BUCHAREST, Romania — The Romanian Transportation Ministry said Friday that it plans to cut the number of railway employees by 12,000. The plan was sent to the unions who rejected it and threatened protests. Union leader Gheorghe Popa said the ministry did not include social protection measures for those who …

Bulgaria has initiated talks with Russia for a EUR3.8 billion for the construction of its second NPP in Belene, Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov said Monday. Dimitrov who was on an official visit to Moscow last week told the Bulgarian National radio that the decision to seek Russian funding …

BEIJING – Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks with visiting Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin here Monday. Yang applauded Sino-Bulgarian fruitful cooperation in the areas of politics, culture, the economy and trade, as well as science and education, saying both countries have maintained …

George Ivanov from the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party maintains a lead according to early results from Macedonia’s Presidential election although he is likely to face a run-off vote in two weeks time. Out of 98 percent of the counted votes, Ivanov is the frontrunner with about 340,000 votes or …

The first round of Sunday’s presidential and mayoral election in Macedonia met most international standards, western monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe say. The poll was “well administered and free of the violent incidents that clouded last year’s parliamentary elections,” the OSCE said. Election day was …

NATO’s air attack on the former Yugoslavia a decade ago was “the right thing to do” and had improved the lives of Kosovo Albanians and Serbs, the US envoy Richard Holbrooke argues. Speaking at the Brussels Forum conference on Saturday, Holbrooke, a former envoy to the Balkans and currently United …

Spain says the withdrawal of its troops from Kosovo is flexible after receiving criticism from NATO concerning their previous plans to pull their troops in the next four or five months. “Defence Minister Carmen Chacon will meet NATO’s Secretary General next week to explain the reasons for the withdrawal and …

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister is to urge the United Nations Mission in Kosovo to wrap up its administration at a UN Security Council meeting later in Monday. Kosovo will be represented by UNMIK chief, Lamberto Zannier and Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni. The chief of Kosovo’s diplomacy will also discuss the security …

Croatia should tone down its bellicose rhetoric urges Slovenia President as a border row between the two countries threatens to undermine Croatia’s bid to join NATO and the European Union. “At this moment I see too much loud diplomacy, too many expressions that harm good relations. I think we should …

US State Secretary Hillary Clinton has cheered Bosnia’s parliament for making headway in adopting amendments on the disputed Brcko district but also echoed concerns that bitter ethnic rivalries could block the country’s path to EU and NATO membership. “The United States of America remain committed to seeing the future advance …