Recent Posts

Lustration officially launched in Macedonia

MACEDONIA Lustration for all public officials in Macedonia begins Tuesday, with incumbent dignitaries to be the first to submit statements over not being involved with former secret police service. Public office holders in Macedonia are to submit within September 1-30 deadline a statement to the Commission for Verification of Facts …

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Georgian FM protests against Russia’s decision on protection ships in Abkhazian territorial waters

GEORGIA The Georgian Foreign Ministry has stated its protest against Russia’s decision on protection of ships from detention by the Georgian authorities in the “Abkhazian territorial waters”. Russia decided that the Coast Guard Service of Russia together with the Abkhazian border guards will ensure the safety of those vessels that …

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Romania to lobby for agriculture commissioner

ROMANIA Despite uncertainty over the number of commissioners in the next EU executive, which stems from the as yet unfinished ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, Romania has announced that it will propose a former agriculture minister as its next commissioner. Dacian Cioloş (pronounced Dachian Chiolosh) is Romania’s candidate for the …

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Romania Sets Presidential Election Date

ROMANIA On Monday, Romania’s ruling coalition set November 22 as the date for the country’s presidential elections and established new rules to improve the voting process. The ruling centre-right Democratic Liberal Party, PD-L, and leftist Social Democratic Party, PSD, decided not to make any changes to the current election law, …

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Hostile Turkey and Armenia to hold diplomatic talks

TURKEY Relations between hostile neighbours Turkey and Armenia have taken a turn for the better with the two countries’ agreeing to hold talks on establishing diplomatic ties. It was last year’s unprecedented meeting between their leaders in the Armenian capital which began the slow improvement after almost a century of …

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Macedonia Fears Second Greek Veto

MACEDONIA Greece has toughened its stance in the dispute over Macedonia’s official name, making it more likely to block its neighbour’s EU membership bid, Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said. Milososki’s comments came in an interview with Reuters on Monday, held on the sidelines of a regional security conference in …

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Macedonia Probes Secret Service Ties

MACEDONIA Lustration procedures, focusing on past security service ties, begin for all public officials in Macedonia on Tuesday, with prominent public office holders the first under the spotlight. Public office holders have until the end of September to submit a statement to the parliamentary Commission for the Verification of Facts, …

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