http://www.setimes.comNews and Views of Southeastern Europeen-GB2009-07-022009-07-02In a surprise move, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said he is leaving politics for personal reasons. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-01 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-012009-07-02Up to 60% of voters are expected to hit the polls in Sunday's parliamentary elections. The vote is widely expected to produce the most fragmented legislature in the past 20 years. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-02 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-022009-07-02The climate in Serbia's banking sector is heating up, placing bankers on thin ice. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-03 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2009/07/02/feature-032009-06-29Freedom of the press spiraled down across the globe last year, according to a recent report, with Eastern Europe seeing the steepest decline. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/articles/2009/06/29/reportage-01 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/articles/2009/06/29/reportage-012009-07-01Romania's chess master Nisipeanu wins in France. Also in cultural news: Albanian writer Kadare is awarded the 2009 Asturias Literature Prize, and the Turkish government honours historian Kemal Karpat. http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/roundup/2009/07/01/roundup-cl-03 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/roundup/2009/07/01/roundup-cl-032009-07-02TIRANA, Albania -- Vote counting has hit a snag due to serious disagreements between the major political parties in a couple of regions. The Central... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-01 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-012009-07-02THE HAGUE, The Netherlands -- The war crimes trial against former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic will not start before September, tribunal Judg... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-02 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-022009-07-02SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Twelve people, including a police officer, have been arrested for alleged involvement in an international network for illegal im... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-03 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-032009-07-02ATHENS, Greece -- A strong earthquake registering 5.9 on the Richter scale was registered south of the island of Crete on Wednesday (July 1st). The e... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-04 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-042009-07-02SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- A police officer charged with the murder of 200 people during the 1992-1995 conflict was arrested on Wednes... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-05 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-052009-07-02WASHINGTON, United States -- Democracy watchdog Freedom House said on Tuesday (June 30th) that democratic development in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedoni... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-06 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-062009-07-02BELGRADE, Serbia -- Though voting is more than four months away, President Boris Tadic said on Wednesday (July 1st) no protections are in place for t... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-07 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-072009-07-02BELGRADE, Serbia -- A hand grenade exploded Wednesday (July 1st), killing a man in his Novi Sad home and injuring his wife. Local media reported the... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-08 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-082009-07-02THE HAGUE, The Netherlands -- Prosecutors from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia and Serbia arrived at the UN war crimes tribunal Wednesday (July... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-09 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-092009-07-02ATHENS, Greece -- Journalists are staging a three-hour strike Thursday (July 2nd) over the closure of one of the biggest newspapers in the country, E... http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-10 http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2009/07/02/nb-10