SOFIA, Bulgaria The lame duck government went ahead and named political appointees to various diplomatic posts Thursday (July 9th), despite a warning from the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB), which won Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
Read More »EU to seek visa-free travel for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia
BRUSSELS, Belgium The European Commission (EC) will ask the EU Council next week to offer visa-free travel to citizens of Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said on Thursday (July 9th). Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will officially present the proposal in Strasbourg on Tuesday. It will require …
Read More »Thousands rally in Athens against racism
ATHENS, Greece An estimated 2,000 people marched in Athens on Thursday (July 9th) to protest racism and government plans to deport illegal immigrants. They rallied outside parliament chanting “No to expulsion!” The demonstration was organised by trade unions, the Committee for Protection of Immigrants and leftist groups. Several far-left groups, …
Read More »Kosovo’s Sejdiu addresses parliament; opposition boycotts
PRISTINA, Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu called on UNMIK to shut down its mission, in his annual address to parliament Thursday (July 9th). “It can be called a successful story of the international commitment in Kosovo,” Sejdiu said.
Read More »Bulgarian EU Commissioner turns down EP seat
SOFIA EU consumer protection commissioner Meglena Kuneva of Bulgaria said Friday she had decided not to take up a seat in the European parliament, despite being elected there last month.
Read More »Borissov asks for moratorium on big energy deals
Sofia mayor Boiko Borissov, expected to be nominated as prime minister-designate next week, asked outgoing economy and energy minister Petar Dimitrov for a moratorium on all negotiations concerning big energy deals. “GERB is hearing worrying news about the activities of state companies, which do not take into account the financial …
Read More »Bulgaria is traditional partner of ours in the Balkans: Andrei Nesterenko
MOSCOW At his regular briefing Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko touched upon the recent events in Bulgaria. “We respect the parliamentary election result in Bulgaria and Bulgarian people’s will. Bulgaria is a traditional partner of ours in the Balkans and we hope the new Bulgarian government will preserve stable …
Read More »Absence of European affairs minister will be loss for Bulgaria: Gergana Passy
SOFIA Europe knows different systems of management and coordination of European processes. It is a matter of political judgment whether a country will have a European affairs minister or not, Minister for European Affairs Gergana Passy said at the presentation of the priorities of the Swedish EU presidency. “In 2005 …
Read More »Mass Grave Uncovered in Kosovo
The remains of eight people have been discovered in a mass grave dating back to 1998, the EU rule-of-law mission in Kosovo has confirmed. Following a tip-off that land next to the Gjilan to Kamenica road, in eastern Kosovo, had been dug up in 1998, EULEX and Kosovo Police began …
Read More »Macedonian Parliament in Heated Reshuffle Debate
The start of a Macedonian parliamentary session to debate the recent reshuffling of the cabinet of centre-right Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and to appoint new ministers has so far been marked by a heated verbal exchange between the PM and the outgoing Finance Minister Trajko Slaveski, who was fired on …
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