Serbia’s court for organized crime arrested more than a dozen former top officials at a major state-run coal mine and several private businessmen Thursday, for allegedly participating in a fraud scheme at one of the nation’s main coal mines. A total of 17 men are suspected of embezzling money from the state run Kolubara mine, […]
Serbia Makes Corruption Arrests Ahead of EU Progress Report
Serbs Erect New Roadblock in Northern Kosovo
Ethnic Serbs have erected a new barricade in northern Kosovo, hours after NATO peacekeepers removed a previous one. Armed peacekeepers, many in riot gear, and helicopters were deployed Friday to remove a roadblock at the Jarinje border crossing. Loudspeakers broadcast instructions to Serbian protesters to leave the area. Soon after the earth movers had made […]
Serbia Bans Gay Pride March
Serbia has banned Sunday’s planned gay pride parade and counter protests because it says allowing them poses serious security risks. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said Friday that the march supporting homosexual rights and anti-gay protests were not canceled because of their nature, but to “prevent jeopardizing public order and peace.” His cancellation of the Belgrade […]
Serbs Walk Out of EU-Moderated Talks with Kosovo
The Serbian delegation walked out of European Union-mediated talks with Kosovo in Belgium Wednesday due to heightened tension in the region. EU diplomats say the Serbs were not ready to proceed after talks had been postponed Tuesday following a clash between NATO peacekeepers and ethnic Serbs at a Kosovo-Serbia border crossing. Four peacekeepers and 16 […]
Serbs Block Roads in Northern Kosovo
Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo have blocked all roads leading to border crossings with Serbia to protest a decision to place Kosovo’s customs officials on the border crossing between Kosovo and Serbia. Many have spent the night on the barricades made up of rocks and gravel. Serbia’s top Kosovo negotiator Borislav Stefanovic met with local […]
Kosovo PM Accuses Serbia of Plotting Violence Due to Border Plan
Kosovo is accusing Serbia of planning violence in a bid to thwart plans by Kosovo to take over two disputed border outposts in the Serb-populated north. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters Wednesday that Serbia is preparing “illegal and criminal structures” to provoke violence and prevent Kosovo’s “legitimate authorities” from performing border and custom […]
UN Prosecutor Urges Probe of Fugitives’ Delayed Capture
The chief United Nations war crimes prosecutor has urged Serbian officials to investigate how two war crimes suspects managed to remain on the run for so long. In a meeting with Serbian President Boris Tadic Tuesday, Serge Brammertz praised Belgrade for turning in former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, the former […]
Serbia Warns Kosovo Against Attempts to Control Disputed Border Crossings
Serbian President Boris Tadic has warned that attempts by Kosovo to take over two disputed border outposts in the Serb-populated north could reignite tensions in the region. Authorities in Pristina announced plans to deploy customs officials to the disputed posts. But Mr. Tadic says Serbia, which has refused to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence, will do what […]
Serbia-Kosovo Talks Resume Friday in Brussels
European Union-moderated negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo resume in Brussels on Friday, with the pressure on Belgrade to improve relations with Pristina in order to increase its chances of gaining EU candidacy this year. The talks follow an escalation of violence in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo last month. The previous round of negotiations broke […]
IMF Reaches New Loan Deal With Serbia
Serbia and the International Monetary Fund have reached an agreement on a new 18-month, $1.4 billion standby loan for the Balkan country. The chief of the IMF delegation, Albert Jaeger, said Wednesday the deal will help the country preserve its stability and improve its investment climate. Serbia will only draw from the loan if necessary […]