Balkans

Bulgaria hails EU decision to unblock farming aid

BULGARIA Bulgarian officials on Friday hailed an EU decision to release millions of euros in farming aid to Sofia that had been frozen since last year over fraud concerns, AFP commented. On Thursday, the European Commission authorised payments of 109.6 million euros (160 million dollars), blocked since last July, under …

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Macedonian media about Bulgaria: Brussels air calms down Boyko Borisov

MACEDONIA Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov assumed a calmer tone after his first statement about the tragedy in Ohrid, Macedonian Dnevnik daily writes on Friday. “We have wonderful relations with your prime minster. Yesterday, your foreign minister, together his Bulgarian counterpart, attended the ceremony of paying last respect to the …

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PASOK to win elections with parliamentary majority, polls state

GREECE There is 5.5% distance between the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and the ruling New Democracy. According to the polls, organized on September 7-8 among 1,001 people, PASOK wins 41% support, while the New Democracy – 35.5%, which guarantees a majority of 151 MPs for the socialist party, while the …

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No secret agreements on Russia – Bulgaria energy projects

RUSSIA Russia and Bulgaria have never had secret agreements on the energy projects, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said. “If legitimate decisions passed by the previous government are rejected every time, then how can we possibly work with this country! All projects have been openly discussed in Europe. We passed …

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Another delay of Burgas-Alexandoupolis expected

GREECE Greek socialist leader George Papandreou attacked the ruling cabinet over the three-way intergovernmental agreement for the construction of the Burgas-Alexandoupolis oil pipeline. According to Papandreou, the agreement services only the interests of the Russian part and made it clear that it is possible to renegotiate the contract conditions if …

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Bulgarian PM tones down towards Macedonia

BULGARIA Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov assumed a calmer tone after his first statement about the tragedy in Ohrid. “We have wonderful relations with your prime minster. Yesterday, your foreign minister, together his Bulgarian counterpart, attended the ceremony of paying last respect to the victims. The 15 Bulgarian tourists died …

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Uhapšene desetine policajaca sa sertifikatom IPTF-a

BiH Pripadnici policijskih agencija u BiH u proteklih sedam godina uhapsili su više desetina svojih kolega zbog učešća u ratnim zločinima i povezanosti s organiziranim kriminalom. Većina uhapšenih prošla je provjeru IPTF-a, završenu 2002. godine, i nakon toga ih niko više nije provjeravao. “Zadnju provjeru policajaca radio je IPTF, koji …

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Dačić: OSCE agreement to boost Schengen hopes

SERBIA Interior Minister Ivica Dačić and OSCE Mission Chief Hans Ola Urstad have signed an agreement on a strategic partnership and priorities in police reform. Dačić said that the agreement was important for visa liberalization, as the strategy it contains will enable the implementation of all the remaining criteria from …

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EU: Agreement benefits Priština too

SERBIA, KOSOVO The EU supports the signing of an agreement on technical cooperation between EULEX and Belgrade, and is now explaining the benefits of the deal to Priština. EU sources told Beta in Brussels today that this was the thrust of EULEX official Karin Lindahl’s statement, who stressed that the …

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NATO-led force in Kosovo has new commander

KOSOVO In a ceremony held at KFOR HQ in Priština on Tuesday, German General Markus Bentler took over as commander of the NATO-led force in Kosovo. He replaced Italian General Giuseppe Emilio Gay. The outgoing commander said that a gradual reduction of NATO members would not mean the end of …

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