Archive for the month of January 2010

Croatian prime minister Jadranka Kosor is trying to ease tension after president Stjepan Mesic threatened to send military troops into Bosnia should Bosnia hold a referendum on independence. Later, Mesic softened his stance by calling his remark "a political message and not a declaration of war".

Bosnian Serb premier Milorad Dodik has threatened to hold a referendum in February, openly challenging support for the Dayton peace agreement.

The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is planning to reduce its staff but will maintain its office in northern Kosovo at the end of June 2010. The International Civilian Office (ICO) is unaffected by this reduction.

Two former Bosnian Serb detention camp guards were arrested in Bosnia on suspicion of taking part in the killing of some 50 non-Serb civilians and prisoners in the war that ended in 1995.

Ratko Dronjak was commander of a detention camp near Laktasi and Dragan Rodic was a guard at the same camp.

EULEX chief Yves de Kermabon has criticized Serbia for maintaining a parallel judicial system in Serb-dominated parts in Kosovo. He stated that "there can be only one judicial system in Kosovo" and that the issue needs to be dealt with urgently.

The EULEX chief visited the Serb-majority municipality of Ranilug after Serbia appointed judges to parallel Serb courts last December.

Croatia elected a new president. Social democrat and law professor Ivo Josipovic won with over 60 percent of the votes. He vowed to fight corruption, one of the key conditions for EU membership, and to transform the nation into the "star" of Europe.

Josipovic will be sworn into office on February 18, 2010.