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’
Aydın 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 Aydın 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 Karacaören 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.
Kurdistan’s big chance
Every disaster creates opportunities for somebody. If the Kurds of Iraq play their cards right, they could finally end up with the borders they want, fully recognised by a government in Baghdad that has been saved by Kurdish troops.
Istanbul’s chances of becoming international finance center
The first concrete step for Istanbul to become an international finance center was taken in 2012. A tender was held for the finance center that was decided to be built at AtaÅehir, on the Asian side of the city.
PM’s calculations may get ruffled
It is apparent Republican Peopleâs Party (CHP) leader Kemal KılıçdaroÄlu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli have agreed on a joint candidate.