30 March 2010 | Updated: 31 March 2010
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Füle: I'll make sure Croatia joins EU without monitoring
EU plays it tough on Western Balkans
Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle deliberately left early from a regional summit in Slovenia this weekend, signalling that the European Commission's patience with the Western Balkans has its limits.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Paradoxiacally strong
A triumphant Viktor Yanukovich is inaugurated in Kiev, but his political problems have only just begun. EVEN in Ukraine, elections can end. After two rounds of voting and weeks of legal rumbles, Viktor Yanukovich was inaugurated on February 25th as Ukraine’s fourth democratically elected president. In November 2004 he tried and failed to steal the crown. Now he has played (mostly) by the rules—and won. Although Yulia Tymoshenko, his charismatic rival (and Ukraine’s prime minister), refuses to recognise Mr Yanukovich’s victory, she withdrew her legal appeals this week. Ukraine’s highest office has thus moved from an incumbent to an opposition leader: a rare achievement in an ex-Soviet republic. Feb 25th 2010 | MOSCOW | From The Economist print edition: http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_ID=15580872&fsrc=nlw|wwp|02-25-2010|politics_this_week
Another scandal inolving the Army in Turkey...
FOR decades Turkey’s meddlesome generals inspired fear and respect. These days they rouse pity and even scorn, as scores of retired and serving officers are arrested and jailed for alleged plots to overthrow the Justice and Development (AK) party, which has ruled the country since 2002. Feb 25th 2010 | ISTANBUL | From The Economist print edition:
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_ID=15581048&fsrc=nlw|wwp|02-25-2010|politics_this_week
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Serbia 'elephant in the room' at Croatia celebration
Ivo Josipović was today (18 February) sworn in as president of Croatia at an inauguration ceremony attended by all the heads of state in the region, with the notable exception of Serbian President Boris Tadić. Croatia is poised to become the first country to join the EU since the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007. The country is expected to complete its accession negotiations in 2010. Croatia holds parliamentary elections every four years and presidential elections every five years. Most of the executive power is vested in the post of prime minister. The latter position has been held since July 2009 by Jadranka Kosor, after the resignation of former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. Social Democratic candidate Ivo Josipović won 60.3% of the vote in the second round of the presidential race on 10 January 2010. He was running against Milan Bandić, the populist mayor of Zagreb. The change of guard' with outgoing President Stjepan Mesić took place in Zagreb's St Mark's Square under the eyes of European heads of state (Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina) and diplomatic delegations from around 80 countries, including Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Canadian Minister of State Lynne Yelich and Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Geopolitics: Facing up to China
For six decades now, Taiwan has been where the simmering distrust between China and America most risks boiling over. In 1986 Deng Xiaoping called it the “one obstacle in Sino-US relations”. So there was something almost ritualistic about the Chinese government’s protestations this week that it was shocked, shocked and angered by America’s decision to sell Taiwan $6 billion-worth of weaponry. Under the Taiwan Relations Act, passed in 1979, all American administrations must help arm Taiwan so that it can defend itself. And China, which has never renounced what it says is its right to “reunify” Taiwan by force, feels just as bound to protest when arms deals go through. After a squall briefly roils the waters, relations revert to their usual choppy but unthreatening passage.
EU ministers give Greece timetable for recovery
EU finance ministers have given Greece a month to convince the European Union – and financial markets – that emergency measures to tackle its growing deficits will put the country on the road to recovery. The ministers reiterated their support for Greece, but played their cards very close to their chests
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
The election of Viktor Yanukovich is not as surprising as it may seem
The big picture in Ukraine often looks clear and dramatic. In the 2004 orange revolution Viktor Yanukovich was the operatic villain. In the cast-list of Ukrainian politics he is a former convict, a stooge of Moscow and a gaffe-prone thug. But in the latest act, on February 7th he became the democratically elected president, winning 49% of the vote, against 45.5% for the defeated prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko.Five years ago Mr Yanukovich had been the hand-picked successor to Ukraine’s autocratic leader, Leonid Kuchma, who rigged the election in favour of his protégé but sparked mass protests that brought Viktor Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko to power. In the words of Mr Kuchma, the score has now been “annulled”. Mr Yushchenko, who spectacularly failed to govern the country well, has been kicked out. Ms Tymoshenko refuses to concede defeat, causing irritation in the Ukraine and the West. And Mr Yanukovich has (almost) become a champion of democracy.
From The Economist print edition:
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
NATO’s relations with Serbia
Serbia is one of newest members of the Partnership for Peace (PfP), joining in December 2006. Democratic, institutional and defence reforms are a key focus of cooperation. Serbia agreed its first Individual Partnership Programme (IPP) with NATO in 2009, which sets out priorities for its cooperation with NATO.
From the NATO website:
Third revision of arrangement with IMF
The IMF mission led by Albert Jagger is coming to Belgrade today for negotiations with Serbia Government over the third revision of the credit standby arrangement. The talks between the IMF with Serbia Government and the National Bank shall begin tomorrow.
Blic, Serbia:
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