The European Union’s new President Herman Van Rompuy on Monday praised the efforts of Bulgaria’s new government to fight recession and clean the Balkan country’s image marred by rampant corruption and crime. The center-right cabinet of Boiko Borisov, which won July general elections, has taken steps to punish corrupt officials, …

Romanian President Traian Basescu has had his December 6th election victory confirmed. The recount of some 137,000 annulled votes was completed early on Monday, doing nothing to change the result, and his rival Mircea Geoana was quick to accept defeat and wish Basescu well.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan spoke out on Monday against a court ban on a Kurdish party that caused angry protests and plunged the country into political uncertainty. The court ruling drew criticism from the European Union, dealing a new blow to Turkey’s faltering hopes of EU membership.