March, 2009

• 24 March

  Slovakia`s President Wins First Electoral Ballot

  The second election round, in which the candidate with most votes becomes the president, is scheduled for April 4. Slovakia’s President Ivan Gasparovic won the first round of a presidential election, results showed on Sunday, and he faces the strongest opposition candidate in a runoff vote in two weeks. Saturday’s …

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• 24 March

  EP’s Pack says Albania not ready to join Union

  TIRANA, Albania — Doris Pack, head of the European Parliament’s committee for southeast Europe, said on Friday (March 20th) that Albania was not ready for EU accession. “Albania has a long way to go before joining the EU, and it has to continue working to fulfil the EU conditions in …

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• 24 March

  KFOR says no word on Spanish troops leaving Kosovo yet

  PRISTINA, Kosovo – KFOR troops have not received official information when the Spanish military contingent will leave Kosovo, KFOR spokesman Adriano Graziani said on Saturday (March 21st). Last week, Spanish Defence Minister Carmen Chacon announced Spain would withdraw its troops, though she did not set a firm date. Spain has …

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• 24 March

  Croatia Libertas files lawsuits against senior BiH politicians

  SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The Mostar-based NGO Croatia Libertas announced on Sunday (March 22nd) that it has filed suit against several Bosnian Muslim politicians and military leaders it accuses of war crimes. Croatia Libertas filed the lawsuits with the BiH prosecutor as well as with the Mostar cantonal …

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• 24 March

  Turkish police detain former mayor in probe over missing Kurds

  ANKARA, Turkey – Police arrested Kamil Atak, former mayor of the south-eastern town of Cizre, as part of a probe into the alleged killings of Kurds by Turkish security forces in the 1990s, media reported on Sunday (March 22nd). Police nabbed him in a raid late Saturday in the province …

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• 24 March

  Report: Turkey may veto Rasmussen’s candidacy for NATO secretary-general

  ANKARA, Turkey – Media quoted government officials as saying on Sunday (March 22nd) that Turkey may block Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s candidacy for the NATO secretary-general position. Ankara has expressed concerns over Denmark’s previous decision to allow Kurdish Roj TV, often criticised by Turkish authorities for distributing statements …

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• 24 March

  Albania’s ruling coalition signs pre-election agreement

  TIRANA, Albania – The ruling coalition, consisting of the Democratic Party (DP) and the Republican Party (RP), signed a pre-election agreement ahead of the June parliamentary elections Saturday (March 21st). Under the agreement, both parties will commit to focusing all resources and efforts on winning the elections. “I believe this …

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• 24 March

  Ten members of opposition arrested in Georgia

  Georgia’s Interior Ministry has reported that ten members of the opposition Democratic Movement-United Georgia party have been arrested on charges of purchasing automatic weapons. The party’s leader Nino Burjanadze says the charges are false and are part of a “campaign of terror” against the opposition.

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• 24 March

  Romania’s president appeals for int’l policy on fighting criminality

  BUCHAREST – Romanian President Traian Basescu on Tuesday urged that international legislation be passed to curb criminality worldwide as criminals become more clever in breaking the law at home and abroad. The adoption of a policy of fighting criminality at the international level is necessary, considering that criminal organizations have …

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• 24 March

  Romania expected to OK IMF-led loan request on Wed

  BUCHAREST – Romania’s center-left government will likely approve on Wednesday an official letter requesting a loan package led by the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister Emil Boc said on Monday. Romania approached Brussels and the IMF for support earlier this month, becoming the third European Union member after Hungary and …

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