Republic of Serbia

Serbia's ruling Progressive Party spent 4.5 million euro on TV campaign ahead of general elections and the local elections in Belgrade held on March 16.

This is according to the latest Transparency Serbia report on the election campaign in the country.

Nikolić to invite Putin to visit Belgrade - report

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić will send an official invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to a ceremony scheduled for October 20 in Belgrade.

Lawyers at the international court are considering whether to free war crimes defendant Vojislav Seselj, the Serbian Radical Party leader who has been in detention since 2003.

BECICI - Cedomir Backovic, president of Serbia's negotiating team for Chapter 23 and assistant to the minister of justice, said on Friday that the talks with the EU on the chapter referring to the judicial system and fight against corruption could start in spring next year.

Ivo Viskovic, a former Serbian ambassador to Germany, says Vucic's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday will focus on Serbia's EU integration process.

According to him, Serbia can expect German help on its path to EU membership. "This help would be mainly of an advisory and economic character through stimulating German investment in Serbia," Viskovic told BIRN.

MINSK - Serbia practically already lives in the EU, as it is surrounded by it, but it can build good relations with Russia and Belarus as well, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, who will visit Serbia on Wednesday, has said.

Serbia should find a path that will not dissapoint the east or the west, he told the daily Politika.

Pundits interpret Vulin's "great powers" comment

BELGRADE -- Political analyst Đorđe Vukadinović says Aleksandar Vulin's statement about "great powers not wanting a prime minister with large support" is "exaggerated."

The labor minister suggested earlier that PM Aleksandar Vučić was the target of criticism for that reason.

Fado diva Mariza takes part in flood relief campaign

BELGRADE -- Serbian PM Aleksandar Vučić on Tuesday welcomed Portuguese fado diva Mariza in Belgrade, and discussed ways to help Serbia after the catastrophic floods.

Mijatovic urged the Serbian authorities to nurture uncensored debate on issues of public interest, especially in times of crisis, such as the current situation with flooding in the region.

BELGRADE - Serbia's application for resources from the EU Solidarity Fund should be submitted by the beginning of August, following which the Council and the European Parliament will start the process for granting aid, it was said at Monday’s meeting of Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic with Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport and ambassadors of EU member states.