News archive of February 2014

BELGRADE - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic underlined on Wednesday that EU membership is an important objective for Serbia, but it is equally vital for the country to maintain excellent relations with Russia.

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Youth and Sports Vanja Udovicic and President of Paralympic Committee of Serbia (POKS) Zoran Micovic signed a funding agreement on Wednesday, based on which the Paralympians will be allocated RSD 42 million (EUR 1 = RSD 116) from the state budget this year.

LEPOSAVIC - Around 200 workers of the Lola forging factory in Lesak, Kosovo-Metohija, gathered in protest on Wednesday near the Jarinje crossing in the north of the province after their company's bank account has been blocked.

The workers want the bank account to be unblocked.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - A craft fair displaying works by disabled people entitled “Creativity paves way to jobs” was held at the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Kosovska Mitrovica on Wednesday.

The fair is organized by the National Employment Service (NSZ) and Kosovska Mitrovica-based Narodna tehnika.

PARIS - Serbia ranks 54th among 180 world countries according to the degree of freedom of the media, while Macedonia and Montenegro are the lowest ranked countries in the Balkans according to the Press Freedom Index for 2014, Reporters without Borders organisation released.

Last year, Serbia claimed the 63rd place on the list.

BELGRADE - Leaders of the emerging New Democratic Party Boris Tadic, League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) Nenad Canak and Together for Serbia (ZZS) Dusan Petrovic signed a coalition agreement on Wednesday which stipulates that they will stand for election together on March 16.

BELGRADE - The Serbian and Slovenian armed forces are oriented towards enhancing cooperation, and contribute to strengthening of regional stability, the chiefs of staff of the two armed forces, Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic and Gen. Dobran Bozic, said in Belgrade on Wednesday.

BELGRADE - Jane Glover, conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, will conduct the Belgrade Philharmonic performing a concert within On High Heels cycle at the Kolarac Endowment on February 14.

After almost two decades, Lady Glover will again lead the Belgrade Philharmonic in a new concert cycle presenting outstanding female conductors, the Philharmonic announced.

SMEDEREVO - Zelezara Smederevo received top recognition for excellence in the implementation of SAP (Systems, Applications and Products) software solution in the SAP competition at the level of Central and Eastern Europe.

Gold was presented to the Smederevo-based steel mill for the most successful project in the category of medium implementation, the company stated in a release.

BRUSSELS - A new round of talks between Belgrade and Pristina, facilitated by European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, commenced in Brussels Wednesday.

Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for Ashton, said the European foreign policy chief is currently having a joint meeting with Serbian Prime minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci.