Archive for the month of December 2009
Serbia investigates 5 former policemen for war crimes
Balkanblog — December 25, 2009 - 09:59
The office for Serbia's war-crimes prosecutor said that five former policemen are being under investigation in the killing of at least six non-Serbs in Croatia in 1991. Four suspects have been detained.
The case was taken over from Croatia in 2008.
Serbia applies for EU membership
Balkanblog — December 22, 2009 - 23:11
President Boris Tadic submitted Serbia's application for EU membership in Stockholm, Sweden. Serbia still has to meet the requirements for the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said that this is “the right moment” for Serbia to apply for candidate status for joining the EU.
Visa requirement lifted for Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia
Balkanblog — December 19, 2009 - 18:28
The EU abolished visa requirements for Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. It is regarded as a major milestone for the Balkans on its path to closer ties with the European Union. Visa requirements were implemented when Yugoslavia broke up in 1991.
ICTY mandate extended
Balkanblog — December 18, 2009 - 20:23
The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) until the end of 2012. Originally, its mandate would end in 2010. The tribunal expects that the trial against Radovan Karadzic will be completed by 2012.
Republic of Srpska rejects High Representative's decision
Balkanblog — December 18, 2009 - 20:11
The UN HIgh Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, extended of the mandate of foreign judges and prosecutors in Bosnia working on war crime cases until 2012. The decision was rejected by the Bosnian Serb president, Rajko Kuzmanovic. He says the decision is a clear sign that Bosnia-Herzegovina continues to be under a protectorate and a country that is not free.
RS premier Milorad Dodik rejected the decisions and said he would refuse to implement it because it lacks constitutional basis.
I became a proud dad!
stplanken — December 13, 2009 - 16:58
December 12, 2009 at 23:34 my baby girl Sophie Elizabeth Planken was born. She weighed 5 lbs 15 oz and measured 19". She is definitely a cutie (every baby is)! Tanya and Sophie are both doing great and will come home in a few days. In the mean time, I can't wait to return to the hospital for another visit and hold her some more.
Can't login to FriendFeed from phone
stplanken — December 10, 2009 - 01:08
Every time I try to login to my FriendFeed account from my Treo 755p phone with the Blazer 4.5 browser (Palm OS 5.4.9), I get this error: “Communication error: The page download could not be completed. Please try again later.”
OK, clear as mud.
That only happens with FriendFeed. I haven't been able to find a cause yet. I have emptied the cache, etc, but it doesn't help. It could be SSL related.
Greece blocks early EU talks with Macedonia
Balkanblog — December 8, 2009 - 12:56
Greece opposed early EU membership talks with Macedonia and the EU foreign ministers decided to consider the issue again in 2010, under Spanish EU presidency. The key issue is still the long-standing name dispute between Greece and Macedonia.
Poll: Serbs oppose arrest Mladic
Balkanblog — December 8, 2009 - 12:11
According to a poll by the OSCE mission in Serbia and the Belgrade Human Rights Center, conducted between April and June of this year, only 25 percent of 1,400 Serbs questioned are in favor of the arrest and extradition of Ratko Mladic. The majority, 56 percent, does not believe Mladic is guilty of the crimes he accused of.
Now that the SAA interim trade agreement has been cleared, it will be interesting to see what the Serbian government intends to do about this problem.
Netherlands unblocks EU interim trade agreement Serbia
Balkanblog — December 7, 2009 - 22:05
The Netherlands has lifted its opposition to unblocking an interim trade agreement between the EU and Serbia. This comes shortly after ICTY chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz was mildly positive in his report to the UN Security Council on Serbia's level of cooperation with ICTY. The interim trade agreement is part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), which the Netherlands says will be unblocked as soon as Serbia hands over former general Ratko Mladic, indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal.
Serb convicted of 1992 war crimes
Balkanblog — December 7, 2009 - 21:49
In Belgrade, Nenad Malic was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the murder of two Muslim civilians and the attempted murder of a third in Stari Majdan in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in 1992.
Karadzic rejects appointed council
Balkanblog — December 6, 2009 - 01:19
Radovan Karadzic rejected the British lawyer Richard Harvey assigned to him by the ICTY court. In his latest of 270 appeals submitted so far, Karadzic wants a lawyer that shares his own "heritage and language". Karadzic's legal team has recommended a hunger strike if his request will be denied by the court.