Balkans News & Balkans Current Events. Balkans News & Current Events Articles

REGIONS: COUNTRIES:

2011 was a tense and difficult year for most countries across the globe, including the Balkans.

Balkans: EU Will Help But Countries Must Reform

Leaders in BiH, Kosovo and Serbia must take steps to put their countries on the right track and prevent the region from sliding backwards, EU parliamentarian Doris Pack says

Kosovo Recognition Not an Easy Decision

Although the Kosovo issue is painful for Serbia, the time has come to acknowledge reality and focus efforts related to the region's common strategic goals, Montenegro's foreign minister says

Balkan Minorities Work Towards Functional Multiculturalism

Minorities throughout the Balkans are banding together and drafting constitutional type documents aimed at protecting and serving their rights

Albanian Public on Edge After Recent Political Stalemate

Lack of communication among Albanian politicians has dampened the hopes for the country's EU prospects

Bulgaria, Romania and Greece Initiate EU strategy for Balkans

The adoption of European standards, economic projects and genuine regional co-operation are the focus of the proposed strategy

Greece's Youth: 'I Have No Hope'

Degrees in hand but no jobs and few prospects, many of Greece's young say they'll reluctantly abandon their near-bankrupt country and look for work and a new life in other countries. Others are just resigned

Children Man Barricades in Northern Kosovo

Tensions along the border in northern Kosovo are high after KFOR announced plans to dismantle the barricades on roads leading to the border crossing of Jarinje and Brnjak

Turkey Needs Further Reforms

The European Commission presented its annual Progress Report on Turkey, arriving at positive and negative conclusions regarding Turkey's stalled EU accession process

'Ottomania' on the Rise in Turkey

While the renewed interest in Ottoman culture and history may be commercialisation to some, it can also provide a reference point for Turkish foreign policy and domestic politics

Turkey: Cartoonist Faces Trial for Asserting that 'Religion Is a Lie'

Not too long ago, when the military acted as the enforcer of a rigidly secular system, a politician in Turkey could be punished merely for reciting religious poetry. Now, with the military's influence waning and moderate Islamists firmly in charge of the machinery of state, government agencies are trying to punish a cartoonist, Bahadir Baruter, for blasphemy

Turkey - Russia Relations and Missile Defense

Ankara's new independent image in Moscow could be threatened by the radar decision

Turkey: Cartoonist Faces Trial for Asserting that 'Religion Is a Lie'

Balkan Countries Work To Round Up Privately Held Weapons

The statistics about gun ownership regionwide are surprising and the results can be deadly. In Albania alone, for example, analyst Jonuz Kola estimated this summer that 6% to 9% of the population has a weapon in the home. Scores of accidental shootings occur, including that of a 9-year-old

Berisha Nurtures Albanian-Israeli Ties

Though the main focus of his trip was on business and investments, Prime Minister Sali Berisha also gave Israel support on the Palestinian issue

Is Europe Over?

What made Europe a compelling political, economic, and social alternative wedged between Anglo-American free marketeers and Soviet nomenklatura is rapidly becoming a thing of the past

On WWII Anniversary, Greeks Say 'No' Again

For Greeks, October 28th is a revered day -- the anniversary of a 1940 response to Mussolini's demand that Greece surrender without a fight during World War II. But this year, Greeks are standing up to their government against what they perceive as sacrificing the country's sovereignty to foreign lenders

Greek Workers and Pensioners: The Damage Is Done

Greece will write off 50% of its new debt, but workers, pensioners and the poor say it won't help them in the aftermath of pay cuts, tax hikes, slashed benefits and thousands of coming layoffs

Macedonia's EU Bid Still Mired in Name Issue

The dispute with Athens remains an obstacle despite success in meeting other criteria.

The Black Sea: A Forgotten Geo-strategic Realm

The expectations of the last ten years that the states surrounding the Black Sea would follow the example of the Balkan region and shape themselves into a security community have not been realized. Perceptions of stagnation have replaced the hopes of a working and stable geo-strategic framework, based on a balance of cooperation and conflicts

EC Recommends Serbia Gain EU Candidate Status

The European Commission has recommended Serbia to win EU candidate status, assuring it to grant EU entry to the Balkan state once it makes necessary progress in its relations with Kosovo, which has declared itself as an independent state

Kukan: Dialogue Not Barricades

Eduard Kukan, head of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, spoke about the recent developments in northern Kosovo

Balkans Summit Extols Regional Co-Operation

Meeting at a summit in New York, Balkan leaders delivered a strong message in favour of regional reconciliation and co-operation, despite lingering differences

Erdogan Pushes for Common Future with Balkan States

Speaking alongside leaders of the Balkan states at the New York Balkan Forum, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the cultural and historical ties between Turkey and the Balkans, while calling on the region to overcome its troubled history to co-operate and integrate to form a common future

Preparing for Greece's Failure

Find out why Greece isn't salvageable, and why Europeans need at least 2 trillion euro to kick it out of the eurozone without triggering financial catastrophe

Greek Parliament Approves New Property Tax

The Greek Parliament approved a new property tax, aimed at helping the government of Prime Minister George Papandreou meet the budget target under a 110-billion-euro programme of rescue loans from the EU and the IMF

Greece Forecasts Economic Contraction to be Worse than Expected

Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos reported that the country's economic contraction would be worse than expected

EU Candidate Status Rejection Means Less Money for Albania

Political stalemate and the slow pace of reforms prompted the EU to reject Albania's candidate status last month -- a setback that has economic and political repercussions

Albania-Kosovo Agreement Rekindles Old Suspicions

A deal to unify consular services abroad, to be followed by similar moves in all other sectors, is a source of concern for some about potential Albanian territorial aggression

EU Urges Kosovo to Plan New Strategy for North

The EU is keen to see dialogue resume between Pristina and Belgrade; talks have been halted amid violence at crossing gates in northern Kosovo

Turkey Ratifies Railway Agreement to Integrate with Balkan States

The railway deal aims to significantly reduce travel times, improve passenger and freight transport and increase competitiveness

Greeks to Face Further Tough Measures

The Greek government said that it would ask parliament within a few days to approve a fresh package of austerity measures aimed at reducing the debt-laden country's bloated budget deficit

Albania's Unsettled Past

Albanian political prisoners recall the past in terms of unsettled issues, having received no apologies either from their tormentors or the state, while many are still unable to find graves of loved ones executed by the regime

Serbia's Markovic Fights Corruption and Public Skepticism

European Union accession hinges in part on progress in fighting pervasive corruption, prompting Serbia to roll out a whole new strategy

Kosovo to Boost Privatizations

Kosovo hopes to accelerate the process with an overhaul of the regulations

Italy and Greece Ask Albania to Unify on European Agenda

Albania needs to calm its problems at home in order to move on the European integration, ministers say

Turkey: Violence Casts Pall Over Constitutional Reform Efforts

A fatal blast in Ankara and increasing violence in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast are overshadowing the country's long-awaited constitutional reform process.

Turkey's Neo-Ottoman Foreign Policy

Whereas Turkey's foreign policy mantra used to be 'no problems with the neighbors,' Turkey now seems to want to become the chief bully in the eastern Mediterranean, escalating tensions between the NATO member and Israel, a key US ally

Kosovo an Obstacle to Serbia's EU Bid

The Serbia-EU Forum affirmed Serbia's European prospect, but also showed that Kosovo will be a major obstacle along that path

Turkey-Israel: What's next?

Deterioration of ties between Turkey and Israel poses a heightened risk for the region, analysts say.

Eastern Mediterranean Olive Oil Producers Seek Markets in Far East

There's a revolution taking place in the eastern Mediterranean and it's all about oil ... olive oil

Turkey Grows Nervous Over Economy

Turkish politicians are expressing concern that the country's booming economy is at risk as the nation's consumers binge on buying and borrowing while Europe struggles to put out the debt fire in Greece

Collateral Deals will Have Negative Impact on Greece

Credit ratings agency Moody's warns that the demands for collateral deals Greece is facing could delay the next tranche of financial support and 'so precipitate a payment default'

Young Turks Returning Home to Chase Economic Dreams

Macedonia Eyes Its Future in Antiquity

Turkey: Military Resignation Strategy Misfires

Greece's 2nd bailout: Debt Restructuring with No Debt Reduction?

Eurozone Crisis: Greek Tragedy

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia Agree to Help Each Other on Road to EU

The Rise of Turkey in the Balkans

Some Albanians Consider Changing Nationality for Profit

The Divided States of Europe

Greece and EU Attempt to Avoid Disastrous Default

Greek Crisis: Brace for More Volatility in Financial Markets

Greek Parliament Narrowly Approves Austerity Program