Latest News from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia Parties Edge Towards Deal on Mostar
Bosnia's two main Bosniak and Croat parties, the Party of Democratic Action, SDA, and the Croat Democratic Union, HDZBiH, are reportedly edging towards ending the deadlock that has paralyzed political life in the ethnically divided southwestern city.
Bulgaria among Countries Most Affected by Extreme Weather Events in 2014
Three Southeastearn European states are among the six countries in the world most affected by extreme weather events last year, according to environmental group Germanwatch's Global Climate Risk Index (CRI).
The index [PDF] analyses the impacts of extreme weather events both in terms of fatalities and of losses incurred by the economy.
"GMO legislation stands in way of WTO membership"
Serbia, Bosnia and Belarus are the only countries in Europe that have not joined World Trade Organization (WTO), the Beta agency is reporting.
The main reason, it added, is "the refusal to adopt a new law on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)."
Bosnians Launch Petition Against Serbian Reality Show
The Bosnian NGO, Omladinski Demokratik Pokret (Youth Democratic Movement), is gathering signatures in an attempt to convince the authorities to halt the broadcasting of the Serbian reality TV show 'Farma' ('The Farm').
Bosniak Leaders Condemn Violent Extremism
The statement was signed on Friday in Sarajevo at a meeting between Islamic leaders and the Bosnian reis-ul-ulema or chief mufti, Husein Kavazovic.
Bosnian Serb Soldier Indicted for Glamoc Deaths
Former Bosnian Serb Army serviceman Sekula Babic was charged with murder, looting and other offences against Bosniak civilians in Glamoc in south-west Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992.
Bosnia Unites Security Agencies for Anti-Terror Drive
Bosnian security minister Dragan Mektic said on Wednesday that a new operational group will be set up to ensure that police, intelligence and security agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina work together and share information.
It will hopefully start working to coordinate the country's anti-terrorism drive in the next ten to 15 days, he said.
Bosnia's High Representative: Serbs Must Respect Court
High Representative Valentin Inzko on Wednesday called on the Bosnian Serb leadership to accept a recent Constitutional Court ruling that the annual public holiday commemorating the founding of Republika Srpska is unconstitutional because it discriminates against other ethnicities.
Croatians Queue for Long-Lost Slovenian Savings
In the corridor of the Zagreb office of Ljubljanska Banka on Wednesday, a crowd of mostly elderly people from all over Croatia waited to apply for the return of foreign account savings that they deposited more than 24 years ago.
Serb Leader Warns Bosnia Could Break Up
Milorad Dodik, the president of Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity Republika Srpska, threatened the possible break-up of the country if the Constitutional Court is not reformed according to his demands.
Air Pollution is Choking Bosnia, Experts Warn
Bosnian towns like Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica, Lukavac and Kakanj are suffering from serious problems with air pollution, experts from the Federal Hydro-Meteorological Institute of Bosnia and Herzegovina [FHMZBiH] told BIRN.
"Sarajevo is definitely one of the most polluted cities in Europe when it comes to air pollution," said Enis Omercic, an air-quality expert for the FHMZBiH.
RS to hold referendum after Constitutional Court decision
A referendum will be held in the Serb Republic (RS) in Bosnia-Herzegovina on the Bosnian Constitutional Court's decision regarding the marking of RS Day.
The court last week ruled that the day, January 9, cannot be a state holiday because it is also a Serbian Orthodox feast and patron saint day (slava).
Video Game Spotlights Energy Choices in Balkans
A group of civil society organisations gathered in the South East Europe Sustainable Energy Policy Program launched a video game version of the South East Europe 2050 Energy Model on Monday, as UN climate change talks open in Paris.
The goal is to make audiences in the region aware of choices about the energy and environmental development of their countries.
Bulgaria Confirms Participation in 2016 Eurovision Song Contest
Bulgaria will return to the Eurovision Song Contest next year after it did not participate in the last two editions in 2014 and 2015.
The Bulgarian National Television (BNT) confirmed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that the country will have a representative at the 61st edition of the Eurovision next year.
Bosnia Authorities Investigate Jihadist Website
Bosnian authorities are investigating an Islamist website, Vijesti Ummeta, which uses a wordpress platform to publishing articles in support of ISIS and glorifying the recent mass killing in Paris.
It also republishes propaganda material made by the Islamic State, ISIS, translated into the Bosnian language.