Eurasia News

STRASBOURG, France EU membership prospects drive stability and reform in the Western Balkans, the European Parliament (EP) said in a report published on Friday (April 24th). It stressed that full-fledged EU membership of countries that have met the Copenhagen criteria should not be prolonged or rejected. It warned that different …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) The state court in Sarajevo on Friday (April 24th) pressed charges against former Federation of BiH (FBiH) Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic and former Finance Minister Dragan Covic for embezzling nearly 4m euros. Investigators say that between 1999 and 2000, when the pair were in office, …

BUCHAREST, Romania Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu met on Friday (April 24th) with outgoing NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, to discuss NATO’s presence in Afghanistan and Kosovo as part of the KFOR mission, as well as the future of strategic projects in the Black Sea and the Balkans region.

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj predicted on Friday (April 24th) that BiH may wrap up its EU accession talks in 2015,despite its various problems both within BiH and the EU. “BiH will need at least four years to become a member,” he said.

SOFIA, Bulgaria Officials wrapped up a two-day energy summit in Sofia on Saturday (April 25th) by saying uninterrupted supplies of natural gas and finding alternative routes for moving it from the Caspian region are preconditions to strengthening energy security. In a joint declaration, participants said strategic energy partnership and co-operation …

BUCHAREST, Romania An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale shook eastern and central Romania late Saturday (April 25th). Officials say the epicentre was in the Vrancea region, about120km northeast of Bucharest. No damage or injuries were reported but people panicked and left their homes. The earthquake was also felt …

BUCHAREST, Romania Moldova has rejected a new ambassador proposed by Romania, an official said yesterday, in another sign of deteriorating relations between the neighboring countries. Earlier this month, Moldova accused Romania of supporting violent anticommunist demonstrations by thousands of people who stormed Moldova’s parliament and presidential offices to protest an …

Romanian President Traian Basescu said on Friday that his country is going to keep its troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan till the NATO mission is concluded. Basescu made the statement at the end of the meeting with the visiting NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who is paying a …

The Russian Company Atomstroyexport (ASE) and France’s Areva signed an agreement for their participation in the construction of the planned 4.0 billion euro nuclear power plant at Belene, Bulgaria, the Russian energy ministry announced. The move comes after Germany’s Siemens pulled out of its CARSIB consortium with Areva, which was …

Some 100 Serbs have protested on Saturday in Mitrovica’s North against the reconstruction process of houses in Kroi I Vitkaut/Brdani neighborhood, populated by local Albanians. The protesters, who gathered around at 10 am, attempted to penetrate by force the police cordon to reach the location where the reconstruction process has …