Eurasia

SUKHUMI, Russia Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Wednesday visited Abkhazia, promising to build a military base at its border with Georgia. The Times of London reported Putin chose to travel to Sukhumi, Abkhazia’s capital, on the first anniversary of the cease-fire ending Russia’s war with Georgia.

Russian news reports say two people were killed and several others wounded in a bomb blast in Abkhazia during Wednesday’s visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Mr. Putin’s one-day trip to the Georgian breakaway territory was the first by a top Russian official since Moscow last year recognized Abkhazia’s …

BUCHAREST, Romania The Romanian government says it plans to cut 14,000 jobs as it struggles with a deep recession and a shrinking economy. The decision announced Wednesday will affect almost all the country’s ministries, which have been heavily criticized for their high salaries and allegations of misspending. Lawmakers must approve …

BUCHAREST, Romania Romania on Thursday denied reports that it was host to a secret facility run by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for detention of suspected terrorists. “I think this is a story to discredit Romania,” said Norica Nicolai, the head of Romania parliamentary committee to review similar accusations. …

BLAGOEVGRAD, Bulgaria Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha lauded on Thursday the historical Albanian-Kuwaiti ties as an example for international strategic relations. Berisha made the remarks in an interview with KUNA on the sidelines of a seminar organized by the NATO Club in Blagoevgrad, 100 km from the Bulgarian capital city …

SKOPJE, Macedonia Macedonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs publically discharged Sofia’s reactions, concerning the case “Mitrova”, as unreasonable and false. This was discussed during MoFA’s meeting with the executor of the Bulgarian embassy in Skopje. The MoFA pointed out that although Spaska Mitrova has a Bulgarian passport, she has to answer …

Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court would look into voting for Bulgarian Parliamentary elections at Turkish polling stations, a media statement from the Order, Law and Justice (OLJ) party said. The initiative for the court case was taken by OLJ party leader Yane Yanev, and the complaint was lodged by chief prosecutor Boris …

SOFIA, Bulgaria Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met with EU Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva, press centre of the governmental service informed. The both officials discussed possibilities of Bulgaria to take a use of the European fund for solidarity in view of economy crisis and budgetary deficit at the …

SOFIA, Bulgaria 72% of the Bulgarians set great hope to future governing of Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB), and 18% feel worry. This is the result of the official research of National Centre for Public Opinion Research (NCPOR). Half of the inquired people in August assesses as successful …

The anniversary of last August’s war in the Caucasus was always going to be a sensitive occasion. But the surprise visit of Russian Prime Minister to the breakaway region of Abkhazia has triggered renewed tension between Moscow and its defeated foe Georgia. During the trip Putin promised massive military spending …