrade The
Belgrade authorities say plans to move hundreds of Roma residents
from their slum will go ahead, in spite of opposition from other
inhabitants of the city who do not want the Roma as their neighbours.
Serbia Helps Roma Students With
little schooling or financial resources, it is tough for Serbia’s
Roma to make it to university, but the government’s affirmative
action is beginning to signal a change for the better.
Serbia’s Roma Media Fight for Survival Roma-language
TV and radio have experienced difficulties with the regulatory
authorities, but Roma broadcasters continue to reach a substantial
audience.
Kosovo: a Gunrunners’ Paradise Legal loopholes
and ineffective law enforcement have been a blessing for Kosovo gunrunners who
have benefited from the authorities’ failure to address the problem.
By Krenar Gashi in Pristina
Comment: Who will Run Croatia? Uncertainty
over the make-up of Croatia’s
new government causes few concerns outside the country as it prepares to become
the next member of the EU and NATO. By Christopher Cviic in London
Kosovo: A Chapter Closes Serbia’s reliance on Russia to keep Kosovo appears to have backfired by prompting EU countries to line up behind the independence option in order to show their unity.
By Tim Judah in London
Tirana - Choking on Growth Albania’s capital becomes a victim of its own phenomenal growth, as the city’s environmental problems multiply.
Romania: Who Cares About Politics? Voters’ disappointment and ignorance marred Romania’s first European
elections, while a referendum on changing the electoral system failed
due to low turnout.
Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese
By Patrick Leigh Fermor
John Murray, London (2004) 320 pp.
Reviewed by Christopher Deliso
2008 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication of Patrick Leigh Fermor’s Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese, considered one of the most important travelogues of the 20th century by many critics. Although the book is now often [...]
Balkanalysis.com Announces Summer Hiatus Balkanalysis.com would like to announce to its readers that the website will be going on annual summer hiatus from today, August 3rd. The publishing of new articles will resume next month.
The Karadzic Capture and Serbia’s Return to Power The dramatic arrest of former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic, hiding as a bushy-bearded spiritual guru in Novi Beograd, will no doubt inspire a Hollywood film in the not-too-distant future. And it has already inspired a lot of pathos and hyperbole, with one foot similarly in the door of fiction (Madeleine Albright accusing Karadzic of [...]
Romania: Energy Savings Afoot By Oxford Business Group*
With new EU member states under pressure to comply with a revised common energy policy, joint-efforts between international and local banks have been made to kick-start energy efficient practices in Romania.
Four mayor players in Romania’s banking sector have recently received a total of 45m euros from the European Bank of Reconstruction and [...]
Turkish Intelligence Activities under Increased Public Scrutiny in Turkey and Greece By Ioannis Michaletos and Christopher Deliso
A number of high-impact incidents over the past few months have revealed that the historic feuding of Turkey and Greece is not a thing of the past. Some of these have been well-known, and overtly demonstrated in political events. Others have however received little mention, leaving the public curious to [...]
Volume 7, Number 2, August, 2005 Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans, Volume 7, Number 2, August, 2005.
Loaded on 2005-09-17
Volume 7, Number 1, April, 2005 Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans, Volume 7, Number 1, April, 2005.
Loaded on 2005-07-21
Volume 6, Number 3, December 2004 Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans, Volume 6, Number 3, December 2004.
Loaded on 2005-07-21
Recent Issues of Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans RSS feed of the 10 most recently published issues of Journal of Southern Europe and the Balkans
Twelve actual or potential conflict situations around the world deteriorated in August 2008 and only one improved. War broke out between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia with enormous geopolitical implications. Deadly clashes escalated across Somalia as the August peace deal looked increasingly fragile. In Sudan, the ruling party's stance hardened against the International Criminal Court prosecutor's application for President Bashir's arrest. A series of bombings in Algeria killed 80 in some of the deadliest violence in recent years, while the military seized power in Mauritania in a coup. For August 2008 CrisisWatch identifies Cyprus as a Conflict Resolution Opportunity.
Six actual or potential conflict situations around the world deteriorated in July 2008 and three improved. In Somalia, divisions between hardliners and moderates within the Islamist opposition threatened an already fragile peace deal. Afghanistan saw a deadly attack outside the Indian embassy that killed scores, while other bombings hit Indian cities and violence increased in Kashmir, with reported ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. The situation improved in Serbia, where former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested and extradited to the ICTY. In Colombia the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 others dealt a blow to FARC rebels. For August 2008 CrisisWatch identifies Zimbabwe and Sudan as Conflict Resolution Opportunities.
Crisis Group - Balkans The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation committed to preventing and resolving deadly conflict.
Serbia, EU Sign Aid Agreement Belgrade _ The Serbian government and the European Commission signed an agreement on Thursday on the allocation of some €1 billion of pre-accession aid to Serbia over the next five years.
BIRN Serbia organised a two-day advanced workshop on
newswire reporting for contributors from the region as part of its Minority
Media Training and Reporting Project.
Bosnia: Top Institutions Slammed Sarajevo _ Bosnia’s state and entity institutions have been condemned for their weak and ineffective performance in a report compiled by a local non-governmental organization.
Johnson Matthey Invests in Macedonia Skopje _ Johnson Matthey, the London-based speciality chemicals company is to invest around €140 million in an autocatalysts factory in Macedonia, Prime Minster Nikola Gruevski said on Thursday.
Bosnia Prices Reflect Global Trend Sarajevo _ The steep rise in food prices in Bosnia mainly reflects similar price movements on world markets, and has not been caused by stockpiling, due war psychosis, according to international institutions.
Serbia Indicts 14 for War Crimes Belgrade _ Serbia's war crimes prosecutors indicted 14 former Yugoslav People’s Army, JNA, soldiers and Serb paramilitaries for the killing of 70 Croat civilians during the 1991 war in Croatia.
Romania: New Outbreak of Bird Flu Bucharest _ Romanian local authorities took measures on Thursday to deal with a fresh outbreak of bird flu in a remote village in Tulcea county, near the border with Ukraine.
EU Warns Sofia over Communications Sofia _ The European Commission has warned it may take action against Bulgaria because of Sofia’s failure to appoint a president to the country’s Communications Regulation Commission, CRC.
Bosnia: Slow Start to Ski Season Sarajevo _ Although officially opened a week ago, this winter’s ski season has been delayed across Bosnia and Herzegovina by warm weather and not enough snowfall.
Skopje Anti-Abortion Poster Mystery Skopje _ Mystery surrounds the appearance of controversial
anti-abortion posters in Macedonia’s capital over the past few days,
with no group claiming responsibility so far.
BIRN IN BRIEF RSS Feed
Cyprus: Unification on the Table As Cyprus's new president brings the nation closer to unification, the EU comes one step closer to Jerusalem.
theTrumpet.com: Cyprus theTrumpet.com -- Understand your world.
Fools Rush In Fools
Rush In, written by Bill Carter - the man behind Miss Sarajevo and the anti-war
collaboration with U2 – describes the personal experiences of a foreign journalist
living the Bosnian war.
The Tour
Goran Markovic’s
film The Tour is awarded Best Film at
the Montreal film festival, beating more than two hundred other films to the international federation of film critics’ prize.
Key Serbian Nationalist Leader Resigns Belgrade _ Tomislav Nikolic, a key leader of Serbia's nationalist Radical Party has resigned over an inter-party disagreement on a crucial EU deal, his party says in a statement.
Serbia's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan Novi Pazar _ Muslims in Serbia's south-west Sandzak region began celebrating the holy month of Ramadan this week, starting from Monday.
Belgrade _ A Belgrade municipal court jailed two Red Star football fans for taking part in a fight during a match last December in which a policeman was seriously injured.
Macedonia to Open New Border Crossings Skopje _ Macedonia plans to open additional border crossings with Kosovo and Serbia, the Deputy Prime Minister, Abdilakim Ademi, said.
Formula Multiplies Serbia`s Budget Deficit
Belgrade_ Adopting a new method for calculating budget expenses, in line with standards used by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, will multiply Serbia`s 2008 budget gap threefold, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
‘Russia Envoy Meddling’, say Bosniak Leaders Sarajevo _ Russia's ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina is meddling with the country's internal issues and the constitution, argue Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) leaders.
Turkish Airlines to Bid for Air Bosnia Sarajevo _ Turkey's state-run airliner Turkish Airlines, THY, will bid for a stake in Bosnia and Croatia's state-run BH Airlines or Air Bosnia.
Germany: 'Serbs Must Look Forward not Back' Belgrade _ "The moment has come for Serbia to look forward to the future, not just backwards," Germany's Foreign Minister told his Belgrade counterpart during a trip to Berlin.
EU ‘Disappointed’ with Croatia Trial Delay Zagreb _ Croatia’s EU negotiators received a letter from Brussels expressing concerns about the delay in the trial of war crimes suspect Branimir Glavas and others, reports a local daily.
Campaigning for Bosnia Local Polls Opens Sarajevo _ Campaigning for Bosnia’s local elections has officially opened amid warnings of stern sanctions against those found guilty of radical and divisive rhetoric.
Slovenia PM in Finland Corruption Row Ljubljana _ Slovenia’s Prime Minister has delivered an official note of complaint to Helsinki’s envoy in Ljubljana over Finnish TV accusations of bribes in regarding a weapons deal.
Two Hurt in Romania Steel Plant Accident Bucharest _ A huge metal pipe fell on two workers at a steel plant Thursday in eastern Romania, leaving them seriously injured, officials said.
Serbia Parties ‘Differ on the Kosovo Reality’ Novi Sad _ The leader of what is seen as Serbia’s most liberal party suggests other parties may be willing to the accept the reality of Kosovo’s independence.
Low-cost Airline in Romania Expansion Bucharest _ Low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced it will begin operating direct flights between Cluj in Romania to Paris Beauvais, France in December 2008.
Tear Gas Fired at Romania Soccer Protest Bucharest _ Tear gas has been used against supporters of FC Timisoara after the Romanian soccer board deducted six points from the club amid pressure from the world soccer body, FIFA.
Macedonia's Opposition Albanian Party Splits Skopje _ Imer Selmani, the vice president of the main Albanian opposition, the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, has resigned and announced the creation of another party.
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The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Commence
China took center center stage on Friday night as they celebrated the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Pyrotechnics and pageantry dominated the celebrations which concluded with a flying gymnast soaring above the stadium to light the Olympic torch.
2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Open with Pageantry and Pyrotechnics. Once-reclusive China commandeered the world stage Friday, celebrating its first-time role as Olympic host with a stunning display of pyrotechnics and pageantry.
China Celebrates the Olympics. As an important moment in China's history approaches, WSJ's Loretta Chao explores what is happening around Beijing during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
The world-renowned chef with an extraordinary passion for food now shares that passion in Wolfgang
Puck's Kitchen. Wolfgang Puck makes great cooking easier than you ever imagined. Each feature includes both an expert tip and an easy recipe - exactly what you need to transform your home cooking from acceptable to delectable.
