Eurasia Press & News
BULGARIA “The allegations that we have been spending some BGN 200 million a day are complete nonsense”, former prime minister and chairperson of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Sergey Stanishev said at a news conference in the town of Dobrich. “What have we spent the money for? Do you really …
Read More »State to pay 30M leva for infrastructure development in Plovdiv
BULGARIA The Bulgarian government has announced it will allocate 30 million leva for infrastructure project development in Plovdiv as compensation for Plovdiv’s assistance in helping relieve Sofia’s refuse debacle, Stroitelstvo Gradut has reported on September 7. . Bulgaria is faced with being slapped with serious sanctions from the European Union, …
Read More »EU unblocks farm aid funds for Bulgaria
BELGIUM The European Commission announced Monday that it was to unblock millions of euros in agriculture funds for Bulgaria which had been frozen over concerns about fraud, AFP reports. The move to open up the so-called SAPARD funds came after EU member Bulgaria implemented an action plan to address concerns …
Read More »Slovakian, Russian foreign ministers set to meet in Moscow
RUSSIA Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak will meet on Monday in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss bilateral relations and issues of security and cooperation in Europe, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Andrei Nesterenko said that besides bilateral relations the foreign ministers are expected …
Read More »Greek PM promises ‘tough medicine’
GREECE Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has kicked off his campaign to win against the odds in a October 4 snap election by promising painful spending cuts, in the teeth of union opposition. In an annual economic keynote speech, the outgoing conservative leader vowed that if he won his third …
Read More »CE human rights commissioner to visit Chechnya, Ingushetia
RUSSIA The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, who arrived with an official visit to Russia last week, is heading on Monday to Russia’s North Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Thomas Hammarberg will visit Chechnya and Ingushetia to meet with the presidents of both republics and heads of …
Read More »Indicted Politician in New Albanian Cabinet
ALBANIA The head of the Republican Party, former defence minister Fatmir Mediu, indicted on abuse of power charges over a deadly munitions depot blast on March 15, 2008, is to head the Environment Ministry. In a coalition deal announced by Prime Minister Sali Berisha today, the Republican Party, which returned …
Read More »Bosnia Drifts Away from EU, NATO
BiH The current “very negative” political situation and stagnation of key reforms threaten to delay the closure of the Office of the High Representative, OHR, and move Bosnia away from EU and NATO membership, a senior US diplomat said. “What is especially frustrating is that we believe that, for most …
Read More »Ahtisaari Warns Holdouts on Kosovo
KOSOVO Nobel laureate Marti Ahtisaari has warned the EU that the failure of Balkan and EU states to recognise Kosovo stands as a bulwark against the bloc’s future expansion. “Those countries that have been in conflict in the past have to be able to see the reality, and […] have …
Read More »President to Address Romanian Parliament
ROMANIA Romanian President Traian Basescu will give a keynote speech to parliament on September 15, addressing the primary political and social issues facing the country. On Monday, the leaders of the country’s bicameral parliament decided Basescu would address the legislature on the same day the government takes responsibility for three …
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