March, 2013

• 25 March

  Croatia Withdrawing Syria Peacekeepers Following ‘Incidents’

  Deputy Defence Minister Visnja Tafra has denied that Croatia was withdrawing peacekeepers from Syria because of the New York Times’ allegations that it had sold arms to anti-government rebels.Deputy Defence Minister Tafra said that Croatia was withdrawing its 100 or so peacekeeping troops from the Golan Heights on the Israel-Syria …

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• 25 March

  Romania’s Ex-Ruling Party Re-elects Leader

  Vasile Blaga was re-elected head of the Democratic Liberal Party – but his victory won’t heal the splits that are hindering the former ruling party’s recovery.Vasile Blaga, 56, received around 51 per cent of the votes from delegates at the congress of the Democratic Liberal Party, PDL, which took place …

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• 25 March

  Turkey says the EU needs fairer system

  The European Union must preserve its solidarity and come up with a fairer system as its economic problems are only temporary, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said at an informal meeting of EU leaders. “What makes the EU significant for us [Turkey] are the values

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• 25 March

  Germany Urges Serbia to Allow Kosovo UN Seat

  Hans-Joachim Falenski, advisor to Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union of Bavaria coalition, says normalization of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia should eventually include a UN seat for Kosovo.

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• 25 March

  Greek Cypriots agree with EU and IMF on bailout package

  Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus agreed with the EU and the IMF on the new bailout package on early Monday. Following a 10-hour-long meeting in Brussels with head of the EU Council Herman Van Rompuy, head of the EU Commission

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• 25 March

  Turkey reacts to Nicosia over gas

  Turkey has reacted strongly against a possible Greek Cypriot plan to use oil and gas exploration rights around the eastern Mediterranean island as collateral for an international bailout package it desperately needs to protect its economy from going bankrupt.

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• 25 March

  Macedonia hopes for EU accession after peaceful elections

  Macedonia, an EU candidacy country since 2005, has boosted its chance of accession after a peaceful election. The interior minister Gordan Jankuloska said, “We’ve probably had the best and cleanest elections so far.

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• 25 March

  Kosovo Praises NATO for 1999 Military Intervention

  Kosovo president Atifete Jahjaga said that 14 years after the conflict with Serbian forces, Kosovo “is proud and thankful to all NATO’s soldiers and commanders who contributed to the end of genocide against the people of the country”.

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• 22 March

  EU Croatia Won’t Leave Balkans Isolated, Josipovic

  The Balkans will not become isolated after Croatia joins the EU this July, President Ivo Josipovic has said.Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said the rest of the Western Balkans would not become isolated by Croatia’s EU accession as a consequence of EU enlargement fatigue. “What seems very important to me is …

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• 22 March

  EU FMs to discuss arms embargo on Syria in Dublin

  European foreign ministers will meet to discuss the EU arms embargo on Syria at an informal meeting in Dublin on Friday and Saturday. Arriving at Dublin Castle today, EU foreign ministers reiterated their positions on the question of arming Syria’s rebels.

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