Serbien

Serbia has been given an ultimatum from powerful Western nations to normalize ties with Kosovo or face measures that would do “great damage” to the country, the president said Monday.

Serbia is pursuing EU membership yet continues to cultivate ties with Russia. To secure President Vucic’s cooperation and win over the disgruntled Serbian public, the union must use its leverage in the region.

Aleksandar Vucic said nine more countries – six of them in Africa – had withdrawn their recognition of the former Serbian province, claiming that now 'only 84 [countries] unequivocally recognize it'.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, commenting on the tensions in Kosovo and Metohija, sent a clear message to both sides.

In a potential escalation of the Kosovo conflict, top Serbian official says Belgrade may seek to deploy up to 1,000 security personnel in Kosovo under the terms of UN resolution 1244.

Serbian Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said on Wednesday that President Aleksandar Vucic had issued an order to raise combat readiness after the sighting of drones entering the territory from Kosovo.

The European Parliament will ask to suspend Serbia’s EU membership talks for as long as Belgrade refuses to join the bloc’s sanctions against Russia.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he expected difficult talks with Kosovo's Prime minister on Thursday because the western Balkan neighbours disagree on almost everything but said peace and stability were crucially important.

With only eight hearings held since the beginning of 2020 – and none in 2022 – the trial of seven former Bosnian Serb special policeman accused of taking part in the executions of 1,300 Bosniaks has again been delayed.

The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, GRECO, said in its latest report on Tuesday that further measures are needed to prevent corruption among top public servants in Serbia, including the president, ministers, their assistants, state secretaries, chiefs of cabinet and political advisers, as well as police officials.