December, 2008

• 8 December

  Serbia ‘Shows Maturity’ over Human Rights

  A delegation led by Serbia’s Human and Minority Rights Minister, Svetozar Ciplic, has been presenting Belgrade’s rights’ records to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Serbia’s national report reflects the joint work of several ministries and non-governmental organisations and highlighted the benchmarks of human and minority right issues in …

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• 8 December

  Police Prevent Catholic Clashes in Bosnia

  Local police deployed strong special police forces in Bosnia’s southern town of Capljina, to prevent clashes between supporters of rival wings of the local Roman Catholic Church. The incident took place on Sunday, as the regional Roman Catholic Bishop Ratko Peric came to Capljina to consecrate the construction of a …

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• 8 December

  Bosnian Serbs Rebuff Western Criticism

  Bosnian Serb leaders have shrugged off the latest criticism from the international community’s top envoy to Bosnia and Herzegovina as “incorrect and generic.” “People in the Office of the High Representative, OHR, think that their opinions are imperative and that they should remain in Bosnia and Herzegovina but we will …

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• 8 December

  Serbia Eyes Montenegro Citizen Deal ‘Soon’

  Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic says he hopes the negotiations on dual citizenship with Montenegro will be concluded in the coming days, and a deal will be signed soon. “I expect a compromise agreement on dual citizenship with Montenegro, which would recognise dual citizenship for all those who gained the …

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• 8 December

  Foes in Romanian Governing Coalition Talks

  Romania’s leftist Social Democratic Party, PSD, decided on Monday to start negotiations with its arch-foes, the centre-right Democratic Party, PLD, in order to form a new government. “We were facing a difficult moment, as we decided to start discussions with our main political contenders. But it is in Romania’s interest …

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• 8 December

  Serb Officials Quiet on Mladic Home Raid

  Given the lack of reactions in Belgrade, it is said that Thursday’s raid on the home of war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic’s son, was not as successful as expected. The Belgrade home was entered by special units of the Serbian police in the morning, which searched the home for eight …

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• 8 December

  Greeks riot for 3rd day amid anti-government furor

  ATHENS (Reuters) – Hundreds of protesters clashed with police for a third day in several Greek cities in riots fueled by growing economic hardship and triggered by the shooting of a teenager on Saturday night. Police chased rioters with tear gas in Thessaloniki and clashes were reported in Crete, Corfu …

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• 8 December

  Strike to halt all Greece flights on Wednesday

  ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek flights will be grounded on Wednesday as air traffic controllers walk out for one day to join a general strike over labor reforms and the government’s economic policies, union officials said. “All flights from and to Greek airports will be halted and only emergency flights will …

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• 8 December

  Israel postpones release of Palestinian prisoners

  JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel postponed the release of 230 Palestinian prisoners until December 15, nearly a week later than planned, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Monday. The prisoners make up only a fraction of the 11,000 Palestinians held by Israel. The release, described by Israel as a goodwill gesture to …

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• 8 December

  Iraq security contractors face end to immunity

  BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Private security guards in Iraq, whose armored convoys once barreled through the streets with impunity, could face being thrown into crowded and violent Iraqi jails once their era of legal immunity ends on January 1. Under a security pact signed with the United States, foreign contractors, including …

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