Eurasia

Serbia’s ruling Democratic Party, DS, announced it might re-examine relations with its coalition partners after four deputies of an ethnic minority party, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, SVM, voted on Monday against the draft budget for next year. Parliament met on Monday to approve the draft bill. The SVM decided not …

Croatia made progress on Monday towards its goal of wrapping up negotiations next year to join the European Union but entry talks were stalled in some areas by neighbouring Slovenia, an EU member. A dispute over borders between Croatia and Slovenia had kept talks frozen in many policy areas, making …

A World War II monument recently demolished in Georgia may be rebuilt in Moscow, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday. Putin told the government’s presidium that the demolition of the monument was “another attempt to erase the former Soviet people’s memory of their common past.” “I believe it is possible …

Moldova and EU adopted the join statement at the eleventh meeting of the Moldova-EU Cooperation Council held in Brussels on December 21. For the first time in the history of the relations between Moldova and the EU, there was signed a joint statement, which encourages Moldova’s European integration efforts and …

The Government of Moldova and Ukraine have agreed upon the joint maintenance of the bridges on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border, in order to improve the road traffic between two states.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has refused to attend an informal meeting of leaders from several countries scheduled for January in Prizren. Albanian language newspapers in Priština write today that the “informal summit, planned to be held on January 7 and 8 in Prizren, is organized by Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu”.

Newly appointed Albanian Ambassador Villi Minarolli Monday submitted his credentials to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. During the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the importance of intensifying political dialogue and extending legal-contractual cooperation.

Romania will cut around 100,000 public sector jobs next year to meet requirements attached to an IMF-led rescue deal, designated Finance. Minister Sebastian Vladescu said on Tuesday. “The budget draft (for 2010) envisages a reduction of a little under 100,000 employees. A large part of it will be done naturally …

The European Union (EU) will launch a satellite to follow the situation in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said Monday. The satellite would monitor the movement of people and equipment and the construction of military facilities in the two regions, Kalandadze …

Georgia has sent an official note on resumption of air communication with Russia. The Russian Ministry of Transport said the note is under consideration but no decision has been taken yet. Responding to journalists’ questions on December 9, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described resumption of air communication as “normal issue …