Balkans

Norway's ambassador to Kosovo, Jan Braathu, on Friday urged Kosovo Serbs to vote on June 8 and elect true representatives to the Kosovo parliament.

"A boycott is not a good solution because a boycott also brings you representatives, but not your own representatives," Braathu told on debate held Friday entitled "Kosovo ahead of parliamentary elections".

The remains of 27 people, believed to be Kosovo Albanians killed by Belgrade’s forces during the 1990s war, were exhumed from a quarry near the south Serbian town of Raska.

Montenegrin contribution to flood relief praised

PODGORICA -- Montenegrin citizens and organizations have provided massive assistance to flood victims in Serbia, Serbian Ambassador to Montenegro Zoran Bingulac has said.

"Serbia on road to EU, remains Russia's friend"

BELGRADE -- Serbia is "a free, democratic country on its way to the EU," but despite the pressure, will not break up its friendship with Russia, Aleksandar Vučić has said.

The election commission said on Thursday that it had rejected all 2,400 official complaints from Montenegrin watchdog organisation MANS because although they were signed by the leader of the opposition Democratic Front, Miodrag Lekic, they were submitted by MANS activists.

Former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Sylejman Selimi and three other ex-fighters were cleared of abusing prisoners at a KLA detention centre during the late 1990s conflict.

"Despite campaign boycott, Serbs will participate"

BELGRADE, PRIŠTINA -- Despite the announced boycott of the election campaign, analyst Dušan Janjić expects the five Serbs lists to participate in early elections in Kosovo.

BELGRADE - Serbia is one of the ten highest-ranking European countries takng part in the UN peacekeeping missions around the world, while in the Western Balkans it is the leader in this respect, said Peter Due, head of the UN Office in Belgrade and a representative of the Secretary-General UN Ban Ki -moon in charge of the region.

Heads of four municipalities in the Serb-run north of Kosovo on Wednesday quit activities related to June 8 general elections in Kosovo until the Election Commission meets their demands about the insignia on the ballots and the composition of polling committees.

Balkan soldiers included in 50-country military exercise