Eurasia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Thursday new clashes may break out in the Caucasus region if the European Union (EU) observers fail to function as security guarantors.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic signed here on Thursday, the Charter of Regional Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe, in the present of his Romanian and Moldovan counterparts.

A  Croatian publisher and his colleague were killed in a car bomb Thursday evening in the center of the capital Zagreb, electronic media reported.

Poland supports EU enlargement with the Balkans, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday after a meeting with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

Macedonia’s parliament has adopted a motion approving a constitutional amendment to the country’s presidential election rules, according to news reports reaching here Thursday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A drunk passenger on a Russian internal flight caused a hijack scare Friday, Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted a law enforcement source as saying.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU candidate Turkey must significantly step up reforms if it is to progress its troubled bid to join the 27-nation bloc, the European Commission is to tell the country, EU officials said on Friday.

NAZRAN, Russia (Reuters) – Armed men drove into Russia’s Ingushetia region and abducted up to 15 people including policemen from a checkpoint and a slot machine parlour, police and witnesses said Friday.

TBILISI (Reuters) – Georgia has outlawed investment in its breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions and imposed entry restrictions on foreigners, under legislation designed to isolate the two Russian-backed territories.

Turkey’s prime minister was involved in anti-secular activities, the country’s Constitutional Court has said.The court was explaining why it it imposed financial sanctions on the governing AK Party in July.