Balkan News

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a 23rd anniversary commemoration for Serb victims of the Croatian Army’s Operation Storm in 1995 that Belgrade will protect Serbs living in other former Yugoslav countries.

After several days of tension in the north of Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held a session of the National Security Council and talked to Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

As debate about the potential partition of Kosovo heats up and Belgrade-Pristina negotiations seem to be entering their final stage, BIRN asked seven experts to suggest solutions to the dispute and assess the possible consequences of territorial exchange.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic claimed that Pristina will not fulfill its obligation to establish an association of mostly-Serb municipalities, and promised Belgrade will protect Kosovo Serbs if they are threatened.

Amid feverish reports of the possible partition of Kosovo, or that Kosovo Serbs may unilaterally declare their autonomy, President Thaci on Friday insisted that partition and 'territorial swaps' were not on the agenda.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell and Colombian singer Maluma were spotted holidaying on Croatia's famous coastline, but its smaller neighbour, Montenegro, drew celebrity couple the Beckhams.

Serbian NGOs have condemned plans by the government to change the law on social assistance, conditioning the receipt of welfare on beneficiaries' willingness to work.

Milorad Dodik says Republika Srpska will demand a UN seat if Kosovo gets one – adding that Kosovo’s partition should also be up for discussion.

Data from a census show that of the 19.3 million Germans who have roots in another country, 2.6 million come from Balkan countries – with by far the most coming from Romania.

Sixteen of the 225 films to be shown at the Kosovo documentary and short film festival, Dokufest – which opens on Friday – will be competing in the Balkan Dox program.

Polish and Bulgarian artists are breathing new life into a small Bulgarian village, covering the walls with reproductions of famous artworks and portraits of well-known politicians and local villagers alike.

 Controversial reforms – supposedly designed to encourage business – threaten to turn Moldova into a ‘paradise for criminals’ and a money laundering hub, critics warn.

Days after parliament set the historic ‘name’ referendum date for September 30, the main opposition party is still disputing the referendum question and undecided about whether to take part.

Kosovo Serbs say they have no information about the content of the draft statute for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, which is due to be finished by Saturday.

Kosovo Appeals Court has ordered a retrial in the case against Naser Kelmendi, who was sentenced for running a narcotics operation earlier this year.

Hashim Thaci’s talk of ‘correcting’ the border as part of a settlement with Belgrade has drawn strong condemnation from opposition politicians and experts – who believe it will play into Serbia’s hands.

The Serbian government expanded the remit of the commission for solving cases of killed journalists to include murders and other crimes against media workers committed during the 1990s wars.

New reports emerged on Wednesday of the Croatian police using undue violence against migrants attempting to cross the border from Bosnia.

Croatian capital scores highly in new list of ‘most relaxing cities’ in Europe for short breaks – though not all media agree with Sofia’s bottom place on the list.

Ukraine's intelligence service has named at least one Moldovan fighting with the privately-run paramilitary 'Wagner' group in eastern Ukraine and Syria.