Member states of the Council of Europe

Danka Tesic from the regional East Sarajevo police force told Balkan Insight on Monday that rescue teams were still struggling to remove the bodies of the three dead people from under the bus after the crash, which was probably caused by bad weather conditions. 
 

Despite recent meetings with top-ranking Turkish government officials and the mutual expression of good intentions from both sides, Greek authorities remain on standby following a spike in violations of Greek air space by Turkish fighter jets, Kathimerini understands.

Incumbent president Ivo Josipovic, who is supported by centre-left government parties, and his challenger Kolida Grabar Kitarovic, the candidate of the centre-right opposition Croatian Democratic Union, both had words of warning for EU hopeful Serbia during the debate on Nova TV on Thursday evening.

BELGRADE - Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic sent on Friday Republic Day greetings to Republika Srpska (RS), the Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with wishes for even better relations between Serbia and RS.

Vucic sent the greetings to RS President Milorad Dodik and Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic.

In Serbia, local people including journalists spontaneously gathered on Wednesday night in front of the French embassy in Belgrade to honour the staff of Charlie Hebdo - the satirical magazine at the centre of the bloodbath in Paris.

About 40 people lighted candles paying respect to the 12 victims of the attack who included eight journalists and two policemen.

The Serbian Orthodox Churc's new TV station, TV Hram (Temple) starts broadcasting on Orthodox Christmas, January 7.

The first programme on the online station will be an interview with Church leader Patriarch Irinej.

The managing editor of the station is Stojadin Pavlovic, the director of the patriarchal administrative offices.

The United States has shelved the handover of two leftover frigates to Turkey, as Congress excluded Turkey from a bill seeking permission to transfer vessels to foreign countries, citing Mediterranean tensions.

The governments of Serbia and Montenegro and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina are to sign a new contract soon giving air traffic agency SMATSA  continued control over Bosnian airspace. 

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Presidential adviser on Croatia's "cantankerous platform"

BELGRADE -- Serbia's road toward EU membership "cannot be stopped by someone's whim," presidential adviser and former Serbian foreign minister Ivan Mrkic has said.

Lithuania joined the eurozone Thursday, becoming its 19th member.

Starting January 1, Lithuanians can swap their old currency, litas (LTL), in exchange for euros (EUR).

The exchange rate is set at 1 EUR = 3.45280 LTL.