Eurasia

PRISTINA, Kosovo – European Parliament (EP) member Doris Pack on Tuesday (April 7th) voiced support for Kosovo’s EU integration but at the same time expressed disappointment with the government’s efforts to fight corruption. Pack, who is leading an EP delegation to Pristina, signed a co-operation agreement Tuesday with members of …

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters were expected to take to the streets of the Georgian capital Tbilisi for the start of mass protests aimed at ousting President Mikheil Saakashvili. Opposition leaders have vowed to rally at least 100,000 supporters and to continue protesting until Saakashvili resigns and calls early …

Bulgaria’s two biggest opposition right-wing parties have called for a moratorium on moves that would secure the country’s dependence on Russia after the current government steps down. The statement was triggered by the Socialist-led ruling coalition’s last minute efforts to negotiate a new contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom and …

Former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari is optimistic Moscow will recognise Kosovo’s independence, now relations between the US and Russia are thawing. The man who devised the blueprint for Kosovo’s supervised independence told Voice of America that it may take “some time in order for this to happen”. “I hope that …

Sofia – Bulgarian banks put up loan rates and fees, pulled consumer lending products and ended promotions in February as the global financial meltdown raged on, data from personal finance website moitepari.bg shows. DSK Bank, Raiffeisenbank and Emporiki Bank dropped unsecured consumer loan offers from their portfolios. Additionally, Emporiki now …

CHISINAU – The ruling Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova has won the majority of seats in parliament but will most likely have to reach an agreement with the opposition when the country’s president is elected. Iurie Ciocan, the secretary of Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission, announced the final results …

Moldova’s political crisis centres largely on one man – Vladimir Voronin, the veteran president and leader of the ruling Communist party. After serving since 2001 and completing two terms, Mr Voronin is obliged to stand down. But the 67-year-old former Soviet communist party official is determined to stay in power, …

CHISINAU – Moldova will introduce visa regime with Romania starting from Thursday, April 9, Andrei Stratan, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign and European Integration Minister, announced on Wednesday. According to the official, the decision was approved at a government meeting on Wednesday, so as to consolidate efforts of maintaining …

BRUSSELS  – Protests against Moldova’s Communist rulers are the latest threat to stability on the European Union’s eastern border but the bloc is wary of wading into a row that could stoke wider tensions with Russia. Western diplomats say it is too early to judge whether street anger at alleged …

MOSCOW, April 8  – Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin accused the opposition on Wednesday of betraying the interests of the country and attempting to trigger a civil war during disturbances in the capital, Chisinau. Protests against the ruling Communist Party’s victory in Sunday’s elections turned violent on Tuesday, with 5,000 rioters …