INSIDER
UN approves resolution to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica genocide annually over Serb opposition
Read full article: UN approves resolution to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica genocide annually over Serb oppositionThe United Nations has approved a resolution establishing an annual day to commemorate the 1995 genocide of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serbs.
Thousands of Bosnian Serbs attend rally denying genocide was committed in Srebrenica in 1995
Read full article: Thousands of Bosnian Serbs attend rally denying genocide was committed in Srebrenica in 1995Thousands of Bosnian Serbs have rallied to deny that genocide was committed in Srebrenica in 1995, despite rulings to the contrary by two United Nations courts.
EU leaders agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia, but with many strings attached
Read full article: EU leaders agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia, but with many strings attachedEuropean Union leaders have agreed in principle to open membership negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though the Western Balkan country must still do a lot of work before talks can begin.
European Union members should open talks with Bosnia on joining, the EU's executive branch says
Read full article: European Union members should open talks with Bosnia on joining, the EU's executive branch saysThe European Unionโs executive arm says it will recommend that member countries open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
As Bosnian Serbs mark controversial national day, US warns celebration amounts to 'criminal offense'
Read full article: As Bosnian Serbs mark controversial national day, US warns celebration amounts to 'criminal offense'The United States has warned that ongoing celebrations of a Bosnian Serb self-proclaimed national holiday violate Bosniaโs constitution and a 1995 peace agreement.
US fighter jets fly over Bosnia in a sign of support to the country as Serbs call for secession
Read full article: US fighter jets fly over Bosnia in a sign of support to the country as Serbs call for secessionTwo U.S. fighter jets flew over Bosnia in a demonstration of support for the Balkan countryโs integrity in the face of increasingly secessionist policies of the Bosnian Serb pro-Russia leader Milorad Dodik.
Separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik vows to tear his country apart despite US warnings
Read full article: Separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik vows to tear his country apart despite US warningsThe Bosnian Serbsโ separatist leader is vowing to keep weakening his war-scarred country until it tears apart, despite a pledge by the United States to prevent that.
US bombers fly over Bosnia in sign of support amid continued secessionist threats
Read full article: US bombers fly over Bosnia in sign of support amid continued secessionist threatsA pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers has flown low over Sarajevo and several other Bosnian cities as a sign of support amid continued secessionist threats by the staunchly pro-Russian Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.
Bosnia: Protest over draft law to recriminalize defamation
Read full article: Bosnia: Protest over draft law to recriminalize defamationDozens of journalists and rights activists have protested outside parliament in Bosniaโs Serb-run part as lawmakers debated whether to advance a contested law which critics say would restrict freedom of expression and silence critical media.
Bosnian Serbs award Putin with medal of honor
Read full article: Bosnian Serbs award Putin with medal of honorThe Bosnian Serb separatist leader has awarded Russian President Vladimir Putin with the highest medal of honor for his โpatriotic concern and loveโ for the Serb-controlled half of Bosnia.
Separatist leader sworn in as Bosnian Serb president
Read full article: Separatist leader sworn in as Bosnian Serb presidentSeparatist politician Milorad Dodik has been sworn in as president of Bosniaโs Serb-run part and he pledged to pursue good ties with Russia, China and other like-minded countries.
Bosnia: Recount confirms pro-Russia Serb leader won election
Read full article: Bosnia: Recount confirms pro-Russia Serb leader won electionAn election recount has confirmed a staunchly pro-Russia Bosnian Serb leaderโs victory over an opposition challenger who accused him of vote-rigging in the contest for the presidency of Bosniaโs Serb-run part.
Bosnia recounts Serb president race after reports of fraud
Read full article: Bosnia recounts Serb president race after reports of fraudAmid widespread reports of fraud in Bosniaโs general election, the ethnically divided countryโs top electoral body has announced it will conduct a recount of a Bosnian Serb presidential ballot allegedly rigged by a staunchly pro-Russian leader.
Bosnia election officials investigate possible vote-rigging
Read full article: Bosnia election officials investigate possible vote-riggingBosniaโs election authorities are voicing concerns over widespread problems at polling stations and reports of irregularities and vote-rigging in the general election last weekend.
Bosnia's sectarian parties poised to retain power after vote
Read full article: Bosnia's sectarian parties poised to retain power after voteBosniaโs long-entrenched sectarian parties are poised to be the overall winners of the countryโs general election despite symbolic successes by some opposition candidates who ran on a corruption-fighting agenda.
Voting begins in Bosnia election, little expected to change
Read full article: Voting begins in Bosnia election, little expected to changePolls opened in Bosnia on Sunday for a general election that is unlikely to bring any structural change despite palpable disappointment in the small, ethnically divided Balkan country's political leaders.
Bosnian Serb separatist leader blasts West, praises Russia
Read full article: Bosnian Serb separatist leader blasts West, praises RussiaBosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik is facing an election this weekend and he has blasted the West and praised Vladimir Putin over his policies in the Balkans.
U.S. sanctions 'brazenly corrupt' Bosnian state prosecutor
Read full article: U.S. sanctions 'brazenly corrupt' Bosnian state prosecutorThe U.S. government has imposed sanctions on a Bosnian state prosecutor who is accused of being complicit in corruption and undermining democratic processes or institutions in the Western Balkans.
US scoffs as Bosnian Serb leader claims he can spy on US
Read full article: US scoffs as Bosnian Serb leader claims he can spy on USThe U_S_ Embassy in Sarajevo has described claims by the Bosnian Serb leader that his security services are eavesdropping on the American ambassador to Sarajevo as โblustering.โ.
UK minister: Russian meddling 'must be stopped' in Bosnia
Read full article: UK minister: Russian meddling 'must be stopped' in BosniaBritish Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is in Bosniaโs capital to reaffirm the U.K.โs commitment to the ethnically divided Balkan country amid growing fears of malign influence from Russia.
EU foreign policy chief: Bloc won't accept Bosnia breakup
Read full article: EU foreign policy chief: Bloc won't accept Bosnia breakupThe European Unionโs foreign policy chief says heโs deeply concerned about tensions in Bosnia and has appealed to leaders there to avoid the breakup of the Balkan country.
Amid tensions, Bosnian Serbs celebrate outlawed holiday
Read full article: Amid tensions, Bosnian Serbs celebrate outlawed holidayUnder growing international pressure over their leader's secessionist aspirations, Bosnian Serbs have celebrated an outlawed holiday with a provocative parade showcasing armored vehicles, police helicopters and law enforcement officers with rifles, marching in lockstep and singing a nationalist song.
US imposes sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader Dodik
Read full article: US imposes sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader DodikThe Biden administration has announced sanctions against Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, accusing him of โcorrupt activitiesโ that threaten to destabilize the region and undermine peace accords.
Hungary's PM denounced in Bosnia for anti-Muslim rhetoric
Read full article: Hungary's PM denounced in Bosnia for anti-Muslim rhetoricBosnian officials and religious leaders have denounced suggestions voiced by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his spokesman that the integration of Bosnia into the European Union will be challenging because of its large Muslim population.
Germany wants EU sanctions slapped on Bosnian Serb leader
Read full article: Germany wants EU sanctions slapped on Bosnian Serb leaderGermanyโs new foreign minister says the European Union should slap sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for his efforts to get Serb-dominated areas in Bosnia to secede from the Balkan country.
Serbs vote to weaken Bosnia, step up their secession drive
Read full article: Serbs vote to weaken Bosnia, step up their secession driveThe Bosnian Serb parliament has vote to launch a series of steps that would weaken the war-ravaged Balkan countryโs central institutions as the Bosnian Serb leader stepped up his secession campaign despite a threat of new U.S. sanctions.
Envoy: US ready to confront attempts to tear Bosnia apart
Read full article: Envoy: US ready to confront attempts to tear Bosnia apartA senior U.S. official says Washington remains committed to maintaining peace and stability in Bosnia despite recent challenges by some of its Serb nationalist leaders to the U.S.-brokered Dayton peace agreement.
US envoy: Bosnia's presidency pledges no more wars
Read full article: US envoy: Bosnia's presidency pledges no more warsA senior U.S. diplomat says he's received assurances from members of Bosniaโs presidency there will be no repeat of armed clashes in the war-scarred nation despite deep tensions triggered by Bosnian Serb separatist moves.
International envoy warns of Bosnia breakup amid tensions
Read full article: International envoy warns of Bosnia breakup amid tensionsThe chief international representative in Bosnia is warning that the war-scarred Balkan nation could face the biggest โexistential threat of the post-war periodโ if the international community does not curb threatened separatist actions by Bosnian Serbs.
Bosnian Serb police drill seen as separatist 'provocation'
Read full article: Bosnian Serb police drill seen as separatist 'provocation'Bosniaโs Serb police have held an โanti-terroristโ drill just outside the capital Sarajevo, in a move seen by many as another provocation by the country's separatist leadership.
Bosnian Serb politicians decry outlawing of genocide denial
Read full article: Bosnian Serb politicians decry outlawing of genocide denialBosnian Serb political leaders have pledged to block decision-making in the country's institutions to protest a recent move by the top international envoy in Bosnia to outlaw genocide denial.
German chosen to lead powerful international body in Bosnia
Read full article: German chosen to lead powerful international body in BosniaA German diplomat has been chosen to head a powerful international body in Bosnia that oversees implementation of a 1995 peace agreement that ended a devastating war in the Balkan country.
Balkans feel abandoned as vaccinations kick off in Europe
Read full article: Balkans feel abandoned as vaccinations kick off in EuropeNorth Macedonian epidemiologist Dragan Danilovski compared the current vaccine situation in the Western Balkans to the inequalities seen during the 1911 sinking of the Titanic. Serbia is the only Western Balkan nation to receive vaccine shots so far, getting deliveries from Pfizer-BioNTech and the Russian-developed Sputnik V vaccine. However, Serbia does not have enough doses to begin mass vaccinations, as only 25,000 shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 2,400 of the Russian vaccine have arrived. โThroughout the pandemic, the EU has shown that we treat the Western Balkans as privileged partners,โ said EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. โI trust (the Russian vaccine), I donโt trust the commercial narratives that are coming from the West,โ Milorad Dodik, Bosnian Serb's leader, declared before he was hospitalized with coronavirus.
Bosnian Serbs say icon given to Russian minister not stolen
Read full article: Bosnian Serbs say icon given to Russian minister not stolenBosnian Serb member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia Milorad Dodik, right, welcomes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the start of their meeting in the capital Sarajevo, Bosnia, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Kemal Softic)SARAJEVO โ SARAJEVO, Bosnia-An Orthodox icon presented to Russia's foreign minister had not been stolen from the Ukraine, the office of Bosnia's Serb leader said Tuesday, amid an international diplomatic spat over its origins. The presiding Serb member of Bosniaโs three-member presidency, Milorad Dodik, gifted the gilded icon to Russiaโs Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov when he visited Bosnia on Dec. 14. Russiaโs foreign ministry said Saturday it would return the icon to the Bosnian Serbs for an international police investigation about its origin. The statement did not say how Dodik came to possess the religious artwork or how it was brought to Bosnia.
The Latest: Coronavirus cases keep rising in South Korea
Read full article: The Latest: Coronavirus cases keep rising in South Korea(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)SEOUL, South Korea โ South Korea has added 1,092 new coronavirus cases in a resurgence that is erasing hard-won epidemiological gains and eroding public confidence in the governmentโs ability to handle the outbreak. It would deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Preliminary data on U.S. deaths show the coronavirus pandemic contributing to a 15% or more increase in deaths over last year. ___MEXICO CITY โ Mexican officials have reported a new daily high in confirmed coronavirus cases as the country awaits its first shipment of vaccine. ___WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. โ The Navajo Nation is reporting 151 new coronavirus cases and seven more deaths related to COVID-19.
Russia to give icon that sparked controversy back to Bosnia
Read full article: Russia to give icon that sparked controversy back to BosniaRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, listens Bosnian Serb official Milorad Dodik, who is the member of Bosnia's multi-ethnic presidency during a press conference after their talks in the capital Sarajevo, Bosnia, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. Lavrov is on a two-day visit to Bosnia. (AP Photo/Kemal Softic)MOSCOW โ Russia said Saturday it will return an Orthodox icon presented to the Russian foreign minister in Bosnia, a gift that has triggered a protest from Ukraine. The presiding Serb member of Bosniaโs three-member presidency, Milorad Dodik, gave the icon to Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov when he visited Sarajevo earlier this week. On Saturday, Russia's Foreign Ministry said the icon would be returned to Bosnia pending an Interpol probe to clarify its origins.
Slovenian premier endorses Trumpโs reelection, joins others
Read full article: Slovenian premier endorses Trumpโs reelection, joins othersLJUBLJANA โ Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa endorsed U.S. President Donald Trumpโs reelection on Friday, saying Joe Biden would be a weak leader. With a tweet, Jansa added his name to a list of regional leaders who have openly supported Trump during the election campaign. Go, win, Donald Trump,โ Jansa said. Also Friday, the Serb member of Bosnia's three-member presidency, Milorad Dodik, urged Serbs living in the U.S. to vote for Trump. Right-wing conservatives in Eastern and Central Europe, like Orban, Vucic and Jansa, have sometimes copied Trumpโs style of leadership.
Bosnian Serbs honor late ex-official convicted of war crimes
Read full article: Bosnian Serbs honor late ex-official convicted of war crimesSARAJEVO โ SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Bosnian Serb authorities on Wednesday held an official commemoration for a top former wartime leader, despite his war crimes conviction by a U.N. court. The gathering illustrates the continued Bosnian Serb denial of their wartime leadersโ role in the atrocities committed against non-Serbs during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia. A leading Bosnian Serb official, Milorad Dodik, who is the member of Bosnia's multi-ethnic presidency, praised Krajsnik's โhistoric roleโ in establishing the Serb entity in Bosnia, according to Bosnian Serb broadcaster RTRS. He was a close aide to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of genocide by the Hague tribunal. Bosnian Serb forces took control of large swaths of Bosnian territory, expelling Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslims, and Croats from their homes and brutally killing thousands.
Migrants at center of political tug-of-war in divided Bosnia
Read full article: Migrants at center of political tug-of-war in divided BosniaIn this grab taken from video migrants who were directed off a railroad by police blocking the path gather, in Bosanska Otoka, Bosnia, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Bosnias quarreling ethnic leaders have put migrants amassed in the country while seeking entry to Europe at the center of a a political tug-of-war. Krajina authorities began enforcing their decision to ban all new migrants arrivals in the last three days. Migrants mostly enter Bosnia across the Drina River, on its eastern border with Serbia. Local authorities in Krajina have long accused Bosnia's central government of subjecting the migration crisis to political infighting and failing to provide them with any practical help.