August, 2009

• 20 August

  Romanian minister defies parliament inquiry

  BUCHAREST, Romania Romania’s tourism minister said Thursday she had taken legal action against members of a parliamentary committee that is investigating whether she misused ministry funds. Elena Udrea appeared briefly before the committee Thursday to announce she had filed a legal complaint against the lawmakers on the grounds they had …

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• 20 August

  Stara Planina for outgoing Finnish ambassador

  BULGARIA President Georgi Purvanov conferred the Stara Planina, first class, on outgoing Finnish ambassador to Bulgaria Kauko Jämsén. He received the highest Bulgarian state honour for his extraordinary contribution to the development of Bulgarian-Finnish relations and trade. Trade between the two countries more than tripled over the past four years, …

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• 20 August

  Turkey to win if Bulgaria leaves energy projects: former PM

  SOFIA, Bulgaria I have not understood new government’s position on energy projects, said former Prime Minister (PM) Sergey Stanishev in the Parliament, FOCUS News Agency reporter informed. “I read carefully statements of different ministers-they contradict. Thus we asked for clear government’s position on all key energy projects for Bulgaria. The …

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• 20 August

  Karadzic Case Ready for Trial

  BiH The judge indicates that the Radovan Karadzic case is “ready for trial”, though he declines to set a date for the trial to begin. Iain Bonomy said that the Radovan Karadzic case is “ready for trial” and that he will inform the Court President of this. However, a date …

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• 20 August

  Skopje Likely to Respond Today on Name Proposals

  SKOPJE, Macedonia Today, Zoran Jolevski, Macedonia’s negotiator in the Athens-Skopje name talks, is expected to give his country’s response to the latest set of proposals tabled by UN mediator Matthew Nimetz. On Wednesday, Greece said that it would not accept the latest Nimetz proposals if a compromise formulation of Macedonia’s …

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• 20 August

  Kosovo Adamant in Opposition to Policing Protocol

  PRISTINA, Kosovo The EU rule of law mission, EULEX, cannot and will not sign any agreement in the name of Kosovo, EULEX head Yves De Kermabon said on Thursday. Kermabon was speaking after a meeting with Kosovo’s President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. “EULEX, as a technical rule …

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• 20 August

  Dorin Chirtoaca not leaving the mayoralty

  CHISINAU, Moldova The vice president of the Liberal Party (PL) Dorin Chirtoaca, who headed the party’s list of candidates, will refuse the MP seat and will remain mayor of Chisinau. Chirtoaca made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday. In actual fact, Dorin Chirtoaca made public his decision at …

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• 20 August

  Preparations for Russian president’s visit

  BELGRADE, Serbia Russian ambassador in Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin said that a series of strategic agreements will be signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit. A representative delegation will be accompanying Medvedev during his first trip to Serbia, expected in late October. The visit is expected to include discussions on a …

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• 20 August

  Karadžić “regrets loss of lives, not own role”

  THE HAGUE, Holland Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić said on Tuesday that he did not regret his role in the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and that his conscience was clear. Karadžić, who is being tried on war crimes and genocide charges by the UN tribunal in The Hague, added that …

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• 20 August

  Russian power blast toll rises

  MOSCOW, Russia Some 64 missing workers, trapped in one of Russia’s biggest power plants after an explosion, are almost certainly dead. Now relatives have been told the grim news. Families gathered to hear officials say there is little hope for anyone caught in the flooded turbine hall. It is thought …

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