Bulgaria’s energy ministry says Russian gas supplies to Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Macedonia have been suspended.

The government on Thursday announced plans for a euro330 million ($425.7 million) support package to alleviate the impact of the financial crisis on the local economy.

Croatia’s president urged Balkan leaders on Friday to boost economic cooperation as a means of limiting regional fallout from the global economic crisis.

Both Montenegro and Macedonia recognized Kosovo’s independence on Thursday, despite opposition from Serbia, which called the moves by its Balkan neighbors a betrayal and expelled the Montenegrin ambassador from Belgrade.

Macedonia has recognized Kosovo’s independence hours after a similar move by Montenegro.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged Macedonia on Wednesday to resolve a dispute over its name with neighboring Greece if it wants to join NATO.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday urged Eastern European leaders to shift their military efforts from Iraq to Afghanistan, where their forces are more urgently needed.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his Ukrainian counterpart acknowledged Wednesday that there is much work to do to overcome the political unrest in Ukraine and its limited public support for the nation’s NATO membership hopes.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said the U.S. is committed to keeping troops in Kosovo through late next year despite strong Russian opposition to creation of the world’s newest country this year.

The Macedonian parliament on Saturday stripped two ethnic Albanian deputies of immunity from prosecution for crimes allegedly committed during the country’s 2001 ethnic conflict.