International law

Bulgaria's Customs Agency is lagging behind its collection target by nearly BGN 500 M.

A total of BGN 4.354 B has been collected by the customs authority since the beginning of 2014, according to reports of investor.bg.

In the first seven months of 2014, receipts from VAT were lower than the forecast and the result for the same period of 2013.

A total 3,498 people from crisis-hit Greece took German citizenship last year, a 25 percent drop compared to 2012, official data showed.

Overall some 110,000 foreigners became nationals of Europe's biggest economy in 2013. The largest number came from Turkey, at 27,970, despite a 16 percent drop compared to 2012, followed by people from Poland, Ukraine and Greece.

BELGRADE - Serbia's War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic ordered an investigation against Gen. Dragan Zivanovic, former commander of the 125th motorized brigade, on suspicion that he is responsible for the crimes committed against the civilian Albanian population in four villages in Kosovo-Metohija from April 1 to May 15, 1999.

Former commander suspected of war crimes

BELGRADE -- The war crimes prosecutor has ordered an investigation against General Dragan Živanović on suspicion of involvement in war crimes in Kosovo during in 1999.

The Australian government July 30 rejected a report from church leaders describing its treatment of child asylum-seekers as “state-sanctioned abuse,” saying such claims were “offensive.”

The report by a coalition of leaders from Christian churches criticizes how unaccompanied asylum-seeker children are kept in immigration detention.

Del Ponte regrets lack of evidence in organ harvesting case

BELGRADE -- Carla Del Ponte expressed regret today that an EU team headed by U.S. prosecutor John Clint Williamson was unable to find sufficient evidence in their probe.

They looked into allegations of human organ trafficking in Kosovo.

By Alexis Papachelas

Ongoing developments in the country’s broader neighborhood are creating new challenges as well as threats in terms of the country’s interests. While the Middle East is turning into a big black hole, no one can predict where the rapidly developing situation in Iraq, the dismantling of countries such as Syria and Libya, and tension in Palestine will lead to.

New indictments for war crimes announced

BELGRADE -- Serbian Deputy War Crimes Prosecutor Bruno Vekarić announced indictments against over 40 war crime suspects in the next few months.

They concern Istok, Štrpce, and Srebrenica cases.

The German Parliament approved a new draft law late July 3 allowing children of immigrants born in Germany to be eligible to apply for dual citizenship.

The dual citizenship law will allow young people who were born in Germany and have lived there for at least eight years, or have attended school for six years prior to their 21st birthday, to be eligible for dual citizenship.

During EU membership talks, Brussels must put pressure on Belgrade to end impunity for war crimes and human rights violations committed during the 1990s, Serbian campaigners urged.