All News from Balkans

Montenegro, Serbia Plan Joint Embassies

The Foreign Ministers of Montenegro and Serbia, Igor Luksic and Ivica Dacic, will meet in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss establishing joint embassies on the so-called Nordic model.

“Luksic will to Belgrade and we will try to solve it," Dacic said, according to Serbian media reports on Monday.

Romania’s Veteran Bank Chief Reappointed

The Romanian parliament on Monday approved Mugur Isarescu as head of the Romanian national bank, BNR, for another term.

Isarescu will lead the key fiancial institution for another five years, after serving as governor since 1990. He holds the record for the longest serving central bank governor in the world.

Slow Count Keeps New Kosovo Govt in Limbo

The ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, and the recently established coalition between the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK and Nisma per Kosoven [Initiative for Kosovo] are still at loggerheads over who has the right to form a new government.

Countdown starts for ‘Oscars of cartoons’

AydÄ±n DoÄan International Cartoon Competition kicks off in Bodrum as prominent names have taken their seats in the selection committee Leading cartoonists from Turkey and around the world gathered for the 31st AydÄ±n DoÄan International Cartoon Competition in Bodrum yesterday in excitement to choose this yearâs winners.

Traditional Anatolian dolls in demand as gift

A villager in Sivas is producing dolls using wood and other materials. The dolls receive great interest from people and are sent to foreign countries, too An old Turkish woman living in the central Anatolian province of Sivasâ KaracaÃ¶ren village is producing wood dolls and clothing them with traditional dresses.

Fast attack craft contract may see $800 million tag

Defense procurement authorities are preparing to issue a Request for Proposal (RfP) for the acquisition of indigenous fast attack craft that will cost around $800 million, according to sources, who say some of Turkeyâs leading shipyards are expected to take part in bidding Turkeyâs ambitious program for the acquisition of up to 10 indigenous fast attack craft (fast assault boats) may

A smart choice by Turkish opposition for presidency

After weeks of meetings, the two major opposition parties have come up with a joint candidate for the first round of the presidential elections set for Aug. 10.

Erdoğan presidency unlikely to bring stability

Turkey is facing increasing risks on its borders. Syria was bad enough and now we have the situation in Iraq. Turkey also has strained relations with the West due to Recep Tayyip ErdoÄanâs policies and generally abrasive attitude, which is seen as being authoritarian in nature.

Turkey can feel vindicated about al-Maliki; the former foe but now the new ally

âIt is always very difficult to do business in Iraq. But we sensed something more extraordinary happening in the field a week prior to the advance of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) to Mosul,â a friend who is doing business in Iraq told me. âEveryone was saying âa crisis is coming,ââ said a Turkish official who has knowledge of the developments.

A smart move: Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu

The opposition has selected its candidate: Ekmeleddin Ä°hsanoÄlu...

Who is Ä°hsanoÄlu? Let us portray him:

His family is from Yozgat, he was born in Cairo.

His father is the best friend of Mehmet Akif, the poet of the Turkish National Anthem. His father was so close to Akif that he immigrated to Egypt with him.

Sport officials call for co-operation between all stakeholders to continue efforts to stop hate speech and fan violence.

As Croatia takes to the field in the 2014 World Cup, it does so without one of its veteran players.

Turkey and Croatia look to improve business ties

Business leaders seek opportunities for new investment and deeper co-operation.

Business leaders from Turkey and Croatia recently gathered in Istanbul to discuss new ideas for deepening economic ties between the two countries.