KOSOVO: Violence Sparks Collision Course

Increased unrest following the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo is leading to fears of further violence in the Balkans.

BULGARIA: A Way to Manufacture Ethnic Tension

Take a population frustrated by poverty and corruption. Add the anti-minority discourse of extreme-right parties. And spice it with anti-Islamic talk of the 'war on terror'. And in just a few years, you can have enough ethnic tensions.

KOSOVO: On the Borders of a Crisis

'Welcome to the Republic of Kosovo reads a signpost unveiled last week by Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci at the Merdare crossing between the breakaway territory and Serbia.

EUROPE: To Recognise Kosovo Or Not

Central-Eastern Europe is questioning how, when and if Kosovo's independence should be recognised, amid fears that the Western-imposed move will spark domestic instability and insecurity in the Balkans.

RIGHTS: EU &#39Half-Hearted&#39 in Backing Gender Equality

The European Union's efforts to promote gender equality in poor countries have been dubbed "half-hearted" by the bloc's only directly elected institution.

BULGARIA: Steel Plant Privatisation Fails to Deliver

The steel plant at Kremikovtzi, the pride of Bulgaria in its socialist days, is nearing collapse after privatisation failed to deliver.

HUNGARY: Right Steps Ahead with Referendum Victory

In an opposition-initiated referendum, Hungarians have overwhelmingly voted against present healthcare and tuition fees, sending a strong message to the country's weakened socialist-liberal coalition.

BALKANS: Serbia Goes to Polls over Kosovo Independence

The coalition government of Serbia has become the first political victim of the independence declared by Kosovo, once the southern region of Serbia.

RUSSIA: New Focus on Neighbourhood

Foreign policy experts have raised concerns about Russia's relations with its neighbours after the presidential election that gave first deputy prime minister Dmitry Medvedev a landslide victory.

KOSOVO: So Much Depends on a Split City

The divided city of Mitrovica in Kosovo has become a litmus test for those who believe in a multi-ethnic state. It is the only urban centre in Kosovo still inhabited by Serbs.

SERBIA: ‘Hail the Young, and Un-European’

It is not often that the torching of a foreign embassy is praised by government officials, but this is exactly what happened after hundreds of enraged young men set the U.S. and Croatian embassies in Belgrade on fire two weeks ago after a protest rally against the independence proclaimed by Kosovo.

BULGARIA: Far Right Goes Out of Fashion

The national rally of extreme-right party Ataka, taking place Mar. 3 in Sofia, illustrated the dwindling support for this group among Bulgarians.

RIGHTS-UZBEKISTAN: ‘EU Must Take Away the Cover’

Uzbek human rights activists have written a letter to President Islam Karimov challenging the unlawful detention of several of their colleagues.

EUROPE: Turkey ‘Slowing Down’ On Its Way

Reforms allowing freedom of expression in Turkey are "badly overdue", the European Commission has warned.

RUSSIA: To the Putin-Medvedev Cocktail

First deputy prime minister Dmitry Medvedev overwhelmingly won Russia's presidential election with a wide margin in the first round Sunday.

RUSSIA: Putin’s Shadow Set to Rule

Russians will vote in a new presidential election Sunday that opposition leaders and human rights activists have described as a roll-call for endorsement of a Kremlin sponsored candidate and of President Vladimir Putin's political strategy to keep power in the new administration.

KOSOVO: How a ‘Success Story’ Became Such a Mess

After the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo on Feb. 17, ethnic tensions are rising dangerously again in the region, especially in Northern Kosovo and the other Serbian enclaves scattered around the province.

BALKANS: Who Knows What Is News

In the face of continuing threats, Serbia's B92 radio and television station has taken its logo off its equipment. Its offices now get police protection.

ALBANIA: Addressing the Image Problem

Albania is stepping up efforts to show the world that its past of obscure communism, poverty-driven migration and a collapsing economy have been definitely put behind.

EUROPE: The Closer You Get to NATO, The Less You Like It

Croatia, Macedonia and Albania are hoping to become the newest members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in April this year. But the better chances a country has of entering NATO, the less enthusiastic its people seem to be about membership, and sending troops in dangerous missions abroad.

ALBANIA: Connecting Itself to the World

Albania's government is engaged in a massive programme to improve transport infrastructure in a move that will integrate the country into the trade and travel routes of the Balkans. But it won't be cheap, or without controversy.