Balkans

"Nobody has right to lecture Serbia on Ukraine"

BELGRADE -- Nobody has the right lecture Serbia, especially not those who "brought our own territorial integrity into question," said Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić.

BELGRADE - Ivica Dacic, Serbia's first deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Manchang agreed on Thursday that relations between the two countries are excellent, showing a continuous improvement.

ATHENS - Greek Justice Minister Haralambos Athanassiou and Serbian Labor Minister Aleksandar Vulin agreed on Thursday to resume the negotiations on a social insurance agreement that addresses the issue affecting Serbian citizens living in Greece and Greek citizens in Serbia.

BELGRADE - Around five percent Serbian tourists less than last year will go abroad through travel agencies, and the number of foreign tourists visiting Serbia will go up by 15 to 20 percent in 2014, Director of the National Association of Travel Agencies (YUTA) Aleksandar Senicic said Thursday.

BELGRADE - I am absolutely confident that I will prove my innocence, but until then I must pay a steep price, says Oliver Ivanovic, one of the leaders of northern Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, who has been held in detention by the Kosovo authorities for nearly six months.

Ivanović "confident" he'll prove his innocence

BELGRADE -- "I am absolutely confident that I will prove my innocence, but until then I must pay a steep price," Oliver Ivanović has told the daily Večernje Novosti.

Ivanović, a Serb politician from northern Kosovo, has been imprisoned by the Kosovo authorities for nearly six months.

BELGRADE - Director of Serbian government's Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric said that Serb representatives in the province are ready to participate in the new Kosovo government, but only under certain conditions.

Community of municipalities "future of Serbs"

BELGRADE -- A community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo is entering a phase where its "fundamental establishment should finally begin," says Marko Đurić.

BRUSSELS - Clint Williamson, chief prosecutor and head of the EU special investigation team for human organ trafficking during the clashes in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) in 1999, will release his report on July 28 and the indictments will be raised after the constitution of the special court due in early 2015, Tanjug learnt from diplomatic sources in Brussels.

Defense minister: Continued cooperation with U.S.

BELGRADE -- Serbian Ministry of Defense will continue to promote defense cooperation with the U.S. army, including joint military exercises and training of troops.

This was announced on Wednesday by Defense Minister Bratislav Gašić.