Western Balkans

POLITIKA

- If authorities within a month resolve the problem of issuing new biometric passports to Kosovo Albanians and possible abuse in granting dual citizenship to citizens of the Bosnian Serb republic, Serbs could get visa-free travel to the European Union, catching up to Macedonia, the only Balkan state to have fully met all criteria for the so-called "White Schengen" list.

BLIC

- The family of late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic will have to prove the origin of their property or it will be seized if an investigation proves that it was gained from profits earned from tobacco smuggling.

VECERNJE NOVOSTI

- Some 72 percent of 300 German companies doing business in Serbia see the current economic situation in Serbia as negative, but 50 percent of them still expect to post profit this year. Only 25 percent of the companies plan to cut the number of workers, while five percent will create new jobs.

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DNEVNI AVAZ

- Bosnia's tax authority said Q1 value-added tax revenues fell by six percent year-on-year because of lower imports.

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NEZAVISNE NOVINE

- Norwegian Technor Energy ASA will soon start the construction of six hydro-power plants worth 550 million Bosnian marka ($390.9 milllion) in Bosnia's Serb Republic to enable the output of 85 megawatts of power, the company's management said.

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SHEKULLI

- Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha said doctors had assured him one of the officials who travelled with him to the Islamic Organisation Conference meeting in Syria was not affected by the swine flu virus. The official, taken to hospital upon return to Tirana, had high temperature, but no other

PANORAMA

- The Central Bank decided not to cut its key repo rate despite requests from some commercial banks. The rate for lending in the Albanian lek currency remains at 5.75 percent.

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DNEVNIK

- Macedonia's ethnically divided society is not ready yet for real partnership and cooperation between Macedonian and ethnic Albanian political parties.

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KOHA DITORE

- Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu cancelled a visit to Macedonia planned for Thursday after realising that his reception in Skopje would not have an official ceremony. ------------- M O N T E N E G R O -----------------

VIJESTI

- Italian A2A has bought a 15.17 percent stake in Montenegro's power monopoly Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) from four privatisation funds for a total of 122.7 million euros or 7.1 euros per share. A2A (A2.MI) was expected to purchase a 17 percent stake in EPCG, but the MIG privatisation fund, which held a two-percent equity stake, decided not to sell.

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