Eurasia Press & News
Olli Rehn said prospects to join the bloc helped to anchor political stability and economic reform in the Western Balkans. The European Union should not freeze plans to admit Western Balkan countries as members, the bloc’s enlargement chief said on Tuesday, responding to German doubts about the pace of expansion. …
Read More »UN tribunal hands down 20-year sentence to former top Bosnian Serb official
The appeals chamber of the United Nations war crimes tribunal set up after the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s today upheld earlier convictions of a former top Bosnian Serb official and sentenced him to 20 years in prison for deportations, forcible transfer and persecution of non-Serb civilians during the conflict …
Read More »IMF to offer crisis-hit Serbia $3.9bn loan: Minister
BELGRADE: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is ready to provide crisis-hit Serbia with up to ¤3bn ($3.9bn) in aid over two years, Economy Minister Mladjan Dinkic said yesterday. “The IMF is offering us… two billion (euros) this year and one billion (euros) next year” in the form of a stand-by …
Read More »Serbs mark Kosovo riots anniversary
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA: Serbs in the flashpoint Kosovo town of Mitrovica on Tuesday marked the fifth anniversary of riots that left 19 dead and 900 injured. Kosovo Serb leaders laid flowers on the bridge over the Ibar river, which splits the northern town, in honour of the victims of the worst …
Read More »Albania determined to put in EU bid in June
Albania faces an uphill battle to join the EU, with the PM acknowledging that hard economic times could create a ‘sentiment of reluctance’ among Europeans to welcome new member states. Tirana — Albania is determined to submit its candidacy for European Union membership in June despite the global economic crisis …
Read More »Romanian media slam plans to curb freedoms
BUCHAREST, Romania: Media freedom groups criticized Romanian government plans that would allow people to sue for libel on behalf of the dead. The groups said draft legislation would limit press freedoms amid a continuing struggle between journalists and authorities since Romania threw off communism 20 years ago. Some journalists have …
Read More »Bulgaria to appoint EU experts to improve anti-corruption fight
Sofia. The Bulgarian government and its board of international councellors, headed by former French premier Dominique de Villepin, said Wednesday they would call on EU experts to help the country fight corruption more effectively. “The proposal to reinforce cooperation with both the European Commission and with the member states by …
Read More »Bulgaria President Dissatisfied With EU Energy Aid
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has stated that he is not satisfied with the aid provided to Bulgaria within the framework of the EU energy package. Out of the total EU energy funding of EUR 3.5 B, Bulgaria is currently only entitled to EUR 10 M for the connection of its …
Read More »Bulgaria State Security Probes Muslim Mayor over Death Threats
The Mayor of the village of Garmen, Ahmed Bashev and religion teacher, Murad Boshnak, are being investigated over death threats against the MP, Yane Yanev. The information was announced by the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay Kokinov, who denied any investigation of the Mayor and the teacher that was connected to …
Read More »Bulgarian Students to Protest in front of Parliament Again
Students from universities in Sofia will protest in front of the Bulgarian Parliament as a sign of solidarity with their colleagues from Varna who protested yesterday against the brutal murder of Radostina Evtimova. ‘We as students from Sofia we owe solidarity to our colleagues from Varna in a time of …
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