Ocili News

It is a defining moment for Serbia as the country votes in a general election that will shape future relations with Europe. Serbs are deeply divided over how to respond to the West’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Continue reading »

Tags: Boris Tadic, Democrats, election, EU, EuroNews, Kosovo, poll, Radicals, Serbia

BUCHAREST, Romania - A Romanian man has been fined for making 6,442 profane phone calls to an emergency number, police said Thursday. The 24-year-old man, who lives in a village in southern Romania, was identified in February and fined $223 in April after a checkup showed he was mentally sound, said Daniela Salaoru, police spokeswoman for Ialomita county police. Continue reading »

Tags: AP, call, emergency, mental illness, Romania, Yahoo News

The next election is seen as a referendum on Serbia’s EU ties

For Serbia, elections seem to be becoming a national pastime. Serbians will soon be asked to go to the polls for the third time in less than two years.

President Boris Tadic is expected to dissolve parliament within the next few days and order an early general election to take place in May.

It follows the collapse of Serbia’s coalition government at the weekend.

Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence has caused political shock waves in Belgrade. Continue reading »

Tags: BBC, Boris Tadic, elections, EU, Kosovo, poll, president, Serbia, Vojislav Kostunica

Serbs promise not to attack; officer killed, 150 people hurt in recent clashes

MITROVICA, Kosovo - United Nations police began returning to the Serb-dominated part of this divided town Wednesday after Serb leaders promised they would not be attacked, a U.N. spokesman said.

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Tags: clashes, Kosovo, NATO, relations, riots, Serbia, Serbs, UN

EU foreign ministers met for what were said to be intense talks

European Union foreign ministers have failed to forge a joint position on Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia. While France confirmed that it would recognise independence, as expected, several member states led by Spain made clear their legal concerns.

US President George W Bush said Kosovo’s people were “independent” but stopped short of formal recognition.

Russia has backed Serbia in its refusal to recognise Kosovo’s secession.

About 10,000 students protested in Belgrade on Monday, and thousands of the city’s taxi-drivers went on strike in protest at the declaration of independence, while thousands of ethnic Serbs in Kosovo’s enclaves also rallied.

See a map of Kosovo’s ethnic breakdown

On Sunday, Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians celebrated the declaration with fireworks late into the night. Continue reading »

Tags: Albanians, EU, independence, Kosovo, secession, Serbia, Serbs, UN