In Pazin, Croatia.

Sarandë, Albania.

In Kotor, Montenegro.

The Art Pavilion, Zagreb.

Serbia’s new nationalist president and the liberal rival likely to be the next prime minister assured the country Monday that they could overcome deep differences and create a stable, pro-European Union government.

Tomislav Nikolic defeated his predecessor Boris Tadic in the presidential election earlier this month, and Nikolic’s nationalist Progressive Party won the largest number of seats in the 250-member parliament. But because Tadic’s Democrats gained enough allies to form the next Cabinet, Nikolic is expected to be forced to name Tadic as premier-designate.

The position of prime minister is stronger than that of the president, a largely ceremonial role that cannot draft laws.

The two bitter political foes met Monday, a day after Tadic announced the start of negotiations on the formation of a new government that would leave Nikolic without real power.

“We had very good talks,” Tadic said. “This was a meeting not only about the transfer of power … but about what Serbia’s institutions should look like in the future.”

Nikolic also sounded an optimistic note.

“We have one common goal and that is for Serbia to move forward so that its citizens can live better,” the president told reporters. “I think that you can view Serbia’s political stability in the future with much more optimism.”

Ferizaj, Kosovo.

Minimalist Marvel Character Posters by Macedonian artist Marko Manev.

A young shepherd in Kukës, Albania.

The 28-kilometre section between Demir Kapija and Smokvica is to be built with funding worth a total of 300 million Euros, which makes it one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Macedonia in recent years.

“We hope that this will boost the local economy, along with other capital projects that we are planning from the budget,” Stavrevski said. He did not specify the exact date on which construction work will begin.

In September last year Stavreski signed a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development worth 107 million Euros for this section of the highway.

An additional 130 million Euros has been provided by the European Investment Bank, and another 45 million Euros has been granted under the European Unions’ Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance. The government said it will allocate remaining funds from the state budget.

Corridor 10 is one of the two main transport routes connecting Macedonia to Serbia, Greece and the rest of Europe.

This might seem like a boring topic, but if you’ve ever traveled around the Balkans you’ll know that the lack of solid infrastructure is a major obstacle to investment and development. For instance: I took a bus from Skopje to Sarajevo - which are 200 miles/320 km apart - that took 15 hours and took such a circuitous route that at one point we went through part of Croatia. Who is going to invest in an area where moving goods around is so time-consuming and arduous? Pretty much no one.

So I am always happy to see stories about building new roads.

The shipyards on the Bulgarian side of the Danube River, which marks the border between Bulgaria and Romania.