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Die Kommission hat ihre Zustimmung für die Wiederaufnahme der Gespräche mit Serbien über einen Stabilisierungs- und Assoziierungsvertrag (SAA) gegeben. In dieser Woche wird in Belgrad der Besuch der Chefanklägerin des Internationalen Gerichthofs für Kriegsverbrechen, Carla del Ponte, erwartet.

Die Ankündigung des Kommissars für Erweiterung, Olli Rehn, dass Gespräche mit Serbien wieder eröffnet würden, erfolgte nach der Verhaftung des mutmaßlichen Kriegsverbrechers Zdravko Tolimir am 31. Mai 2007 (EurActiv 31. Mai 2007). Tolimir, einer der engsten Militärberater des Generals Ratko Mladic, wurde dem Internationaler Strafgerichtshof für das ehemalige Jugoslawien (ICTY) in Den Haag übergeben.

On July 14, the European Union's Council of Ministers adopted a new framework for providing aid to candidate countries and would-be candidates. Called the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (I.P.A.), it aims to consolidate several aid programs, thereby increasing efficiency, and better targeting the funds. It sounds like a sensible idea, but it could be a mixed bag for the official candidate countries — Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey — as well as candidate-hopefuls Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Serbia's election result has given new impetus to an EU debate on how to unfreeze Belgrade's EU integration process, with some member states keen to give moderates a boost by accepting softer conditions for compliance with the UN's war crimes tribunal, the ICTY.

Almost a decade after the Dayton Agreement, and almost five years after the fall of the Milosevic regime in Belgrade, the Western Balkans are a relatively stable region with no military conflicts, no ongoing ethnic cleansing, where elections are free, if not always fair. In Thessaloniki in June 2003, the European Union committed itself to integrating the countries from the region. But what does this commitment really mean?

This website has been developed to offer visitors the opportunity to explore the diverse culture of Southeast Europe.The website provides information about culture and sports of the Western Balkans (Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as Kosovo under UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99) and Turkey.

The European Union's law enforcement mission in Kosovo (EULEX) was on Tuesday (25 August) the target of violent protests by Albanians opposed to the presence of the international community in the country. Twenty eight EULEX vehicles near a youth centre in downtown Pristina were damaged during the events, organised by the Vetevendosja (Self-Determination) group, which launched its assault in reaction to co-operation between EULEX and Belgrade.

In a separate incident, clashes between Serbs and Albanian Kosovars in Mitrovica, home to a concentration of Serbs, in northern Kosovo resulted in seven people being injured. According to reports, the violence broke out following a rally of around 100 Serbs protesting the reconstruction of Albanian buildings that had been hit during the war in the late 1990s. Stones were thrown at Albanian construction workers and a hand grenade went off. At some point the two sides exchanged shotgun fire, the BBC reports. EU forces then used tear gas to calm the situation.

The “European perspective” is key concept for integrating western Balkans into EU. The main carrot for ordinary people during this millennium has been visa-free travel after some 17 years of isolation. On 15th July 2009, the European Commission submitted its proposal on visa-free travel for citizens of Western Balkans countries. After a non-binding opinion of the European parliament on the EC proposal the Council comprising EU interior ministers will take the official vote and at best case free travel to Schengen area could be possible January 2010. But not for all! European perspective will be true only for some when visa ban still will be existing for some countries or even to some ethnic groups inside a country. Instead of connecting people of western Balkans with western Europe the EC proposal will divide again people according their nationality or location. From EU’s side the reason for division is seen technical related to common standards; from western Balkan’s perspective the reasons for division can be seen political or even related to religion.

Over the past year, five countries in the region have carried out fundamental reforms that will help to protect them and the EU against organised crime and irregular migration. They have introduced biometric passports, modernised their border crossing points, built reception centres for asylum seekers, established closer cooperation with Europol, Eurojust, Frontex and Interpol, and strengthened the fight against corruption and organised crime.

Most of these countries have worked with remarkable speed and determination. They have had a reason to meet close to 50 conditions set out in "visa roadmaps" issued by the European Commission last year. The ultimate reward, attractive to both citizens and leaders of these countries, is visa-free travel to the Schengen area. The commission assessments last month noted that Macedonia has met the roadmap criteria; Montenegro and Serbia have met the majority of the conditions; and Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, will need to do more. Now the ball is in the EU's court. People across the region ask: will the EU really reward the progress made and lift the visa requirements?

Inhaltsverzeichnis [Verbergen] 1 Akademische Ausbildung 2 Šešeljs Inhaftierungen 3 Gründung der Serbischen Radikalen Partei 4 Rolle während der Milošević-Regierung 5 Zusammenarbeit mit Führern anderer rechtsextremer Parteien 6 Politische Erfolge 7 Anklage wegen Kriegsverbrechen 8 Privates 9 Zitate 10 Weblinks