Croatia

BELGRADE - Serbian and Croatian ministers of state administration Kori Udovicki and Arsen Bauk agreed on Thursday that both countries face similar problems in that field, but said that Croatia, as an EU member state, is a step ahead of Serbia in terms of regulating the state administration.

Most Balkan countries showed a marked improvement in their ratings in the World Bank's latest "Doing Business" report, which measures 189 countries on the basis of regulations that either enhance or suppress business activities.

Macedonia remains the regional leader in terms of ease in doing business, placed at 30th place in the rankings, moving up one place.

Croatia's Health Ministry is to take action aginst a growing number of hospitals that do not offers abortions because doctors oppose them for reasons of conscience.

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Serbia drops in WB business conditions ranking

WASHINGTON -- The World Bank has issued a prognosis of business conditions around the world for 2015 and ranked Serbia 91st out of 189 countries.

This represents a downgrade from last year's 77th spot, leaving only Bosnia-Herzegovina with a worse rank, at 107.

WASHINGTON - The World Bank has issued a prognosis of business conditions around the world for 2015 and ranked Serbia 91st out of 189 countries, which is drop from last year's rank of 77, leaving only Bosnia-Herzegovina with a worse rank, at 107th spot.

Some 40% of Serbian citizens expect the economic situation to improve, while in Croatia such hopes have only 11% of the people, 26% in Montenegro, and 37% in Macedonia.

The survey shows that 33 per cent of Serbian citizens expect their financial situation to improve, money.bg informs, citing the Tanjug news agency.

BELGRADE - The Yugoslav Drama Theatre (JDP) held on Tuesday a commemoration for actress Marija Crnobori, famous for her roles in tragedies.

Crnobori died in Belgrade on October 21 this year, aged 96.

EU "lifts sanctions against Milošević"

BRUSSELS -- The European Union has lifted sanctions it imposed against former Serbian and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, said reports on Tuesday.

Milošević died in 2006 during his Hague Tribunal trial, where he stood accused of war crimes and genocide in Bosnia, and war crimes in Croatia and Kosovo.

Survey finds Serbians to be "region's optimists"

BELGRADE -- 40 percent of Serbian citizens expect the economic situation to improve, while in Croatia that percentage is 11, in Montenegro 26 and in Macedonia 37.

This data was presented by Ipsos Strategic Marketing.

BELGRADE - Forty percent of Serbian citizens expect the economic situation to improve, while in Croatia that percentage is 11, in Montenegro 26 and in Macedonia 37, according to a survey by Ipsos Strategic Marketing.

The survey states that 33 percent of Serbian people expect their personal financial situation to improve, the daily Politika has reported.