March, 2009

• 27 March

  UN Security Council approves Inzko’s appointment as high representative in BiH

  NEW YORK, United States – The UN Security Council on Wednesday (March 25th) unanimously approved the appointment of Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko as the new high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

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• 27 March

  Albanian opposition party accuses government of ignoring EU advice

  TIRANA, Albania – The opposition Socialist Party (SP) accused the government on Wednesday (March 25th) of failing to respect the EU’s advice about applying for candidate status.

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• 27 March

  Lithuania to withdraw troops from KFOR

  PRISTINA, Kosovo – Lithuania wants to withdraw its small military component from Kosovo, local media reported on Wednesday (March 25th). Vilnius cites the stable security situation in the country and the strain of the global economic crisis.

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• 27 March

  Russia’s Gazprom warns Ukraine over pipeline plan

  Russia’s Gazprom warned Ukraine against implementing plans to modernize its pipelines without consulting Moscow, saying any such action would immediately affect gas supplies to Europe. Ukraine has called on the European Union, which gets most of its imported Russian gas via Ukraine, to help fund modernization of its pipeline system. …

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• 27 March

  Russia prepares request for Georgia to extradite army deserter

  MOSCOW – Russia is preparing a request for Georgia to extradite a Russian soldier who fled his military unit in South Ossetia in January, but has not yet filed the order, a military investigator said on Thursday. Lt. Gen. Alexander Sorochkin, head of the Military Investigation Department at Russia’s Investigation …

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• 27 March

  Eight Alleged Plotters Detained in Georgia

  TBILISI, Georgia — A Georgian court ruled Wednesday that eight opposition supporters accused of plotting a coup and terrorist acts should remain in custody for two months as they await trial. Police released video recordings this week allegedly showing the men trying to buy weapons with the intent of causing …

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• 27 March

  Elevators stopped to save cash

  BUCHAREST (Romania) – TWO government offices in Romania have come up with a novel way to cut expenses during the economic downturn: Turn off the elevator for most of the day. Cristian Roman, the government representative in the northern county of Botosani, has decreed that elevators at the prefect’s and …

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• 27 March

  Bulgaria Waters Down Amnesty Act

  Bulgaria’s parliament drastically reduced the number of prisoners to be pardoned under the amnesty act, which was approved at second reading on Thursday. The amnesty will apply to people, who were sent behind bars prior to July 1, 2008 on charges of criminal negligence. It will not be valid for …

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• 27 March

  FT: Bulgaria Less Dramatic amidst Eastern Rumbles

  “The demise of three east European governments in six weeks suggests the region faces instability at a time when strong governments are needed,” the Financial Times wrote, commenting on the political situation in Eastern Europe. It points out that Bulgaria may see turmoil, though on a less dramatic scale, with …

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• 27 March

  US Ambassador: Corruption is Number One Problem in Bulgaria

  The US Ambassador to Bulgaria, Nancy McEldowney, has stated that corruption and organized crime are the most serious problems that Bulgaria faces. McEldowney said that during her visit to Washington last week she talked to the new US administration about the “very important” problem of the global economic crisis and …

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