EurActiv - European Union Information Website (EU and Europe)

NATO summit keeps enlargement off the table (News)

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:24:28 +0200

A two-day NATO summit continues today (21 May) with the future of the alliance’s action in Afghanistan and the Europe-based anti-missile shield featuring high on the agenda. In contrast, NATO enlargement has been taken off the table.

Former ultranationalist wins Serbian presidential election (News)

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:06:19 +0200

Former ultranationalist Tomislav Nikolić will be the next Serbian President after defeating the pro-European incumbent Boris Tadić in a runoff yesterday (20 May). BETA, the EurActiv partner agency in Serbia, reports.

Macedonia protests signal surge of radical Islam (News)

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:57:44 +0200

Ethnic Albanians rallied in several Macedonian towns on Friday (11 May) to protest against a police operation that saw suspects arrested in the deaths of five people. The regional press saw the protests as a sign of rising radical Islam in the country.

Finding ways to keep enlargement hopes alive (Analysis)

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:23:13 +0200

Turkey and the Western Balkan countries require practical integration measures to bridge the gap in the European Union's enlargement process, say Andrea Despot, Dušan Reljić, and Günter Seufert from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP).

Is the EU fostering the 'conflict industry' in the Balkans? (Analysis)

Wed, 09 May 2012 13:42:41 +0200

The EU's unwillingness to provide the region's countries with an unambiguous path to membership encourages the risk of ethnic nationalism and violence, says the Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi.

Serbian Socialist leader eyes premiership (News)

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:30:04 +0200

Either in coalition with the pro-European Democratic Party of outgoing President Boris Tadić or with the Progressive Party of former ultranationalist Tomislav Nikolić, Socialist leader Ivica Dačić sees himself as the country's next prime minister. EurActiv Serbia reports.

Former ultranationalists lead in Serbia election (News)

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:22:24 +0200

Serbia held joint parliamentary, presidential and local elections on Sunday (6 May), sending ultranationalist Tomislav Nikolić and incumbent President Boris Tadić to a presidential election run-off on 20 May. BETA, the EurActiv partner agency in Serbia, reports.

Serbia prepares for close 'three-in-one' super-election (News)

Fri, 04 May 2012 17:47:17 +0200

On Sunday (6 May), Serbia will hold joint parliamentary, presidential and local elections. Two days ahead of the poll, the outcome appears uncertain except for the Socialists who are likely to enter the government with either of the main contenders. EurActiv Serbia reports.

EU-Turkey tensions resurface over NATO summit (News)

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:57:38 +0200

Turkey has indicated its intention to veto the EU's participation in the upcoming NATO summit in an apparent sign of growing disenchantment with the Union before the rotating EU presidency is taken up by Cyprus, a country that Turkey refuses to recognise.

Central and Eastern Europe's emigration challenge (Analysis)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:11:26 +0200

Central and Eastern European countries, long lands of emigration to the West, are beginning to see these flows reverse as economic growth and opportunity shift eastwards, argues Stratfor.

Why the EU should reject Israeli trade pact (Analysis)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:55:03 +0200

A few might argue that signing the the Conformity Assessment and Acceptance Agreement with Israel will bring economic benefits to the EU. In fact, the EU has much more to gain from rejecting it, argue Kataryzna Lemanska and Stuart Reigeluth.

Reunification talks collapse before Cyprus EU stint (News)

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:26:55 +0200

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said progress in the talks to reunify the divided island of Cyprus was insufficient to call an international conference. The statement appears to put an end to hopes that Cyprus' upcoming EU presidency could be a catalyst for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Switzerland slaps restrictions on Eastern EU workers (News)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:22:28 +0200

Switzerland said today (18 April) it would temporarily re-introduce an authorisation requirement for workers coming from the eight East European countries that joined the EU in 2004, a decision that was sharply criticised by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Iceland under pressure to stop EU accession bid (News)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:28:26 +0200

Political pressure is growing on Iceland's Parliament to halt accession talks with the EU, or at least review the negotiation procedure, because of the European Commission's involvement in the legal dispute between Reykjavik and British and Dutch authorities over the Icesave case.

Ethnic tension reaches new heights in Macedonia (News)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:44:33 +0200

Hundreds of young Macedonia Slavs marched in Skopje yesterday (17 April) to protest against the killings of five fishermen north of the capital. Speculation about Albanian-led gang-style executions were reinforced by threats from a so-called "Army for the liberation of Albanian lands" to launch new attacks.

'Friends in high places' allow convicted Albanian dealer to go home (News)

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:28:53 +0200

An Albanian politician who faces 40 years in prison on drug convictions in Italy was arrested on 9 April in his country, but in the meantime has been able to get house arrest without police supervision. Commission sources expressed regret for this lax treatment, but said the EU executive could not comment court decisions.

Turkish leader invites NATO to defend its border with Syria (News)

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:02:38 +0200

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raised today (12 April) the prospect of calling on its NATO allies to protect its border after gunfire hit a Syrian refugee camp on Turkish territory.

Albanian politician arrested for Italian drug convictions (News)

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:59:17 +0200

A municipal counsellor with ties to the Albanian government has been detained in his country under an Italian arrest warrant for drug-related convictions, the website Le Courrier des Balkans reports.

The illicit benefits of Bulgaria's EU membership (Analysis)

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:36:08 +0200

Accession to the European Union means prosperity and new economic opportunities for businesses and people, or so goes the argument. In the case of Bulgaria, this is evidently true for the underworld, writes Barbara Frye.

Roma Day marked by racist clashes in Serbia (News)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:25:37 +0200

International Roma Day coincided with racist clashes in Belgrade over the relocation of Roma from a shanty town in central Belgrade to state-sponsored container camp in a suburb.