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.

Republic of Moldova residents having the Ukrainian citizenship, including those living in Moldova’s Transnistrian region, will be able to take part in the January 17, 2010 Ukrainian presidential elections only at the two polling stations that will be opened at the Ukrainian Embassy in Chisinau and at the Ukrainian Consulate …

Montenegrin Deputy PM Svetozar Marović says his country “most sincerely wants to have the best possible relations with Serbia”. Podgorica will not establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules on the legality of the unilateral Kosovo Albanian proclamation, he said.

Romania’s Constitutional Court called for a recount of votes annulled in Sunday’s presidential runoff vote, it said on Friday, a ruling that could possibly overturn incumbent Traian Basescu’s narrow victory.

European Council President-designate Herman van Rompuy will pay a brief working visit to Bulgaria on December 14 2009, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov told journalists in Brussels.

The Georgian parliament has postponed the adoption of the statement on Russia’s actions in the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to Tuesday in connection with the fact that Dec.12 Abkhazia will held so-called presidential elections.

The European Commission is negotiating an Association Agreement with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Ambassador of Sweden for the South Caucasus, Mr. Hans Gunnar Aden said. “Discussions on relaxation of visa regime with Armenia, as one of the Eastern Partnership components, have already started in the European Council. During the Swedish …

Serbian President Boris Tadic said Croatia’s defence of Kosovo’s independence in front of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, are harming relations between the two neighbours. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Palic lake, Tadic said that Croatia’s arguments at the court amount to interference in Belgrade’s …