Southern Balkans

The main political parties in Bosnia rushed to declare victory on Sunday night in Bosnia’s eighth post-war general election – although the Central Election Commission cautioned that it was far too early to confirm such claims....

Bulgarian police confirmed on Sunday that Victoria Marinova, TV host and administrative director of the local TVN, has been killed – after reportedly being raped and then strangled. Victoria Marinova, the 30-year-old TV host and administrative...

A hearing in the trial of Emiljano Shullazi was postponed on Tuesday because a defence lawyer was dismissed on the spot, two defendants claimed to be sick and another defence lawyer said he had just learned...

Romanians will vote this weekend in a referendum on whether to redefine marriage in the country’s constitution as the “union between a man and a woman” rather than a union “between spouses”. Romania decriminalized homosexuality in...

Macedonia’s ruling parties have launched talks with their opposition counterparts in a final attempt to persuade them to support the ‘name’ agreement with Greece in parliament and avoid early elections. The vice-president of Macedonia’s main ruling...

BIRN database of official vehicles in Bosnia shows that while most top politicians have secured themselves costly officials cars, the Bosnian Serb President rides the priciest of them all. Among the many politicians driving around Bosnia...

Macedonia had a rare moment in the international spotlight on September 30, as many in the United States and European capitals awaited the outcome of a pivotal referendum on the country’s name. Greece has been blocking...

Macedonia’s ruling parties have launched talks with their opposition counterparts in a final attempt to persuade them to support the ‘name’ agreement with Greece in parliament and avoid early elections. The vice-president of Macedonia’s main ruling...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats have urged their Macedonian sister party, VMRO DPMNE, to support the Greek deal in parliament – which it has so far opposed –  or risk isolating Macedonia from Europe. Germany’s...

Cooperation on war crimes cases between prosecutors’ offices in former Yugoslav countries happens rarely despite agreements between the states, said participants at a major regional conference organised by BIRN. Regional cooperation between prosecutors’ offices in former...