BG MONUMENT IN SKOPJE
On June 24 2008, Bulgarian Culture Minister Stefan Danailov opened a memorial plaque with a bas-relief of Bulgarian poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje, on the 160th anniversary of Botev’s birth, the press service of the Culture Ministry said in a statement. The plaque, made by sculptor Boris Dermendjiev, was put on the building of Bulgaria’s embassy in Skopje. After the opening the Bulgarian embassy hosted a night dedicated to Botev.

BOSNIA VISIT
Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina will work towards signing agreements on avoiding double taxation, protecting investments and co-operating in the field of river transport, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin told a news conference after meeting Bosnian counterpart Sven Alkalaj in Sarajevo on June 23 2008, the press service of the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The economic ties between the two countries and the opportunities for their expansion were among the main topics of conversation at the meeting between the two ministers, part of Kalfin’s official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

RELEASED
Greek industrialist George Milonas, abducted earlier this month by unknown kidnappers who reportedly requested 50 million euro in ransom, was set free in the early hours of June 23, Greek police said, as quoted by Reuters. “He was set free after midnight [...] He is back at home safe and sound,” a police official told the agency on condition of anonymity. It is still not known whether the kidnappers have been paid a ransom.

OWN PARLIAMENT
Serbian representatives elected in Kosovo at the May 11 2008 Serbian elections, will form their own parliament in Northern Mitrovica on June 28, the Financial Times reported on June 23. The parliament will include 43 delegates from the Serbian municipalities in Kosovo.

RECONFIGURATION SLAM
On June 20, the UN Security Council met in New York to discuss the reconfiguration of United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) after Kosovo’s constitution went into force on June 15, UN’s news centre said. While secretary-general Ban Ki-moon defined his reconfiguration report as a “practical and workable solution”, Serbian president Boris Tadic said it “gave the impression of acquiescing to an unjustifiable violation of resolution 1244”. Tadic added Ban’s report “was an acknowledgement that an influential and determined minority could set aside international law”.