SOFIA, Bulgaria – The European Commission (EC) has decided to delay its decision over releasing 143m euros in funds under the ISPA pre-accession programme until the end of May, local media reports said Sunday (April 5th).

NICOSIA, Cyprus – President Demetris Christofias said on Saturday (April 4th) that Greek Cypriots will not accept any change to the ongoing negotiation process aimed at reunifying the divided island. This includes setting deadlines for completing talks or possible UN arbitration. “These principles have been accepted by the international community, …

TIRANA, Albania – Opposition party leaders said on Sunday (April 5th) the country’s accession into NATO is an achievement for all Albanians, who did what it took to merit membership.

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Xhevat Ademi, deputy leader of the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), criticised on Saturday (April 4th) Macedonia’s “lack of willingness” to reach an agreement with Greece in the long-standing name dispute.

Bucharest. Romanian government “expressed its readiness” to render help to Italian authorities ,if it is necessary, after the earthquake in Italy. This was said in a letter sent by Romanian Prime Minster Emil Boc to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The Bulgarian government has asked Russia to avoid using Bulgaria’s gas pipeline network for transit purposes in its South Stream project. Thus, Russia will have to build a separate gas pipeline in Bulgaria, Deputy Minister of Economy and Energy, Yavor Kuyumdzhiev, stated in an interview on Bulgarian National Radio late …

Brussels fears that the involvement of European officials in key positions in Bulgaria’s administration may unnecessarily complicate reforms here, a commissioner said in Sofia. Margot Wallstrom, Vice President of the European Commission and Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy Commissioner, commented the extraordinary new plan, hatched by the government, to involve …

The Bulgarian Government should reconsider Budget 2009 spendings in order to generate surplus. That was Vladimir Karolev’s opinion, expressed at the sixth discussion of the “Debates 2009” campaign, organized by the Bulgarian Industrial Association. Vladimir Karolev is an economist at National Movement for Prosperity and Stability (NMPS), but he stressed …

Bulgarian parties and coalitions, willing to join the race for MEPs, should submit their papers to the Central Electoral Commission by May 12, it was announced on Monday. Bulgarians, living in EU member states, who want to vote in the MEP elections, should submit a request to this effect with …

The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, asked the EU to begin finalising the Trade Agreement with Serbia by the end of June. Italy has presented a plan to step up Euro-integration of the Western Balkans, in which it proposes speeding up negotiation of the Trade Agreement, and demands …