Balkan

AFP 2016/ ATTILA KISBENEDEK

Whatever model is offered as a platform by Belgrade to solve the decades-old Kosovo and Metohija puzzle, it will not be liked by "world powers."

Whatever model is offered as a platform by Belgrade to solve the decades-old Kosovo and Metohija puzzle, it will not be liked by "world powers."

The daily Vecernje Novosti writes this, adding that this is the case because bringing this painful topic to an end would mean the loss of a lot of leverage that these powers are using to try to keep Balkan nations "on a leash."

Piraeus Bank, Greece's largest lender by assets, aims to sell its Balkan businesses and certain other holdings and shrink its bad loans portfolio, its new chief executive told reporters on Wednesday, outlining the group's plans up to 2020.

"Our vision is to be the most credible bank in Greece," said CEO Christos Megalou, who took over in April.

Piraeus Bank, Greece's largest bank by assets, aims to sell its Balkan businesses and certain other holdings and shrink its bad loans portfolio, its new chief executive told reporters on Wednesday, outlining the group's plans up to 2020.

"Our vision is to be the most credible bank in Greece," said CEO Christos Megalou, who took over in April.

Romanian police have conducted raids at suspected people-smuggling locations across the country, including several in Bucharest and the western city of Arad.

The search targeted homes of several suspects who in August-December 2016 smuggled over 100 refugees and migrants from Turkey through several Balkan countries to Romania and then to Germany, the Romanian police authorities said.

Refugees stranded in Greece suffered sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall on Tuesday at camps not designed for winter weather and the government promised those on one island temporary warm accommodations aboard a navy ship.

Albania fears becoming part of the Balkan "refugee route", now that Macedonia has tightened border controls, leaving some 10,000 people trapped in Greece on their way to Western Europe.

Until now, the most-used route has run through Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia, avoiding Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania.

Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has said that the refugee crisis affecting the EU and the possibility of Britain leaving the bloc have made accession to the Union less appealing to Balkan candidate countries, Reuters reported

BELGRADE - French Ambassador to Serbia Christine Moro has presented the Order of Knight of Arts and Letters to famous musician and composer Goran Bregovic.